It is one of the most popular Buddhist pilgrimage centers in the world. Sarnath is located just 10 km far away from Varanasi. People believe that after attaining nirvana, Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon here. Sarnath has several structures like the Dhamekh Stupa and the Chaukhandi Stupa, where Lord Buddha met his first five disciples.
Dhamekh Stupa is made of bricks in cylindrical shape and has a height of 43.6 m and a diameter of 28 m. The King Ashoka founded this stupa in 249 BCE and rebuilt in the 5th century. It is also known as the Dharma Chakra Stupa. Chaukhandi Stupa lies 13 km far from Varanasi and built like an octagonal tower between the 4th and 6th centuries.
Among the popular attractions in Sarnath is a metallic pillar. Emperor Ashoka established it in 272-273 BC that marks the foundation of the Buddhist Sangha. The pillar is 50 m high and has a symbol of four lions on top of it and also known as lion Capital. It is the emblem of the Republic of India. Below the lions, there are four other animals – bull, lion, elephant and horse. These represent the phases of the life of Lord Buddha. The main attraction of Sarnath is the Mulagandhakuti Vihara, which is a 100-foot-tall tower temple.Â