The morning after my visit to Nalanda, I returned to Patna and from there I took a train to Varanasi. Braving the crowd at the Varanasi railway station I checked in at the Tourist Dak Bungalow in Varanasi. From there it is only 10 kms to Sarnath by road.

I hired a cab and along with a guide and zoomed off towards Sarnath, the place where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon , after attaining enlightenment, and set the coin rolling for Dharmachakra or the wheel of law.

At Sarnath, the first site I visited was the Dhamekh Stupa, which marks the spot, where the Buddha proclaimed his faith. I learnt that this stupa dates back to circa 500 AD. The guide then took me to the Dharmarajika Stupa, the site where Buddha gave his first sermon. Then I visited the Asoka Pillar which marked the visit of Emperor Asoka to Sarnath in the 3rd century BC. Thereafter, I saw the dilapilated brick remains of the Choukhandi Stupa. According to popular belief it was here that Buddha was reunited with his five prodigal disciples. As I explored the site the occasional sight of deers wandering amidst the ruins thrilled me.

In the Mulagandhakuti Vihara I was dazed at the sight of the beautiful life-size golden image of the Buddha, and colourful murals and frescoes painted by an artist from Japan. A huge bell, gifted from Japan, dominates the entrance of the vihara. I was then directed towards the Sarnath Museum where I was fascinated by the amazing variety of Buddhist sculptures, inscriptions and pottery. I also had a chance of seeing the Lion Capital, the national emblem of India, housed safely in the museum.

Sarnath filled my soul. I can not do without leaving a note of thanks for the British, who rediscovered this sacred site in 1836, as well as the Indian Government, who has restored it to its original glory.