Sarnath

About 10 km north of Varanasi, Sarnath is where the Buddha gave his first sermon after enlightenment, setting the wheel of his teaching in motion. The quiet park of lawns and ruins is a complete change of pace from the ghats. The great Dhamek Stupa, a 5th-century brick-and-stone cylinder, still marks the spot.

The small Archaeological Museum next door is worth the token fee: it holds the Lion Capital of Ashoka, the 3rd-century-BCE sculpture that India adopted as its national emblem. The museum is closed on Fridays, though the grounds stay open.

Where the Buddha first taught