Sarnath Day 3

5 April 2026

*Day 3* Sarnath

The day began by boarding our Tempo traveller and taking the route to Sarnath. It is situated 15kms from Varanasi. It was a Sunday and Chaturthi so we chanted Atharvashirshya अथर्वशीर्ष in worship for Ganpati on the bus. 

Sarnath is a beautifully maintained area. It is a deer forest or मृगदाव where sages came to do penance hence it was called Rishipatana. It is what may have brought Siddharth here to meditate. 

A fantastic mural by a Japanese artist Kosetsu Nosu narrates the story of Sujata offering kheer to Siddharth that made him choose the middle path and leave the extreme penance behind. Many such murals depict important incidents in the life of Buddha in the new monastery which is the Sri Lankan Mulagandha Kuti. The statue above is central to it.

It is the Banyan tree under which Siddharth was enlightened and became Buddha! Sarnath Dhameka Stupa is the location of that original Banyan tree. The original tree perished. Ashoka had commemorated that place and relics of Buddha were found in it. Those unfortunately were offered in the Ganga as per the existing customs in that era. Later the Dhameka stupa was built and so it doesn’t have any relics in it. It is a massive cylindrical monument of bricks. It is cordoned off and so we couldn’t take a closer look at it.

The branch of the Banyan tree in Bodh Gaya which Sanghamitra had taken to Sri Lanka is very well cared for and is called the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi. It is the oldest surviving tree planted by a human. This tree that exists in Sarnath today is a cutting from Sri Lanka that has flourished here. 

Under the Banyan tree is this depiction of Buddha giving his first sermon after enlightenment to 5 disciples. 

The garden has a huge अष्टधातु or 8 metal alloy bell 🔔 It is tolled twice a day and wakes up surrounding villages far and wide. 

Unfortunately I forgot to wear my shoes 👟 which I had removed near the Bell and I proceeded to the museum. I realised my mistake at the Stupa which was at a distance and I had to do a mini mission to find them. A shoe stand caretaker thought it was a good idea to move from the gate to his safe keeping ! As a result I could not locate them 😏 in that fiasco I skipped the museum and missed observing the Lion capital of the Ashok pillar 😢

I came out from the Deer forest and found our group sitting under a tree as if to attain enlightenment. But to our delight we were treated to a chilled पहलवान लस्सी or a Wrestler’s shake if you may 😉

It was rich creamy and refreshing. Much needed respite from the heat. It induced sleep 😴 and we didn’t realize when we were back at the hotel in Kashi.