Mulagandha Kuti Vihar

Sarnath which is also called as Isipatana, Rishipattana, Migadaya and Mrigadava, is a deer park. The place got its religious importance because of Lord Gautam Buddha; he met with his five disciples for the first time here and taught them lessons of Dharma. Buddhist Sangha also formed here over the understanding of Kondanna.

Mulagandha Kuti Vihar, Sarnath is located in between the traces of ancient Sarnath. This place is popular for its incredible frescos and murals. This is a sacred temple among the Buddhists which is not very old. This is the major reason why it offers a huge difference to the ancient Sarnath. The shrine is also known for its unique architecture which is entirely different from the architect patterns and styles followed by the Buddhists.

Description:

With its immense historical importance Mulagandha Kuti Vihar is entirely saturated in spirituality. Amongst the important Buddhist sites of Sarnath, it is one major of them. It is said that Mulagandha Kuti was constructed in the year 1931. It is a monastery cum shrine. Inside it, a Bodhi tree is there which is brought from Sri Lanka’s Anuradhapura at its young age. This is because it is believed that the Sri Lankan Tree has origin from the tree under which Gautam Buddha achieved his ‘bodhi’ and the place is known as Bodh Gaya.

Things to Do:

Inside Mulgandha Kuti, you can also behold the sights of exotic gardens surrounding the temple. Besides that, you can also see the prayer flags of the Buddhists to be aligned on the grounds of the building. A golden statue of Gautam Buddha is also constructed there that shows Him to preach His first Dharma lesson.

History:

Various famous historians say that Mulagandha Kuti Vihar was constructed in the 20th century. Anagarika Dharmapala, who was the creator of Mahabodhi society, initiated the construction of Mulagandha Kuti Vihar, Sarnath. Though, Kosetsu Nosu, who was a famous Japanese painter of that era, designed the murals of the walls of the structure.

Architecture:

Mulagandha Kuti Vihar is recognized as one of the modern generation Buddhist monastery of Sarnath. It is known to have a unique style of architecture which is mainly due to its bizarre patterns and detailing drawn on its interior and exterior walls. Interiors are adorned with tricky designed murals.

Kosetsu Nosu has designed the frescoes in such a way that they all together are depicting the life story of Lord Gautam Buddha i.e. what he has done from His birth to death. The murals on the exterior walls are beautiful too.

Also, a giant-sized bronze bell is hanging on the entrance of this temple cum monastery which is a gift from Japan’s majesties. According to Buddhism, the spikes on the topmost part of Mulagandha Kuti also hold some special significance.

Festival:

Buddha Purnima is celebrated here every year with great festivity and a huge amount of Buddhist disciples throng here in Sarnath. The artefact of Lord Buddha which is kept inside the temple, on this religious occasion, it is taken out in the procession.

Best Time to Visit:

Sarnath is situated in that location where River Gomati and River Ganga meets in UP. It has two clear seasons – hot summer and pleasant winter. You may plan your visit between October and March.

How to Reach?

Sarnath is tiny and sleepy town nearby Varanasi which is well connected by road, rail and airways to many parts of India.

By air – Varanasi airport is closest to Sarnath. Flights from all parts of India and Kathmandu are available from and to here.

By rail – Sarnath has its own railway station which is connected with Gorakhpur and Varanasi junctions but you will need to travel in passenger trains for that.

By road – though Sarnath is well connected with many parts of the country through different decent railways, but the mega terminus with the rest of the country closest to this city is lying at Varanasi again. State bus services by UPSRTC (Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation) run on this route.

Nearby Attractions:

• Dhamek Stupa

• Chaukhandi Stupa

• Sarnath Museum

• Modern Reception Centre

• The Garden of spiritual Wisdom

• Mahabodhi Society of India

• Tibetan Temple

• Thai Temple

• Japanese Temple

Plan your trip soon to this incredible pilgrimage location of India.