Mahabodhi Society of India Sarnath

Established in the year 1891 by a Sri Lankan devotee, Anagarika Dhammapala, with an aim to bring back Buddhism to India, Mahabodhi Society of India is one of the most renowned Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Sarnath. The temple is so serene that one could literally sit here for hours just to meditate. Besides, the ambiance of this popular Buddhist temple in Sarnath is so surreal that it helps one to find the inner peace. The history of the society goes back to the time when the religion of Buddhism started diminishing from India. During that time, the ancient temple of Mahabodhi became a Hindu pilgrimage site with Lord Buddha image replaced by the idol of Hindu deity. When Anagarika Dhammapala arrived in India he noticed this entire scenario. With his dedicated effort, Mahabodhi Temple later again became Buddhist religious centre in Sarnath. He also took the charge of reviving all the Buddhist sites in Sarnath, Bodhgaya and Kushinagar. At present, the society has its branches in Odisha, New Delhi, Kolkata, Ajmer, Chennai, Bangalore and Lucknow.

Location Address

Dharmapal Road, Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221007, India

Visiting Timings

The timings of Mahabodhi Society of India are divided into two stages:

From February to November

• Morning Timings: 4:00 AM to 11:30 AM
• Evening Timings: 1:30 PM to 9:00 PM