Why in the News?
UNESCO has included the ‘Diamond Triangle’ Buddhist sites of Odisha in India’s Tentative List for future consideration as a World Heritage Site.The sites are located in Jajpur and Cuttack districts of Odisha
What is the ‘Diamond Triangle’?
- A cluster of three ancient Buddhist sites
- Ratnagiri
- Udayagiri
- Lalitgiri Known as the epicentre of Buddhism in eastern India
Historical and Religious Significance
- The sites witnessed the propagation of all three schools of Buddhism
• Hinayana
• Mahayana
• Vajrayana
• Rich remains of Stupas, Monasteries, Relics, Sculptures of Lord Buddha and Buddhist deities
What is a Tentative List?
- Mandatory prerequisite for nomination to the World Heritage List
- Identifies sites of Outstanding Universal Value
- Can be cultural, natural or mixed
- Only sites on the tentative list can be considered for final inscription
India and the Tentative List
- India currently has 70 sites on the tentative list
- Categories include cultural, natural and mixed
- Odisha sites already on the tentative list include
- Ekamra Kshetra, Bhubaneswar
- Chilika Lake
- Chausathi Yogini temples group was added last year
- Two located in Odisha at Bhubaneswar outskirts and Balangir
Prelims Pointers
- Tentative list inclusion does not guarantee World Heritage status
- Diamond Triangle reflects pan Buddhist evolution in India
- ASI is the official nodal agency for UNESCO nominations
- Odisha is emerging as a major Buddhist heritage corridor
| [2024] Consider the following properties included in the World Heritage List released by UNESCO:
1. Shantiniketan 2. Rani-ki-Vav 3. Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas 4. Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodhgaya How many of the above properties were included in 2023? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four |
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