The third most sacred pilgrimage
center for Buddhists is Sarnath or Isipatan where Buddha delivered
his first sermon.
The earliest remains here at Sarnath are from the Mauryan period ascribed to
Emperor Ashoka the great. The Lion Capital is the national emblem of India. The
Dharmarajika Stupa was built by Ashoka, and it was expanded and enlarged several
times upto the 12th century CE. The structures here were destroyed by repeated
invasions - and by gradual neglect - and what are seen today are the results
of repeated reconstruction efforts.
The Dhamekh stupa is a cylindrical tower, 143 feet high, and 93 feet high. The
stones in each layer were bound together by iron clamps. This tower dates back
to the Gupta period. |
