Sarnathसारनाथ
Where the Buddha gave his first sermon. Dhamek Stupa, Ashoka's pillar and a quiet deer park.
See what is open on your dateOpen in Google MapsWhereVaranasi, Uttar Pradesh
Purvanchal
Purvanchal
Best time to visit15 October to 15 March
Good seasonsPost-monsoon (October to November), Winter (December to February)
DifficultyEasy
Time neededHalf day
Base and nearbySarnath, Varanasi Junction
EntryASI ₹25 for the excavated site · temple and Chaukhandi free
About Sarnath
Where the Buddha preached his first sermon after enlightenment, around 528 BCE, to five ascetics in the deer park. The Dhamek Stupa, 43 metres high with Gupta-period carving on its drum, marks the spot; the Ashokan pillar stump stands in the monastery ruins beside it, and the Chaukhandi mound to the south is where he met his first disciples. Mulagandha Kuti Vihara, built in 1931, has murals by the Japanese painter Kosetsu Nosu.
What to see and do
- Dhamek Stupa
- The Ashokan pillar stump and the monastery ruins
- Chaukhandi Stupa with its Mughal tower
- Mulagandha Kuti Vihara and the Bodhi tree
- Thai, Tibetan and Japanese temples nearby
- Deer park
Opening status, best time and closures here are estimates from usual seasons and past patterns, not live information. Confirm with the local authority before you go. Terms of use
More places in Varanasi
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All places in Varanasi · All places in Uttar Pradesh
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Jagah Pedia is a free travel guide by Santosh Pandey. Status, timings and closures are estimates from usual patterns, so confirm locally before you travel.