City-information for Sarnath

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Buddha gave a famous lecture, referred to as Dharmachakra, "Turning the Wheel of the Law," here at Deer Park over 2,500 years ago. After years of meditation and austerities, Buddha attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya and then came here to Sarnath around 530 BC, where he delivered his first speech. Sarnath is a peaceful place located 10 km northeast of Varanasi. It takes a couple of hours to see everything here and is an interesting place.

Hiuen Tsang, from China, visited the site about 640 AD and described what was there then. There was a monastery that had 1,500 priests, a 200-foot-high vihara, an Ashoka's stone stupa, a 70-foot high stone pillar, a magnificent 300-foot high stupa, and many other monuments. Now most of this is in ruins and there is not much activity here.

The Dhamekha Stupa is an imposing cylindrical tower more than 98 feet tall. It dates back to the 5th or 6th century, and the last enlargement to it was supposed to be have been made in the 12th century. It is believed to mark the place of Lord Buddha's sermon. Slightly to the west is the Ashoka Column, dating back to the 3rd century.

The Dharmarajika Stupa, which is a short distance to the west of the Dhamekha Stupa, is attributed to Ashoka In its core is a green marble casket containing pieces of human bone, decayed pearls, gold leaf, and other precious objects. It has been enlarged six times, the last time being in the 12th century.

The main shrines date from the 3rd century BC to the 5th century AD. There is the excavated ruins of a Buddhists monastery here, where there are four pillars that are said to mark the room where Buddha stayed.