Dhamek Stupa
At one time there were many small stupas at Sarnath but today this is the only one that is standing. Made of brick with a facing in red sandstone, the name probably derives from the Sanskrit word dharmeksha, or ‘pondering on the law’. The stupa marks the spot where the Buddha gave his first sermon to the five disciples. It was built in the sixth century during the early Gupta period and unlike the egg like shape of most stupas, this is an elongated cylindrical shape.
The stupa is 42 metres in height with panels of carvings around the base with delicate floral and geometric patterns and with scrolls and medallions. With a base in stone, the top is made of brick and in the centre there are eight niches that probably once held images of the Buddha.
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First Seromon – Dharma Chakra Pravartana
The Buddha’s first sermon is called Dharma Chakra Pravartana or the Turning of the Wheel of Law...
Spreading The Word
The Buddha’s journey as a teacher begins at Sarnath and then for the next four decades he would walk...
After The Buddha
Two centuries after the parinirvana of the Buddha, like Bodh Gaya, the vihara at Sarnath was patronised by Emperor Ashoka...
Mulagandha Kuti Vihara
Hsuan Tsang mentions a monastery at Sarnath called Mulagandha Kuti Vihara that marked the spot...
Dhamek Stupa
At one time there were many small stupas at Sarnath but today this is the only one that is standing. Made of...
Dharmarajika Stupa
The ruins of this brick stupa stand to the north of the Dhamek Stupa. It was built by Ashoka over the relics of the Buddha...
Sarnath Museum
Sarnath was a treasure trove for archaeologists who began to excavate and restore the stupas in the nineteenth century...
Festivals At Sarnath
As in all Buddhist pilgrim sites, Buddha Purnima is the most important festival of the year at Sarnath. This falls on the full moon...
Traveling To Sarnath
As Sarnath is 10 km from Varanasi, all travel should be to the city first. There are buses, taxis and auto rickshaws...
