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.

Source : The Hindu

Latest Current Affairs

See All