Sarnath: Where Buddha sat

Behind me is where Buddha sat.

The morning after graduation, my old classmates and I went up north to Sarnath where it is said that Buddha gave his first sermon.

One of my friends had a lot of questions about the place. Some so basic, that we had to explain that all of these relics used to be underground, under mounds of dirt and no one even knew that they were there.

Actually, you kind of forget that point when going to ancient sites like these; that everything about the place was underground and forgotten. That kings erected pillars and that Buddha sat right there and meditated.

Makes our lives seem a little less significant in a way, when we who don't even have temples or cities in our names strive so hard to make something of our lives, as if someone would remember us when our remains are underground.

Events, like graduation, are milestones of time, marking a period that we are about to leave behind.

Yesterday, we took photos after the graduation ceremony. The one we tried most to get perfect was the one where we all throw our graduation caps into the air. We tried that numbers of times to get the light and shot just right. Looking at them now, they are the ones in which we look the happiest.

At Sarnath too, we went to the saddest zoo ever and also played some children's games, blindfolding each other. Here we were in public, Master's students, playing kids games, in part knowing that soon this will all be behind us.

Surrounded by old relics, where Buddha sat, knowing tomorrow life will move on. But at least we have now.

And actually, isn't that all we ever have?

Epilogue
After Sarnath, we all said our good-byes.
Not goodbye really, but more like, "See you on Facebook."
Isn't that how it is, then?