Rewriting history at Sarnath: ASI moves to credit Benares ruler over British archaeologists

Sarnath, the sacred ground where Gautama Buddha delivered his first sermon, is set for a rewritten chapter in its history. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is preparing to replace the site’s main plaque with a revised account that shifts credit for its discovery from colonial-era archaeologists to the family of an 18th-century Benares ruler.

The move comes just as a UNESCO team arrives to assess Sarnath, recently nominated by India for the World Heritage List. Officials confirmed that the new plaque will acknowledge Babu Jagat Singh — a descendant of the Benares royal line — for exposing Sarnath’s archaeological significance in 1787–88, rather than crediting British officers who were long considered the site’s discoverers.

“This is about correcting historical inaccuracies,” ASI Director-General Yadubir Rawat was quoted as saying, noting that updated findings warranted the revision. Senior ASI officials added that earlier plaques often reflected the perspectives of colonial officers, and corrections were justified as fresh evidence emerged.

For decades, the inscription at Sarnath attributed the site’s rediscovery to British officials Jonathan Duncan and Col. E. Mackenzie in 1798, followed by the excavations of Alexander Cunningham, John Marshall, and others. The new plaque, however, will highlight Jagat Singh’s excavation of the mound in the late 18th century, during which Buddhist relics were unearthed — some now housed in Kolkata’s Asiatic Society.

Jagat Singh’s descendants, who petitioned the ASI, have welcomed the revision. “The old plaque was misleading. It diminished the role of our ancestor in bringing Sarnath to light,” said Pradeep Narayan Singh, a family member and patron of a research committee in Jagat Singh’s name.

This is not the first such correction. Earlier this year, the ASI revised the inscription at Sarnath’s Dharmarajika Stupa, removing references to Jagat Singh as a “destroyer” of the monument and instead crediting him for unearthing it.

Beyond the plaques, recent excavations have also broadened understanding of Sarnath’s past. Archaeologist B.R. Mani’s work in 2013–14 indicated that Buddhist activity thrived at the site centuries before Emperor Ashoka, challenging the perception that the Mauryan ruler was the starting point of Sarnath’s sacred legacy.

With India positioning itself globally as the “land of Buddha,” the timing of this historical correction is significant. If UNESCO grants World Heritage status, Sarnath — already central to Buddhist, Jain, and Indian heritage — will gain new international stature, with its story anchored not in colonial discovery, but in indigenous legacy.