Sarnath is a Buddhist pilgrim spot which is located 10 kilometers northeast of Varanasi near the confluence of the Varuna and the Ganges rivers in Uttar Pradesh, India. This city was an important place in ancient India where holy men lived. After attaining enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, Lord Buddha visited the city to get back to his fellow monks in Sarnath and also Buddha and preached to five of his companions. This was his first-ever sermon and Lord Buddha spent the next rainy season in Sarnath. King Ashoka visited Sarnath where he built many stupas in 389 BC, and He built a pillar that holds the emblem of the country. Sarnath became a center for art, learning, and culture by the end of 3 AD. The city is popular for being the first place where Lord Buddha preached for the first time after gaining enlightenment Later, kings who followed Buddhism like King Ashoka built a lot of structures and stupas here that are focused on Buddhism and Buddhist pilgrims from various parts of the world visit this city every year. This city is also famous for the Ashoka pillar.
