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Stupas
Stupas are burial mounds prevalent in India from the Vedic
period. A stupa is a Buddhist commemorative monument,
usually housing sacred relics associated with the Buddha or
other saintly persons. It is generally considered to be a
sepulchral monument and a place of burial or a receptacle for
religious objects
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Structure of a Stupa
Anda:
A hemispherical mound symbolic of the mound of dirt used to cover Buddha's remains.
In many stupas, actual relics of the Buddha are used.
Harmika:
A square railing on top of the mound.
Yashti:
A central pillar symbolizing the cosmic axis.
Supports a triple umbrella structure (Chattra).
Pradakshina Path:
Stupas have more than one circumambulatory path for
devotees to walk around in a clockwise direction.
Vedika:
A wooden or stone railing that surrounds the stupa.
Torana:
An Indian gateway, usually of stone, marking the entrance to
a Buddhist shrine, stupa, or Hindu temple.
Consists of two pillars carrying two or three transverse beams
extending beyond the pillars on either side.

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Chaityas:
Similar to a prayer room.
Feature pillars on each side of a tunnel or walkway that leads to a stupa.
Viharas (Monasteries):
Meditation cells and living quarters for monks.

Timeline
Vedic Period: Stupas originate as burial mounds during this period.
3rd Century BCE: Emperor Ashoka promotes the construction of stupas across India.
Subsequent Centuries: Stupas become prominent in Buddhist architecture across Asia.
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One of the largest stupas with

a diameter of 50 meters and
height of 27 meters. Built in
Amaravati, Guntur, Andhra phases between the 3rd
Amaravati Stupa Sir Walter Elliot
Pradesh century BCE and about 250 CE
during the Satavahana dynasty.
Features a platform with
‘Aryak-Pillars’.

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A Buddhist complex built by

Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE.
Discovered in 1818, it features
four gates (toranas)
representing key events in
Sanchi, Raisen, Madhya
Sanchi Stupa Buddha’s life. Depicted on the Sir Henry Taylor
Pradesh
reverse side of the ₹200 Indian
currency note to signify its
importance to Indian cultural
heritage. UNESCO World
Heritage Site since 1989.
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Built in 249 BCE by Ashoka, this

Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar cylindrical stupa stands at 43.6
Dhamek Stupa Alexander Cunningham
Pradesh meters tall with a diameter of
28 meters.

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Discovered in 1873, known for

its narrative art depicting
Bharhut Stupa Satna, Madhya Pradesh Alexander Cunningham
Jatakas of Buddha's previous
births in sculptures.
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Discovered in 1958, it is the

tallest and largest Buddhist
Kesariya Stupa East Champaran, Bihar stupa in the world with a K. K. Muhammed
circumference of 400 feet and
height of 104 feet.

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Located in the ancient city of

Kapilavastu, the capital of the
Piprahwa Stupa Siddharthnagar, Uttar Pradesh Shakya kingdom where William Claxton Peppé
Siddhartha Gautama spent his
early years.
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A large brick mound marking

the cremation site of the
General Sir Alexander
Ramabhar Stupa Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh Buddha. Visited by Chinese
Cunningham
travelers Fa Hien and Hiuen
Tsang.

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Belonging to the Saka

Satavahana era,
Nagarjuna Sagar, Palnadu,
Nagarjunakonda Stupa Nagarjunakonda was the Sir Walter Elliot
Andhra Pradesh
capital of the Ikshvaku
Kingdom.
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Built in 1991 by Japanese

Shanti Stupa Chanspa, Leh, Ladakh Buddhist Bhikshu Gyomyo -
Nakamura, located on a hilltop.

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Also known as Peace Pagoda, it

Vishwa Shanti Stupa Rajgir, Bihar is located on a 400-meter high -
Ratnagiri hill.
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Stupa Name Location Brief Description Excavation

One of the largest stupas with
a diameter of 50 meters and
height of 27 meters. Built in
Amaravati, Guntur, Andhra phases between the 3rd
Amaravati Stupa Sir Walter Elliot
Pradesh century BCE and about 250 CE
during the Satavahana dynasty.
Features a platform with
‘Aryak-Pillars’.
A Buddhist complex built by
Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE.
Discovered in 1818, it features
four gates (toranas)
representing key events in
Sanchi, Raisen, Madhya
Sanchi Stupa Buddha’s life. Depicted on the Sir Henry Taylor
Pradesh
reverse side of the ₹200 Indian
currency note to signify its
importance to Indian cultural
heritage. UNESCO World
Heritage Site since 1989.

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 zn6iL7-2025-06-26 27-05-2024

Built in 249 BCE by Ashoka, this

Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar cylindrical stupa stands at 43.6
Dhamek Stupa Alexander Cunningham
Pradesh meters tall with a diameter of
28 meters.
Discovered in 1873, known for
its narrative art depicting
Bharhut Stupa Satna, Madhya Pradesh Alexander Cunningham
Jatakas of Buddha's previous
births in sculptures.
Discovered in 1958, it is the
tallest and largest Buddhist
Kesariya Stupa East Champaran, Bihar stupa in the world with a K. K. Muhammed
circumference of 400 feet and
height of 104 feet.
Located in the ancient city of
Kapilavastu, the capital of the
Piprahwa Stupa Siddharthnagar, Uttar Pradesh Shakya kingdom where William Claxton Peppé
Siddhartha Gautama spent his
early years.
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A large brick mound marking

the cremation site of the
General Sir Alexander
Ramabhar Stupa Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh Buddha. Visited by Chinese
Cunningham
travelers Fa Hien and Hiuen
Tsang.
Belonging to the Saka
Satavahana era,
Nagarjuna Sagar, Palnadu,
Nagarjunakonda Stupa Nagarjunakonda was the Sir Walter Elliot
Andhra Pradesh
capital of the Ikshvaku
Kingdom.
Built in 1991 by Japanese
Shanti Stupa Chanspa, Leh, Ladakh Buddhist Bhikshu Gyomyo -
Nakamura, located on a hilltop.
Also known as Peace Pagoda, it
Vishwa Shanti Stupa Rajgir, Bihar is located on a 400-meter high -
Ratnagiri hill.

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Stupas of the World

Stupa Name Location Brief Description
Built by King Manadeva in 460 A.D. Also known
as ‘Monkey Temple’. UNESCO World Heritage
Site since 1979. Ashoka visited in the 3rd
Swayambhunath Stupa Kathmandu, Nepal Century BCE. Other stupas in Kathmandu
include Boudhanath, Charumati, Kaathe
Swayambhu, Mahabouddha, and
Dharmadhaatu Stupa.
Built in 140 BCE by King Dutugemunu. Contains
the greatest amount of the Buddha's relics.
Ruwanwelisaya (Mahathupa) Sri Lanka
One of the most highly venerated Buddhist
shrines in the world.
UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. One
Boudhanath Stupa Kathmandu, Nepal of the most popular tourist sites in
Kathmandu.
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The largest Buddhist temple in the

Borobudur Java, Indonesia world and the most famous
monument in Central Java.
Major pilgrimage and tourist site
The One Hundred and Eight constructed during the Western
Ningxia, China
Stupas (108 Pagodas) Xia. Renovated and rebuilt several
times over the centuries.
A small pagoda built on top of a
Kyalktlyo Pagoda (Golden Rock granite boulder covered with gold
Myanmar
Stupa) leaves pasted on by male
worshipers.
The tallest stupa in Europe at 108
Benalmadena Stupa Andalusia, Spain
feet (33 meters) high.
Built to inter the ashes of Chogyam
The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya Colorado, USA
Trungpa, who died in 1987.
A significant Buddhist monument
The Great Stupa of Universal
Bendigo, Victoria, Australia located near Bendigo in central
Compassion
Victoria.

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The famous Dhamek Stupa is Which of the following terms is NOT

located in which of the following states? related to the structure of a stupa?
(a) Andhra Pradesh (a)Harmika
(b) Uttar Pradesh (b) Vedika
(c) Madhya Pradesh (c) Chhatra
(d) Himachal Pradesh (d) Vimana

(b) Uttar Pradesh (d) Vimana

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Which of the following means a burial mound Where is the largest concentration of
where relics and ashes of the dead are kept ? stupas in India?
(a) Urs (a) Himachal Pradesh
(b) Stupa (b) Bihar
(c) Basadi (c) Madhya Pradesh
(d) None of the above (d) Uttar Pradesh

(c) Madhya Pradesh

(b) Stupa

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Which of the following is the oldest stone Which of the following stupas was built on
structure in India and was commissioned by the the birthplace of 20th Jain Tirthankar
Mauryan King Ashoka? Munisuvrata?
(a) Sanchi Stupa (a) Shanti Stupa of Rajgir
(b) Amaravati Stupa (b) Sanchi Stupa of Madhya Pradesh
(c) Peshawar Stupa (c) Kesaria Stupa of Champaran
(d) Nagarjunakonda Stupa (d) Ramabher Stupa of Uttar Pradesh

Sanchi Stupa Shanti Stupa of Rajgir

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Which of the following stupa was discovered in Which of the following stupa was built on
1958 during an excavation led by Archaeologist the cremated place of lord buddha?
KK Muhammed of Archaeological Survey of (a) Ramabhar Stupa
India (ASI)? (b) Amaravati Stupa
(a) Sanchi Stupa (c) Shanti Stupa
(b) Kesariya Stupa (d) Dhamek Stupa
(c) Peshawar Stupa
(d) Nagarjunakonda Stupa Ramabhar Stupa

(b) Kesariya Stupa

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What are the gateways to the stupas at Sanchi Which of the following is the largest stupa
known as? in India?
(a) Torana (a) Kesariya
(b) Dwara (b) Dhamekh
(c) Dihad (c) Amaravati
(d) None of the above (d) Bharhut

Torana Kesariya
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