Private Full-Day Tour of Buddhist History in Sarnath

Varanasi is regarded as the spiritual capital of India, thus attracting a lot of people every day. The city has many temples dedicated to different deities holding great importance in the Hindu religion. But since India is home to diversity where many religions are practiced, Varanasi is not different. Out of which Buddhism is one of the major religions practiced in India. Buddha came to Sarnath to preach his message of the middle way to nirvana after he achieved enlightenment at Bodhgaya, and gave his famous first sermon at the deer park here in Isipatana. Emperor Ashoka erected magnificent stupas and monasteries here, as well as an engraved pillar. When Chinese traveler Xuan Zang dropped by, Sarnath boasted a 100m-high stupa and 1500 monks living in large monasteries. However, soon after, Buddhism went into decline, and when Muslim invaders sacked the city, Sarnath disappeared altogether. It was only ‘rediscovered’ by British archaeologists.