Must Visit Stupas in India

Stupas are hemispherical dome-like burial structures that consist in the remains of the deceased bodies of Buddhist monks. The round shape of the stupa may be looked upon as the nucleus or core of Buddhist system of worship and faith. The word ‘stupa’ is actually a word of Sanskrit origin and stands for the meaning, ‘to worship’. Though Stupas make an integral part of the Buddhist faith, there origin possibly has nothing to do with Buddhism as the roots of the ‘stupa’ may be traced back to as early as c. 2000 B.C.

The practice of raising burial mounds has continued down the ages from the early Neolithic age and in the times of the Buddha too, the custom of burying bodies under such mounds continued. Lord Buddha had decreed his disciples to construct such stupas at the crosswords so as to symbolize the greatness of the ones buried.

The shape and structure of the stupa is symbolical…it in fact symbolizes the lord. The square present at the base of the spire is emblematic of Lord Buddha’s head; the vase-like shape is his body, the four stairs linked to the stupa’s lower terrace are his legs and the stupa’s base stands for the throne on which the crowned lord has seated himself in a meditative posture. There are many such stupas in our country and among those, the must-visit ones are listed below…read on to learn:

Sanchi Stupa; Madhya Pradesh

Sanchi Stupa is one of the most significant Buddhist monuments and the most ancient of stupas in the country. The magnificent stone stupa was set up by Emperor Ashoka and preserves lord Buddha’s relics. The stupa is a hilltop stupa located in Madhya Pradesh’s Sanchi town and came into existence in the 3^rd Century BCE. The Stupa reflects the beautiful artwork of Mauryan era.

Dhamek Stupa; Sarnath

The Dhamek Stupa constructed around 500 CE is one of the most important Buddhist stupas located within Sarnath’s Deer Park. It is said to have been constructed by Emperor Ashoka. The height of the stupa is about 43. 6 meters and diameter is about 28 meters and it’s a massive cylindrical structure made out of stone and brick with its walls richly carved with floral patterns and inscriptions written in Brahmi script.

Chaukhandi Stupa; Sarnath

Chaukhandi Stupa is another important stupa in Uttar Pradesh’s Sarnath city and is located at a distance of 13kms from the city of Varanasi. This stupa though now in ruins is a significant stupa as it marks the meeting point of Lord Buddha with the first of his disciples. The stupa is now taken care of by the Archaeological Survey of India. If you avail any of the Varanasi to Gaya tour packages you can get to visit some of these important Buddhist stupas.

Animeshlocha Stupa; Bodh Gaya

In the northeastern direction of the famous Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya, stands the Animeshlocha Stupa. The stupa came into being around the 7^th century. The word ‘Animesha Locha’ stands for ‘unblinking eyes’. That explains why the stupa bears a mighty Lord Buddha statue with his eyes set unblinkingly on the sacred Bodhi Tree

Do-drul Chorten Stupa; Gangtok

This stupa is located in Sikkim’s Gangtok city and is the biggest in the state. It was constructed by Trulshik Rinpoche in the year 1945 and stands in vicinity to Research Institute of Tibetology. About 108 prayer wheels bearing inscriptions of mantras surround the stupa.

Maha Stupa; Thotlakonda

This stupa in the city of Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh had been an important Buddhist stupa between 300 BC and 300 AD. This stupa emerged from the undergrounds post an archaeological excavation and is a part of the Hinayana Buddhism sect.

Clement Town Stupa; Dehradun

This magnificent stupa also known as Great Stupa stands in the midst of a 2 acre verdant green garden and stands out as a brilliant example of Buddhist artwork. The length of the stupa is 185 ft and width is 100 sq ft.

Shanti Stupa; Leh

This Stupa is located in Jammu and Kashmir’s Leh region and was set up by Japanese monks as a symbol of world peace and to commemorate the completion anniversary of the long 2500 years of the religion of Buddhism. This stupa is a spired cylindrical structure in pristine white and was constructed between the year 1983 and the year 1991. The stupa stands on the summit of Chamspa Hill in the scenic Leh region.