SARNATH- A Religiously Important City

A small village near Varanasi, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Sarnath is considered to be one of the four important destinations for Buddhist pilgrimage in the country. The deer park where dharma was first preached by Gautama Buddha remains the main attraction of the city. First Sangha was also formed at this location.

This town was named after “Saranganatha” who is considered to be the God of Deer. On the land of Sarnath, several stupas and monuments were built by the Emperor Asoka. The well known Asoka Pillar, which was built during his reigning period, defines the glorious past of the hamlet. Since 1907, several ancient structures and monuments have been unearthed, which tell more about the evolution of Buddhism in the north India.

This village houses structures that date back to the 2^nd century; therefore it attracts a lot of attention from Buddhist pilgrims, archaeologists, historians and visitors. Mystery that surrounds different engravings has been solved by historians, as they have studied these structures. Bones of Lord Buddha are said to be housed by Chaukandi Stupa, another famous attraction.

Various artifacts that were found during the process of excavation are on display at the Sarnath Museum. Sarnath is known to be an important temple city as it houses a large number of temples. Some of the famous temples that have been built recently are Thai temple and the Burmese and Korean temples.

A visit to this beautiful city on the weekends is preferred by travelers to enjoy their trip to different religious and historical places. The verdant and peaceful ambiance of the city makes the trip a worthy one.