CHAUKHANDI STUPA

June 9, 2019

An ancient Buddhist site in Uttar Pradesh's Sarnath known as Chaukhandi Stupa has been declared to be a "protected area of national importance” by the Archaeological Survey of India, a notification of the Union Ministry of Culture said.

About:

Structure:
- It is a lofty mound of brick, whose square edifice is surrounded by an octagonal tower.
- Some images of the Buddha and other statues were found in excavations at Chaukhandi Stupa are said to be rare artefacts and classic examples of art from the Gupta period.
Timeline:
- The Chaukhandi Stupa is said to be originally a terraced temple constructed during the Gupta period (4th to 6th Century).
- Govardhan, the son of Raja Todarmal, gave the present shape to the Chaukhandi Stupa. He built an octagonal tower to commemorate the visit of Humayun, the great Mughal ruler.
Significance in Buddhism: Chaukhandi Stupa was built to mark the place where Lord Buddha met his first disciples as he traveled from Bodh Gaya to Sarnath.