Sarnath tour from Varanasi is a half-day trip, spanning over almost 4 hours. As per the suitability of the guests, it can be conducted either in morning hours or during afternoon. Morning session will commence from 9 AM while the afternoon session starts from 1 PM. You will be picked up from your hotel of stay in Varanasi at the designated time. Tour guide will accompany you. Sarnath is located about 13 kms from Varanasi city centre. Sarnath, one of the four Buddhist pilgrimages, is the place where Gautam Buddha delivered his first sermon. Sarnath at present is visited for watching the remains of Buddhist monastery of 300 BCE, exploring Sarnath Museum and doing darshana in Buddhist temples of various nationalities.
Buddhist monastery, patronized by Hindu rulers, was razed by Muslim invaders. There are few remnants those resisted and survived the fanatic destructive onslaught of the Islamic aggressors. Dhamekh stupa, Dharmarajika stupa, Ashoka Pillar, Chaukhandi stupa etc are prominent among them. The brick structure of the Dharmarajika stupa at Sarnath is 35 m high. Sarnath was the cradle of Buddhist teaching. It is here that Buddha came to "set in motion the Wheel of the Law" i.e. Dharma Chakra Pravartana. He preached his first sermon in the Deer Park. The ruins of the vihara barely give an idea of the importance of Sarnath as a monastic center. The monastery was built in the time of Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC and had preserved the relics of the Buddha for a long time before being destroyed in the 17th century. The Dhamekh stupa is a massive brick building from the Maurya period, about fifteen meters high, which was covered in the Gupta period with paired stones engraved with various motifs, foliage and lotus. Many Buddhist pilgrims make circumambulation all day long. The Chaukhandi stupa is the place where, during his first visit to Sarnath, Lord Buddha met his first five disciples. Farther on, five column remains, covered with Pali language inscriptions, form the Ashoka Column, which originally reached 15 m in height and was surmounted by the capital of the four lions that can be seen in the Museum.
A little further on, in an enclosure accessible to all, the temple of Mulgandh Vihar, built in 1931, is live and lively. A large golden Buddha, framed by artificial flowers and small lamps in the form of a lotus, receives the prayers of monks and pilgrims. In the adjoining courtyard, a large Bodhi tree is surrounded by garlands of votive fabrics. An enclosure was built around the tree in the eighties with glazed tiles where beautiful statues of 28 Bodhisatvas, Buddhas that preceded Gautama Buddha, are installed.
After exploring the remnants of the razed monastery and Mulgandh Vihar, proceed to see Sarnath Museum. This is an interesting museum with remarkable treasure of ancient Indian excellence. Among the invaluable collections, prominent are –
(a) The famous capital of the column of Emperor Ashoka that later became emblem of the Indian Union. Ashoka was one of the most famous emperors of India.
(b) Many statues of Gupta era of Indian history are found here. Gupta age was the golden period of north Indian art and architecture. A lintel of nine planets (revered as gods) with unfortunately broken heads, Lord Ganesh to their left, goddess of wealth and prosperity - Lakshmi in the center and goddess of art & learning - Saraswati to the right is spectacular. Another lintel of the planets, the whole one, is with Lord Brahma (the Creator), Lord Vishnu (the Preserver) and Lord Shiva (the Destroyer).
(c) A gigantic statue of Lord Shiva, slaying the demon Andaka.
(d) A beautiful statue of Bhairava – Lord Shiva in ferocious form.
(e) A beautifully carved statue of Lord Vishnu on Garuda eagle; but above all
(d) An exceptional statue of Buddha with the entire halo and a good series of Goddess Tara of Buddhism. One of the statues resembles the style of the celestial nymphs of Khajuraho.
Having completed the sightseeing during Sarnath day tour, you will be transferred to the hotel where you had been picked up from.