Sarnath

Thursday, 12 February 2015

It's been 2 weeks with minimal Internet availability, so now that I'm back in Vapi, I'll be posting about the trip over the next few days.

This post should have gone out much earlier. It belongs between Delhi and Varanasi.

Sarnath is where the Buddha gave his first sermon after attaining enlightenment. The site has been in ruins for centuries. Sarnath has a small, but nice, museum. After visiting it, we barely had time to see the archaeological site before sunset.

This large stupa supposedly marks the site of the Buddha's first sermon. It has been modified many times since it was first established in the third century BCE.

Another large stupa and many smaller stupas are marked by brick reconstructions of the foundations.

Remnants of the main shrine.

Remains of a monastery with a modern Jain temple in the background. Like most of the site, the foundations are outlined by brick reconstruction.