Places to Visit in Sarnath


Only 10kms northeast of Varanasi lies the little sleepy village of Sarnath. The main tourist attractions in Sarnath lie in its Buddhist monuments.

Lord Buddha came to Sarnath after he had been enlightened in Bodhgaya and delivered his first sermon. Ashoka the great erected a stupa here and many other monuments were erected in subsequent periods.

The crumbling stupas and viharas housing many relics, manuscripts and inscriptions lie intrigued in the glory of a bygone age.

Places to See in Sarnath



Chaukhandi Stupa

The stupa was originally built by Ashoka the great after he converted to Buddhism.

Dhammek Stupa

This is the most remarkable tourist attraction in Sarnath. Built of a mixture of brick and of stone, the stupa is 28meters in diameter at the base and 43.6 mts. in height. Intricate floral carvings of Gupta origin adorn the structure.

Mulagandha Kuti Vihar

The monument is a later addition by the Mahabodhi Society. It showcases beautiful frescoes made by Kosetsu Nosu, Japan's foremost painter and is a rich repository of Buddhist literature.

Sarnath Museum

Excavations at Sarnath has revealed a large number of relics and images of Buddha and Bodhisattva. The museum has been constructed to house all these specimens. The collection includes the lion capital of Ashokan Pillar, which is today the emblem of Republic of India.



Last Updated on : 23/09/2013