Tīrtha Series - 9: Sarnath (Deer-Park or Lord of Deer), Varanasi, India
September, 2005, Varanasi, India
Background:
I was in Varanasi for a Under-17 (age) National Chess Tournament representing my school back in 2005. Every year from 2003, 2004 & 2005, we as team were roaming several parts of India. It is good to be roaming all over the country during school time especially during 10-14 years (5th to 10th grade). My parents stopped chess after 14 years and wanted me to focus on academics, I protested but they prevailed. That's so far the best decision ever made by my parents. I wasn't any prodigy to shine like a star to make it professional, I was doing good but not as good to bunk academics and take it full time.
On year 2005, the tournament happened in Sunbeam School, Varanasi. It was at national level, so top 3 teams who qualified from each zone (North, South, East and West) came to Nationals. It was tough and high mental pressure tournament, we were bunch of 4 boys all under the age of 14.
Travel to Sarnath:
So, during the tournament of 7 days, the school management arranged some tours to Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Ganges and other places. But it exactly coincides during our tournament play times. So teacher or coaches accompanying us visit leaving behind the kids.
I guess during Saturday or Sunday, one day was off and they took 3 buses to Sarnath, where Buddha gave his first sermon and spoke about 8 fold path & Noble 4 truths at this location. I decided to jump in to see around the city, my friends did not come. I obviously don't even know what Sarnath was, just know that Buddha as a great being.
3 Buses filled with school children were on our route to Sarnath from Sunbeam school. In middle of our way in a village route, a 300-400 runners were running on the highway. Later came to know, they were running for police constable selection who were supposed to maintain law and order.
Riots began:
As they were running, suddenly a rumor came that the selection was already done and all the running were just a gimmick to show they had a fair selection.
That's it!
In a microsecond, violence flashed. The people who were running quickly turned into a mob and started attacking anything and everything. Some police were running for their lives as they are greatly outnumbered.
Then, they saw 3 big targets, 3 beautiful yellow school buses. When they were attacking, they saw school children and women inside but nothing would stop them from venting out their anger on bus, smashed every window with stones and timber. (Later, when I had a roommate from Varanasi in North Carolina home, he told me such incidents are common in that part of town).
**Disclaimer: all pictures below are taken from internet similar to this incident described. It does not represent anyone in the picture to my story. Back in 2005, we did not have any flashy cameras or phones like today, it was basic Nokia days.
Usually these attacks on bus, slowly progress step by step to setting them up on fire (both with or without people inside).
- First bus (in front of me) was fully damaged
- Third bus (Behind my bus) took U-turn and escaped back to school
- I was in second bus (sandwiched between both buses)
- Driver was very smart, he did not have time to take U-turn, he went full speed in reverse gear for 1-3 Kilometers
- Any time to take U-turn will give sufficient time to climb on bus and create more ruckus, already some people have climbed the bus in the 10 seconds reaction time of the driver.
- (a different picture of an unrelated incident, but just to show climbing buses in India is a common thing for travelling, goods carrying and attacking too)
After hiding the bus in a church for 2-3 hours, we had 2 options either to go to back to School or Visit the Sarnath.
We decided to visit Sarnath, haha, who on the planet decided to go still. I was not the decision maker as I was too young to be taken serious but if I asked I would have still gone forward. Windows and doors crashed and still we were the only bus to visit Sarnath.
Entering Sarnath:
The moment I kept feet, a liquid coolness (liquid oxygen or air, when you pour into your hand, it penetrates you) entered the body. All of us forgot even such incident happened.
Sarnath Compound is filled with Tremendous energy and calmness energy unlike anywhere. None of us spoke to each other till we left the compound. Some crowd was there but the level of calmness or silence with each other was amazing.
Visited the temple (built by King Ashoka) where Buddha first sat after enlightenment and started preaching to his few students there.
Sarnath's Shakyamuni Buddha Deity idol inside: (In other places, this pose will not be shown)
Sometimes during Samyama, I take this hand pose involuntarily as shown below.
Now I realize, it comes from here while compiling this article. I have no insight why I did this but either was it is an auspicious visit.
Big walls, lot of ancient paintings describing Buddha's life
This is a rare video of inside the Sarnath temple:
When we were there there were no monks, there were no cameras, no police, no security men and there were lot of precious or expensive things in front of Buddha. Everyone behaved in such an orderly way, no policing or guarding men were needed. Very few monk here and there, it was not an occasion or festival day.
Lot of deer in the park were roaming freely (that's how the place's name is derived) and some animals and birds, they have a small zoo inside the premise.
Tour of Sarnath:
General tour of the premise:
There were Thai, Cambodia, Laos, Japanese, Chinese, etc Temples built around Sarnath in their cultural architecture around the Sarnath premise, there is also Buddhist hostel and one can see lot of monks riding old scooters.
It was all new to me as 13 year old teenager !
Sarnath Lush Green Gardens:
I slept happily with my newly formed friends in the bus and it was calm and deep.
- The burden and mental pressure in the heart and head was lifted, it felt so light.
- I was telling to an elder (other team's coach) next to me, how nice it would be if I stay here like this forever! Haha
- I could not speak there, the air was so cool coming from my food pipe and I was like drugged. I don't know if other felt the same way.
This was the first time, I felt the divinity or peace as a teenager in this life!
Up and down path but at the end it was all good!
My fist introduction to Buddha in this life!
