Sarnath, 10 km from the holy city of Varanasi, is an important site of the Buddhist Circuit. Buddha came to Sarnath soon after he attained enlightenment in Bodhgaya. He delivered his first sermon or Maha Dharma Chakra Pravartan (To Set in Motion the Wheel of Law) at the Deer Park in Sarnath. Emperor Ashoka visited Sarnath 234 BC and erected a stupa here. Several Buddhist structures were raised at Sarnath between the 3rd century BC and the 11th century AD.

On Sarnath Tours, you can visit the following places:

Chaukhandi Stupa
Chaukhandi Stupa is a impressive earthen mound covered by brickwork. The square base edifice surrounded by an octagonal tower. It is believed that Emperor Ashoka erected the original structure.

Dhamek Stupa
Dhamek Stupa is the most impressive stupa at Sarnath. Cylindrical in shape, the stupa is 28 m in diameter at the base and 43.6 m in height. The stupa is built partly of stone and partly of brick. The stone facing the lower part is embellished with exquisite floral carvings in Gupta style.

Mulgandha Kuti Vihar
Mulgandha Kuti Vihar is a modern temple erected by the Mahabodhi Society. Japan's best painter, Kosetsu Nosu, painted the beautiful murals in the temple. The temple has a valuable collection of the Buddhist literature. The ancient Mulagandha Kuti temple is among the brick ruins of Sarnath.

Sarnath Museum
Sarnath has a sight museum, which is a rich repository of items related to Buddha. You may have a look at the Buddha sculptures, Bodhisattva images and best pieces of the Buddhist art.

Other noteworthy things on Sarnath Tours are the Dharmrajika Stupa, Lion Capital, India's National Emblem kept in Sarnath Museum and the excavated ruins of the Saddharmachakra Vihar.

How to Reach

Sarnath can be reached via Varanasi, which is connected with all the major cities of India by air , train or bus. Varanasi is at a distance of 10 km from Sarnath and is a large city. .