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Sarnath
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Situated 10 km from Varanasi is the site where Buddha delivered his first sermon
to his five disciples, preaching the middle path for attaining 'Nirvana'.
Realising the sanctity of the site, emperor Ashoka, in the 3rd century B.C.
built some of the finest monuments and legacies.
Set in well maintained gardens Sarnath's ruins are a pleasant place to stroll
amongst or meditate in. The main things to see are Asoka's pillar, the ruins of
the Mulagandhakuti and the huge Dharmek Stupa. Further to the east is the modern
Mulagandhakuti Vihara with its beautiful wall paintings and behind it the Deer
Park. The Sarnath Museum houses some of the greatest treasures of Indian
Buddhist art and should not be missed. Asoka's lion capital and the beautiful
Teaching Buddha are amongst the most beautiful sculptures ever made.
Destination
Sarnath
Dhamekha Stupa
This is the most conspicuous structure at Sarnath. Colonel Cunningham bore a
shaft from the top centre of the stupa and discovered a stone tablet on which an
inscription is written with the word Dhamekha, and mentions that this is the
spot where the Buddha delivered his first sermon. Dhamekha seems to be a
distorted form of Dharma Chakra which means turning the wheel of the Dharma. It
is also said that at this spot the five ascetics who left Gautama Buddha in Bodh
Gaya used to live in huts. The original stupa was constructed by Ashoka. The
present size of the stupa is 31.3 m high and 28.3 m in diameter. The lower
portion of the stupa is covered completely with beautifully carved stones.
The Dhamekha stupa is considered to be the sacred place where the voice of
Buddhism was first heard. Many dignitaries of Buddhist countries visit this
place for circumambulation of this sacred stupa and to worship the Buddha.
Tibetans Buddhist circumambulate it chanting the mantra 'Om mani padme hum'. The
first discourse of the Buddha was on the 'Wheel of Law'. The wheel symbolises
samsara (world), the eternal round of existence which goes on and on, life after
life because of ceaseless cravings and desire.
Choukhandi' Stupa
Raised by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1555 A.D., it is believed to be the place
where Buddha met his five disciples. The majestic Ashoka pillar records visit of
emperor Ashoka to Sarnath. It was originally adorned by a capital of four lions,
now housed in the Sarnath museum. The capital became the state emblem of modern
India.
The Digambara Jain Temple
The Digambara Jain temple, southwest of the Dhamekh Stupa, built in 1824, is
said to be where Shreyanshnath, the 11th Jain tirthankara was born. Inside the
temple are good frescoes, which depict the life of Mahavir, the founder of the
present day Jain religion.
Buddhist Temples
The Mulagandhakuti Vihara is a modern temple built by the Mahabodhi Society in
1931. The silver casket in the temple is said to have the original relics of the
Buddha in it. It was recovered from the ruins of the first century temple. The
temple has interesting murals depicting the life story of Buddha. The murals
were painted by a well-known Japanese artist, Kosetsu Nosu, in 1936. Outside the
temple is a bo tree transplanted from Sri Lanka. It is said to be a descendant
of the original tree under which Buddha sat when he attained enlightenment.
There is a collection of rare Buddhist literature here.
How to get there
Air
Varanasi (Babatpur) Airport is the nearest airport. Commercial flights
connect Varanasi to Kathmandu, Delhi , Agra and Mumbai.
Rail
Varanasi railway station is well connected to important cities.
Road
It is located on the National Highway No. 29 that also connects Varanasi and
Gorakhpur.
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