Sarnath is located at 13 Kms North-Eastern side of Varanasi in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. It is a deer park where Lord Gautam Buddha is supposed to have propagated the Dhamma for the first time. The enlightenment of Kondanna took place here and Buddhist Sangha was formed. The thirteenth Jain Tirthankara Shreyansanath birth site is just one Km from Sarnath, It has a grand temple for pilgrims. Sarnath or Isipatana has been recommended by Gautam Buddha himself as among the other three places of Pilgrimage which a Buddhist should visit during his lifetime. Now Sarnath has been developed as a pilgrim site for Buddhists from India and abroad alike. Many foreign devotees have build temples is their various styles like Japan, Thailand, Tibet, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. There for pilgrims have an opportunity to have a look at the various Buddhist Architectures from different cultures. The wheel form Lion Capital of Ashoka from here has been adopted as Indian National Emblem.
