BuddhistStupa
Sarnath — Dhamek Stupaसारनाथ — धमेख स्तूप
Ten kilometres from the ghats, the deer park where the Buddha gave his first teaching after enlightenment. The Dhamek Stupa, 43 metres of brick and carved stone from the Gupta age, marks the spot; the monastery ruins, the Ashokan pillar stump and the museum's lion capital surround it. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on 25 July 2026 as the Ancient Buddhist Site, Sarnath.
Five companions who had left the Buddha in disappointment sat here and heard him set the wheel of dharma in motion. The sangha began with those five.
Tips
- The Archaeological Museum (closed Fridays) holds the original Lion Capital of Ashoka.
- Allow half a day: the stupa, Mulagandha Kuti Vihar, the Thai and Tibetan temples and the museum are all walkable.
How to reach
- 7 km from Varanasi Junction (Cantt) station in a straight line
- 18.4 km from Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport in a straight line
- 8.1 km from Godowlia crossing, where cars stop for the old city in a straight line
Straight-line distances; by road through the lanes it is further.
Sources: Wikipedia — Dhamek Stupa · Wikipedia — Sarnath · UNESCO — Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath inscribed on the World Heritage List
