Trip to serene Sarnath, A Buddhist Site

I believe not many are aware that Sarnath, the place where Gautama Buddha gave his first sermon is very close to Varanasi. Neither we were aware of this, when we visited Varanasi in August 2013. We came to know that Sarnath is just 13 km away, when we were returning back to our hotel after visiting Kashi Vishwanath Temple in the morning. Ganga Aarti, a must watch spectacle in Varanasi was later in the evening. So, we made a quick decision to visit Sarnath, with a resolve to come back before Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat at 6 pm!

Tranquility : We hired the same auto rickshaw to drop us to Sarnath. First impression of Sarnath was of a serene place, quite a contrast to chaotic Varanasi! Only thing which was preventing us from enjoying the tranquility of the place was the scorching heat! Giant statue of standing Buddha caught our attention immediately. It was the statue of Buddha at the Thai Temple in Sarnath.

Archaeological Museum(ASI Museum), Sarnath

A Buddhist Monastery in the heart of Bangalore

Buddha's teachings are relevant in today's world which is driven by conflicts, more than ever. I believe many of us, though not Buddhists, got influenced by Buddha's thoughts. Buddhist monasteries are perfect places for meditation with their peaceful surroundings. But did you know that there is a Buddhist monastery in the heart of bustling Bangalore city?

Mahabodhi Loka Shanti Buddha Vihara, Bangalore

Yes, near the Freedom Park, you can find this Buddhist monastery or Buddha vihara. If you are going from Anand Rao circle towards the Freedom Park, before the park, if you take a right turn onto Kalidasa road, immediately you can find it!

Hunt for Alexander's treasures in Indian subcontinent

If winning numerous battles to form one of the largest empires in the world was a big challenge then, bigger challenge was to manage the huge wealth acquired during the process. One of the most celebrated emperors of the world, Alexander the Great faced the same problem during his conquest of Indian subcontinent. K N Ganeshaiah's novel Chitadanta begins with this dilemma of the emperor. If Karisiriyana, Ganeshaiah's earlier novel focused on the history of south India, canvas here is bigger. It spans from the present Afghanistan to modern day Patna. The story even revolves around several kingdoms - Mauryas, Nandas, Kingdoms of Kalinga, Burma and Sri Lanka. 

Chitadanta Cover Page

Decoding the treasure map by making use of Buddhist, Mauryan and Greek symbols and riddles makes this book a fascinating read. In the process, the author busts few historical myths. You would definitely find the answers to the following questions in the book - Who are Ajivikas and Theravadis? What is the significance of Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic at Kandy in Sri Lanka? Why did Buddhism almost vanish from the country of its origin, India? Though Buddha was against idol worship, how did his idol become the most recognizable symbol of Buddhism all over the world? Who are the people of Kalash community living in the present day Pakistan? Why did Chanakya make Amatya Rakshasa, a Nanda loyalist who was dead against the Mauryan empire, the minister of Chandragupta Maurya? What is the significance of the solar eclipse which occurred during Emperor Ashoka's reign? Why did the famed king Ashoka build a hell(naraka) in his kingdom? What was the reason behind Alexander building the city of Alexandria Bucephalous? What more, you have real life characters like Osama Bin Laden and Dalai Lama. I think these teasers are enough for the history enthusiast to venture into the amazing world of Chitadanta. 

Buy Chitadanta Here