Newly Excavated Stupa

Master of Architecture
(Conservation)
COMPARATIVE STUDIES IN ART & ARCHITECTURE
MACO 105
ASSIGNMENT NO 2
SUBMITTED TO SUBMITTED BY
AR AJAY KHARE KUNAL GAURAV
2021MCO002
COMPARATIVE STUDIES IN ART & ARCHITECTURE / MACO 105
KUNAL GAURAV/2021MCO002
New Excavated Stupa
Figure 1. Newly Excavated Stupa
Introduction
The word Stupa is mentioned in the Rigveda, Atharvaveda, Vajasaneyi Samhita, Taittriya
Samhita, in the Panchavimsata Brahmana, and the Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary
49 which says it is a “knot or tuft of hair, the upper part of the head, crest, top, summit, a heap or
pile of earth or bricks, etc.”
Stupa can be classified into three categories:
1. Religious edifies, or Stupa dedicated either to the celestial or the Adi Buddha or to the mortal
Buddha.
2. Funeral Stupa erected over the relics of mortal Buddha or over his disciples.
3. Stupa for commemorative Buddha
After the demise of Buddha and his cremation at Kushinagar and later the corporeal relics were
distributed among eight Mahajanapadas, initially, eight Stupas (Saririka Chaityas) were
constructed at eight centers namely, Rajagrihya, Vaishali, Kapilavastu, Allakappa, Ramagrama,
Vethadipa, Pava, and Kushinagar.
History
The stone structure, built by King Ajatasatru, is mentioned in ancient Buddhist texts and in the
accounts of foreign travelers but was buried in the sands of time for thousands of years. Stupas
were built over the relics of Lord Buddha after his death in 483 BC in Kushinagar. The relics
were divided into eight categories and many stupas were built by the Licchavi kings and by
Ajatasatru - who belonged to the Haryanka dynasty of Magadh and had his capital in Rajgir.
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Ajatasatru, who died circa 462 BC, is believed to have met Buddha and had patronized
Buddhism. He is said to have begged forgiveness for killing his father Bimbisara and ascending
the throne of Magadh. Ajatasatru, who, according to some historians, was a follower of Jainism
initially, became influenced by Buddha and his teachings.
Figure 2. Bimbisar Figure 3. Ajatsastru
According to sources in the archaeological survey, the stupa built in Rajgir by Ajatasatru had
remained untraced. The Mahaparinirvansutta, a book on the life of Lord Buddha, mentions the
stupa, built of brick, and says that its location is somewhere in Rajgir. The stupa is mentioned
even in the accounts of foreign travelers like Fa Hien, who has talked of the structure in detail.
But till recently, archaeologists believed that the stupa might have been located somewhere on
the northern side of the city. But they abandoned hope after extensive excavations yielded a
stone structure. There was no doubt about the stupa being built of brick since Atma Katha,
another authentic source of Buddhist stupas, says the structure was brick-made.
Location
Figure 4. Location Map Figure 5. Site Location
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On the southeastern side of Rajgir town, which had been covered with thick forest, the history-
diggers saw a flat land flanked by mounds. Survey experts, who were working on the possible
location of the stupa, decided to excavate this area in 1997. Soon a structure emerged, raising
hopes among the excavators.
Stupa architecture
It can be compared with different stages of man’s life. He observes
• “Putting off the relics in a covered casket indicated the stage of conception.
• Putting the casket in a stone box indicates birth.
• Covering the box by a brick structure as infancy.
• The rise of the structure above the ground (Medhi) as childhood.
• Oval-shaped (anda) that of adolescence.
• The chatravali and in compassing it by a stone railing keeping guard that of youth and
coronation.
• The lion statues guarding the approaches are that of manhood.
• Erection of ornamental archways and completion of sculptural representations that of
maturity and victory.
• The addition of an outer railing and construction of the flights of steps that of decline and
old age.
Description of Stupa
This brick structure is pyramidal in style with narrow step-like structures that may have helped
the devotees to climb to the top level.
The structure that has now been unearthed is made of bricks and has two terraces measuring 29
meters by 25 meters. On the top terrace, a structure has been found that matches the description
given in Jivakamravana, an ancient Buddhist text. 'Although some of the relics were in a broken
state, they seem to be authentic. The fact that it was made of brick lends credence to its
authenticity,' said K.K. Muhammad, superintendent of the Archaeological survey in Patna
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Photographs
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“He who having turned his thoughts to the enlightenment for the sake of all living things reverentially
salutes the top of the savior of the world, becomes everywhere in all his lives as he fares on the way to
enlightenment, mindful, thoughtful, virtuous, and assured”
-Mahavastu Avadana of the Lokuttaravadins
Source
https://pragyata.com/rajgir-the-first-kingdom-at-the-dawn-of-history/
https://www.lkouniv.ac.in/site/writereaddata/siteContent/202004201518298907anitya_gaurav_aih_origin_and_development_of_
stupa.pdf
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Newly Excavated Stupa

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Master of Architecture

New Excavated Stupa

Figure 1. Newly Excavated Stupa

Figure 2. Bimbisar Figure 3. Ajatsastru

Figure 4. Location Map Figure 5. Site Location

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