Mulagandhakuti Vihara

INDIA, Uttar Pradesh, Sarnath

The temple is located inside the historical park at Sarnath. Within the park there is another temple with the same name that marks the place where the Buddha spent his first rainy season retreat. That original temple is now in ruins, leaving only some stones and bricks. The new temple, which is situated amidst the ruins of Sarnath, was constructed by the Maha Bodhi Society in 1931.
The modern temple is made of stone and rises to a height of 33.5 m. Built on a square plan, it measures 18.3 m on each side, with a portico at the front. The architectural features on the roof at the front of the building are unique: they form three stupa-like structures, but the stupa bodies are square instead of round, with niches on all four sides. The structure on the roof at the back of the temple resembles the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya. Inside the temple there is a life-size golden statue of the seated Buddha. The statue was carved according to the famous image depicting the First Turning of the Dharma Wheel, which is displayed at the Archaeological Museum in Sarnath. Relics obtained from Taxila and Nagarjunakonda are enshrined in a small chamber next to the throne of the statue. There are 22 elaborate frescoes on the walls depicting events from the life of the Buddha. They were all painted by Japanese artist Kosetsu Nosu in 1932.