Sarnath, near Varanasi, India

Located about 12 kilometers outside Varanasi, Sarnath is revered as the place where Buddha gave his first sermon after achieving enlightenment. The day we were there thousands of pilgrims and monks had gathered to hear the Dalai Lama who had arrived in Varanasi the day before and was giving a major address the following day. In fact, when our plane arrived in Varanasi it was met by a private car that drove right up to the ramp from the plane (no jetway) and several armed guards appeared. Turned out the Dalai Lama was on our flight in first class but we never saw him or knew it. This was a separate internal flight in India so we were in coach. Darn, we might have achieved enlightment just by sitting near him!

Sarnath is also believed to be the place Buddha's ashes were interred. Unfortunately the building was destroyed when a local nobleman had workers tear it down so he could use the brick to build a palace. When dismantling the building they found a large stone with inscriptions they could not read. Inside were ashes which they took to Varanasi and threw into the Ganges. The inscriptions were subsequently translated, I believe by the British, and indicated that the ashes were Buddha's.