India Day 9: Sarnath

From Varanasi we travel to Sarnath at the confluence of the Ganges and Gomati rivers in Uttar Pradesh. Sarnath is a sacred site in Buddhism where Guatama Buddha first taught the Dharma after becoming enlightened in the fifth century BCE. Since then many stupas and temples were built and since, excavated leaving the grounds of Sarnath that we see today. The main structure is the Dhamek Stupa a large structure marking the site in the deer park where Buddha gave his first lecture. We walked, well I rolled, through ancient Ashoka pillars and the foundations of numerous other buildings, visited deer in the park and toured the museum which houses much of the original art. 

On our way back to the hotel we were stopped in some of the heaviest traffic we saw in India. The streets thronged with people celebrating Sivaratri and we passed a parade with painted gods and trucks full of young boys waving and blowing kisses. It was a wonderfuly random treat!