Sarnath
To the north of Varanasi, about four miles away, are the Buddhist remains
of Sarnath or the ancient Mrigadava (Deer Park) where the Buddha delivered
his first sermon after attaining enlightenment. It is one of the most important
places on the Buddhist map of India. Sarnath has a covetable wealth in the
form of religious tradition and archaeologists, historians and the students
to this place, both from India and abroad.
Buddhists worldwide look upon India as the land of the Buddha and a visit
to this country means a pilgrimage to those places sacred to the memory
of the Enlightened One. After the Bouddha attained enlightenment in Bodh
Gaya he came to Sarnath. Here in the Deer Park, he delivered his first sermon,
or in religious language, set in motion the wheel of Law (Maha- Dharmachakra
Pravartan). On the day before his death Buddha included Sarnath alongwith
Lumbini, Bodh Gaya and Kushinagar as the four places he thought to be sacred
to his followers.
Places of Interest
Chaukhandi Stupa
Chaukhandi is the first monument one encounters as one enters Sanath. It
is a lofty mound of brick –work whose square endfice is surrounded
by a octagonal tower. Originally said to built by Emperor Ashoka.
Dhamek Stupa
The most remarkable structure at Sarnath, is the cylindrical Dhamek Stupa,
28 mts in diameter at the base and 43.6 mts in height, built partly of stone
and partly of brick. The stone facing the lower part is adorned with delicate
floral carvings of Gupta origin.
Mulagandha Kuti Vihar
This mordern temple has been erected by the Mahabodhi Society. It has excellent
frescoes by Kosetsu Nosu japan’s foremost painter and is a rich repository
of Buddhist literature. The ancient Mulagandha Kuti temple is among the
brick ruins of Sarnath.
Archaeological Museum
The museum exhibits a magnificent statue of the Buddha turning the wheel
of law, and many other excavations that exhibit the flowering of the Indian
Plastic arts.
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