Uttar Pradesh
Tourist Place in Sarnath
| Location: | Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Temperature: | Summer: 30°C,41°C; Winter:6°C, 17°C |
| STD Code: | 0542 |
| Best Times: | October to March |
| Attractions: | Ashoka pillar, Chaukhandi stupa, Sarnath Archaeological Museum, Deer Park, The Tibetan temple |
| Language: | Hindi & English |
Ashoka pillar
Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath (also called the Sarnath Pillar), carved out of stone with a height of 50m, marks Emperor AsokaТs visit to Sarnath and one of the most attractive sight for the visitors. An impressive statue, Ashoka Pillar is depicting four lions on the top in standing posture back to back and a chakra (wheel), renowned as Ashoka Chakra, at its bottom. The top is mounted on a fresco bearing the images of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull, and a lion. All these animals are separated by overriding wheels of chariot over a bell-shaped lotus. The pillar is carved out of a single block of polished sandstone.
Chaukhandi stupa
Chaukhandi is another very famous and historically important monument in Sarnath. Chaukhandi is the first monument you will encounter as you enter Sarnath. Chaukhandi Stupa is actually a lofty mound of brickwork. An Octagonal tower surrounds the square edifice of Chaukhandi Stupa. It is believed by majority of historians that Emperor Ashoka originally built this Stupa. Standing on a terraced rectangular plinth, the Stupa is capped by an octagonal Mogul tower. This Mogul tower has been built by Emperor Akbar to commemorate the visit of Humayun at this shrine.
Sarnath Archaeological Museum
Sarnath Archaeological Museum in Sarnath has a small but impressive collection of artifacts excavated from the Buddhist site. The sculptures and the antiquities ranging from 3rd century BC to 12th century AD are displayed here.
Deer Park
The deer park is the place where the Buddha first proclaimed the Dharma to the world. He taught his disciples two discourses here - the Dhammacakkhapavathana Sutta and the Anattalakhana Sutta. According to Huen Tsang, the world famous traveler and explorer, the Deer Park was the forest gifted by the king of Benares
The Tibetan temple
A major attraction of this temple is the Prayer wheels, which are seen outside the temple building, usually contain paper scrolls with prayers or mantras written on them. When the prayer wheels are rotated clockwise, the papers are released. It is assumed that the life will be blessed if you visit this temple with piety.
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