Monument

Sarnath: The first sermon

Still Moving·3 October 2026·2 min read

The Sarnath Safarnama is a 1.2 km route across 4 stops, from Chaukhandi Stupa to Dhamek Stupa, part of the Buddhist Circuit. See the whole trail.

Chaukhandi Stupa

0 km into the route
Chaukhandi Stupa
Photo: Christopher Walker, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Chaukhandi Stupa stands at Sarnath, about 8 km from Varanasi Cantt station. The Archaeological Survey of India declared it a monument of national importance in June 2019.

Sarnath Museum

0.8 km into the route
Sarnath Museum
Photo: सत्यम् मिश्र, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sarnath Museum is the oldest site museum of the Archaeological Survey of India, holding 6,832 sculptures and artefacts excavated at Sarnath.

Dharmarajika Stupa

1 km into the route
Dharmarajika Stupa
Photo: Archit Ratan, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In January 1794 the Dharmarajika Stupa was dismantled by workers of Jagat Singh, a local official in Benares, and a reliquary was found inside. Alexander Cunningham later identified the site as stupa 'K'.

Dhamek Stupa

1.2 km into the route
Dhamek Stupa
Photo: SpeakingArch, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The massive Dhamek Stupa in the Deer Park marks where the Buddha gave his first teaching to his first five disciples. It is one of the eight most important pilgrimage sites for Buddhists.

4 stops · 1.2 km · The Buddhist Circuit
Walk this route on Safarnama →