Once a prime center of Buddhist religion, Sarnath today is a little village in Uttar Pradesh close to Varanasi with a 2500 years old history hidden into it.

Lord Buddha got enlightened in Bodhgaya and came to Sarnath where he preached his first sermon. Later Ashoka the great visited the place and erected a stupa in honor of Lord Buddha. Many other stupas were erected subsequently and Sarnath came to be an important center of Buddhism.

Although much of its past glory is in ruins, Sarnath till date is one of the four principal Buddhist pilgrimage sites located in India. A travel to Sarnath would take you to an old world of stupas and viharas where ancient relics, manuscripts and inscriptions bear witness to a glorious past. Spacious landscaped gardens today adorn the remnants of the Sarnath monuments, which together make for a pleasant locale.

The lofty mound of Chaukhandi Stupa greets you as you travel to Sarnath. This was erected by Ashoka the great. He had also erected a pillar here with a lion capital on top, which is today the national emblem on India. Travel to Sarnath to see the exquisite floral carvings on Dhammek Stupa, which is one of the prime tourist attractions in Sarnath .

Myths, legends and history still linger on the stone and brick structures that served as the cradle of one major religion of the world. A sense of the forgotten past would unfailingly capture you as you travel to Sarnath.

Do pay a visit to the Sarnath Museum in your travel to Sarnath. It houses the ancient relics that excavations at the site yielded.

Travel to Sarnath during the Buddha Purnima festival, which celebrates the birthday of Lord Buddha with much fanfare.


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