India /Uttar Pradesh /Varanasi /Sarnath

Sarnath, formally Isipathana, is a famous city near to the important religious place Varanasi. Buddhism rules Sarnath because this is where Buddha preached his first Sermon and which thus making it one of the four holiest places to the Buddhist world. Sarnath got its name from Saranganatha (God of Deer). The original sangha of Budhhism was born in deer park, a site in Sarnath and it is in this place Gautama Buddha first preached the Dharma. It is a major buddhist pilgimage destination. This is a pleasant place to meditate, take a retreat and move around the well-maintained gardens and Sarnath’s ruins. The main attractions are Asoka’s pillar, the ruins of the Mulagandhakuti and the huge second century old Dharma Stupa, also known as Dhamekha Stupa, built by the Emperor Ashoka. Buddhism flourished in Sarnath till the sixth century and then the Huns caused a trail of devastation and were followed by Mahmud of Ghazni and Qutub-ud-din Aibak who virtually razed Sarnath to the ground whatever was left by the Huns. The British archaeologists dug out the site, which heard the path to enlightenment from Buddha, stayed hidden amidst ruins, during 19th century. The place bears three fold values archeological, historical and religious. It is a worth place to visit and to see the cultural and religious heritage of India and Buddhism.Sarnath is an important temple city of India. The town is relatively peaceful and green, and so also provides a welcome alternative to as a place to stay for people visiting the ghats along the Ganges. There are many imposing temples to visit, which are constructed in modern times, for example Thai temples, the Burmese, Korean and Chinese temples, have all been built recently. Apart from these, there are three Tibetan temples and a Japanese temple. Sarnath is in general quiet and clean and has a definite Buddhist atmosphere. On the weekends there are big and very noisy crowds, mainly the tourists visiting this historicaland religious place. Best time to visit this place is between October to March.

Quick Facts-Edit

Category : Pilgrim

Time Zone: UTC + 5:30 Hours

Pincode: 22100x

STD Code: 542

Info Website: up-tourism.com/destination/sarnath/sarnath.htm

Best Time to Visit:  October – March

HistoryEdit

The Buddhist town of Sarnath boasts of a history that goes back to the ancient times. This is one of the most important pilgrim centers for Buddhists. Sarnath’s history began from the year 528 B.C., when Lord Buddha visited this city just 5 weeks after attaining salvation in.According to the memoirs of Huien Tsang, the famed Deer park at Sarnath was built by the Jataka king of. It was then that the name ‘Migadaya’ was given to the present day Sarnath. The present day name of the city appears to have been derived from Saranganath (the lord of deer).The invasion of Muhammad Ghazni in 1026 AD had a very bad impact on the archaeological monuments of the city. Various historical findings confirm Sarnath to be a major center of the Sammatiya school of Buddhism.The history of Sarnath from 13th century onwards remained into stupor till the year 1798, when the resident of Benaras, Mr. Duncan discovered a green marble casket that was recovered during the expedition conducted by the workmen of Jagat Singh.Since then, many archaeological excavation have been conducted at Sarnath, linking the history of the city to the Shunga Period (2nd to 1sy century BC), Kushans (1-2nd century AD), and the Gupta Period (from 4th- 6th century AD).

Places to VisitAdd

How to ReachEdit

By Air : Varanasi Airport at Babatpur is the nearest airport from Sarnath. It is about 10 km away from Sarnath. Taxi fare from Varanasi to Sarnath is about Rs 300. The airport is well linked by air to other cities in India including New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and Agra.

By Train : A small railway station connecting Sarnath to Gorakhpur and Varanasi is located in Sarnath. Varanasi Junction is the major railway station, which is situated 10 Kms away from the place. Varanasi Junction railway station is linked to all major cities of the country via trains.

By BUS : Sarnath is well connected to all neighboring cities by Government owned buses. Private A/C and non A/C deluxe buses are also available from Sarnath to many cities in the State including Lucknow, Kanpur, Mathura, Agra and Allahabad. Deluxe bus fare is about Rs 3 to Rs 4 per head.

By Taxi : Sarnath is well connected by a road network and national Highway . The tourist can reach to Sarnath by taxi. The normal Indian taxi charges of Rupees 8 to 20 will be charged for each km.

By Other : Auto rickshaws are easily available for moving about in the city.

Top HotelsAdd

Budget  – Up to Rs. 800

• Rangoli Hotel ; Rishpattan Road, Sarnath, Banaras, Uttar Pradesh 221007.; Ph – N.A. ; Facilities – Travel Desk , 24-hour front desk , Parking.

Economy – Up to Rs. 801 to Rs. 1200

• Sadguru Hotel ; Gautam Buddha Rajpath Rd, Income Tax Colony, Sarnath, Banaras, Uttar Pradesh 221007. ; Ph – N.A. ; Facilities – Travel Desk , Conference facilities , Elevators , Laundry , Parking , Disco , 24-Hour Security , Banquet facilities , Doctor on call.

Deluxe – Up to Rs. 801 to Rs. 1200

• Rahi Tourist Bungalow ; Sarnath Station Road, Near Maha Bodhi Inter College, Sarnath, Banaras, Uttar Pradesh 221007. ; Ph – 0542 259 5965 ; Facilities – Shopping, Travel Desk, 24-hour front desk, ATM/Cash machine, Conference facilities, Laundry, Parking, Non-smoking rooms, 24-Hour Security, Bus Parking,

Luxury – Rs. 2501 and above

• Golden Buddha Hotel ; Sarangnath Colony, Sarnath, Banaras, Uttar Pradesh 221007.; Ph – 099 35 039368 ; Facilities – Travel Desk, 24-hour front desk, 24-hour room service, Baby sitting, Conference facilities, Laundry, Wheel chair access, Non-smoking rooms, 24-Hour Security, Bus Parking, Catering Services, Concierge, Courtyard, Executive Level/Floor, Game Room, In Room Movies, Laundry/Valet Services, Lounge.

Top RestaurantsAdd

• Pankaj Restaurent ;  Sarnath, Banaras, Uttar Pradesh 221007. ; M –  080 05 310532 ; Food Serve :  N.A.

• Sarnath Restaurant ;  Mulgandh Kuti Vihar Path, Sarnath, Banaras, Uttar Pradesh 221007. ; M –  N.A. ; Food Serve :  N.A.

• Vaishali Restaurant ;  Sarnath, Banaras, Uttar Pradesh 221007. ; M –  N.A. ; Food Serve :  N.A.

Must Eat FoodAdd 

Must Do ActivitiesAdd

Must ShopAdd

• Souvenir Items ; Iundo Varma Handicraft ;  Shop No. 9 Dharm Pal Market Sarnath Varanasi,Uttar Pradesh. ; Ph/M:  N.A.

Nightlife (Pub / Disc / BAR)Add 

SpaAdd

FestivalAdd

Buddha Purnima ; Venue:  N.A. ; Period :  April/May ; Details:  Buddha Purnima is celebrated in Sarnath on full moon day in Vaishakh month (April/May) when a large fair ‘Buddha Mahotsava’ is held here to mark the birth day, enlightenment & Nirvana days of Lord Buddha. The casket carrying the relics of Buddha enshrined in Mulgandha Kuti Vihar, are taken out for public display in a procession around the tiny city of Sarnath. Various functions are organized during this period. The festival attracts a large number of Buddhist pilgrims, who offer prayer, in different Buddhist temples of Sarnath.

Chatth Puja ; Venue:  N.A. ; Period :  November ; Details:  The people of Sarnath have immense faith in this festival. It is the main Hindu festival in Sarnath. Chhath Puja is celebrated twice in a year. It is once celebrated in Chaitra (March) and second in Kartik (November). This festival is dedicated to the Surya Shashti, also known as Sun God.

Holi ; Venue:  N.A. ; Period :  March ; Details:  The “festival of colours” is indeed celebrated in a very colourful manner in Sarnath and is one of the biggest festivals for the natives. The atmosphere is really charged up during the celebrations.

Safety / WarningEdit

• Beware of pickpockets as Sarnath is a major tourist city in India.
• Avoid false saller, they may sale you fake items.

HelplineEdit

• Ambulance : 102
• Fire Brigade : 101
• Police : 100

ItineraryEdit

N.A.

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