Sarnath – A Buddhist Pilgrimage Centre

Sarnath, also known as Mrigadava (deer park), is located 10 kms north east of Varanasi, in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. The modern name is derived from the name of Bodhisattva, Saranganatha.

This place is famous because it here here that Lord Budhdha came after attaining enlightenment at Bodhgaya and delivered his first sermon, preaching his five disciples the middle path for achieving “Nirvana” - the highest spiritual attainment. Here, he advocated 'Maha-Dharma-Chakra Pravartan' which literally means, set the 'wheel of dharma' or law in motion. He advocated the four noble truths and his Eight fold path - the path that builds up a life of virtuous demeanor to end sorrow, achieve inner peace, and enlightenment, which dissolves the basis for Karma that otherwise make human beings continue roving through spheres of aspirations and form.

To commemorate the sanctity of this place, Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century B.C. built several monuments in this site, which are some of the finest architectural splendors of the Maurya and Gupta Empires. The cylindrical “Dhamekh” Stupa, 28 m in diameter at the base and 43.6 m high, built partly of stone and partly of brick, is one of those. Intricate carvings of floral motifs of the Gupta period adorn the stone at the lower part of the Stupa. It is said to hold the vestiges of Lord Budhdha. Also of importance are the Dharamrajika Stupas.

The Ashoka Pillar that has a bell-shaped base with lotus leaves, a round abacus with an elephant, a horse, a bull, is another famous relic made of sandstone. It marks the visit of Emperor Ashoka to Sarnath. It was titivated with a capital of four lions standing back to back, which has now become the Emblem of Indian Republic.

Another holy structure in this historial city is the Choukhandi Stupa, constructed by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1555 A.D.
Other interesting tourist attractions include the Mulgandha Kuti Vihara a Tibetan buddhist shrine built in 1930. Apart from several ancient sacred items , it houses a life-size golden statue of Budhdha ornamented with beguiling frescos by Japanese artist, Kosetsu Nosu. There are some Chinese and Jain temples too.
The Archaeological Museum has on display a wonderful statue of the Buddha turning the wheel of law, and many other archaeological edifices that demonstrate the augmentation of the Indian Plastic arts.

The best time to visit this divine place is after the monsoon, in the months of October to March. The nearest airport is Varanasi, connected by flights to Kathmandu, Delhi, Calcutta, Bhubaneshwar, Patna, Agra and Mumbai. It is a 30 km drive from the airport to Sarnath. Varanasi is the nearest rail station from Sarnath. Direct trains connect Varansi to all the major cities of India. Besides, Sarnath can be aproached from any part of Uttar Pradesh via road. Sarnath is located on the National Highway No. 29 that also connects Varanasi and Gorakhpur. The local transportation and the intercity services help reach Sarnath easily.

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