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Sarnath Museum
Buddhists consider four places sacred, of which Sarnath is one, while Lumbini, Kushinagar and Bodh Gaya are the other three. A number of Buddhists structures are erected in Sarnath, where Sarnath Museum is established in 1910, considered o be the oldest museum of the country, and this place has a number of Buddhists Structures erected between 3rd Century BCE and 11th Century AD. while the famous Ashoka Stupa was erected here in 234 BCE.
Sarnath Museum, which is in Saranath, 10 km away from Varanasi, is considered the oldest site museum of Archaeological Survey of India, show casing the excavations they identified as genuine in Sarnathsite,the museum housing 6,832 sculptures and variety of artefacts.
History
The Emperor Ashoka, who developed faith in Buddhism and spread the message of Gautam Buddha insisting on love and compassion among human beings, chose to visitSarnath around 234BCE, when he erected a stupa, which is today taken as India’s National Symbol.
Sometime in 1904 thethen British Government decided to develop a site museum next to the excavations at Sarnath, the idea initiated by Sir John Marshall, the Director General of Archaeology in India those days. The idea was executed in 1910 in a systematic manner and the museum building relates to half of a monastery as per the plan.
Collections
Sarnath Site gave scope to the archaeological department of India to take out items of sculptures and artefactsbesides a number of Buddha and Bodhisattva images. These collections and other ancient remains are preserved for exhibition to public since 1910.
The single most famous item to be seen in Sarnath is the Lion Capital of Asoka, while the Sarnath museum has a limited but awe striking collection of Buddhist artefacts.
Among the items of artefacts preserved for exhibition is a beautiful sculpture of the Buddha belonging to the 5th century, in which GautamBuddha is sitting cross-legged, eyes cast in deep meditation and aauro around his head. There are images bodhisattvas kept here which are worth exploring.
The collection includes a life-size Bodhisattva in standing posture and another image of the Bodhisattva with delicate features holding a lotus and a third one in bronze sculpture form with Bodhisattva having multiple arms.
Sarnathmuseum has with it alsoexcellent collection of artefacts belonging to the Mauryan, Kushana and Gupta times.
Exhibitions
The items of display are spread over five galleries and also in two verandah area where the visitor can go through the antiquities belonging to the period from the 3rd century BCE to 12th century AD all of them excavated from Sarnath site.
What one should see in Sarnath is the important item Ashoka's Lion capital which is the famous original sandstone sculpture erected between 234 and 250 BCE, preserved and exhibited at Sarnath Museum.
Ashoka Chakra is in the form of a circular base positioning four Indian lions standing together back to back, which is exactly the symbol inscribed in the middle part of India’s National flag.
How to Reach
Sarnath can be reached by all the three modes of travel, Bapatpur Airport in 30 km distance, Sarnath Rail Station is in the Varanasi Gorakhpur section and one can go to Sarnath from Varanasi which is 10 km away.
Varanasi being well connected by road, rail and air, the traveller can choose to go to Varanasi and then to Sarnath.
Timings and Ticket Prices
TheSarnath museum is open to public on all days with the exception of Fridays which are weekly holidays. The museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm for visits.
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