Sarnath is a Seat of Utmost Peace, Close to The City of Varanasi

Sarnath is a Seat of Utmost Peace, Close to The City of Varanasi

Published: December 1, 2018 8:27 PM IST

By Charu Chowdhary

Sarnath
Photo Credit: GettyImages

Sarnath, about 10km from Varanasi, is one of the most revered Buddhist pilgrimage centres in India. If you’re making a trip to Varanasi, be sure to include this little place of utmost significance in your itinerary. It is believed that after the attainment of enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, it was here that Lord Buddha preached his first ever sermon.

The whole of Sarnath has stories to tell and interesting architecture to explore. The great Dhamek Stupa, especially, is testimony to the importance it bears even today; it holds a special significance for devout Buddhists as it marks the ‘seat of the holy Buddha’ as he proclaimed his faith. Then there’s the Chaukhandi Stupa where, during his first visit to Sarnath, Lord Buddha met his five disciples.


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The area is a treasure trove of other archaeological findings as well such as Dharmarajika Stupa and Mulgandha Kuti Vihar. Don’t miss the Lion Capital of Ashoka kept at the Sarnath Museum – the smooth glistening sculpture established by Emperor Ashoka in 250 B.C. It marked the foundation of the Buddhist Sangha, and was later adopted as the National Emblem of India.

Since Sarnath is an important pilgrimage site for Buddhist and Jain monks, you will encounter many of them when you visit the temples and monasteries there. Capturing something like that would be an absolute bliss for photo enthusiasts. Though very close to Varanasi, Sarnath is relatively less crowded and instills a certain kind of peace in you. The best way to reach Sarnath is to take a flight to Varanasi and then take a taxi from there to Sarnath. Since Sarnath is a holy city, being mindful and maintaining a certain decorum is important so that you do not hurt any religious sentiments.

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