Dhamek stupa
Also called: Dhamekh stupa · Topic: Early Indian Art and Architecture: Stupas, Rock-cut Caves, Temples · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Dhamek stupa is a huge, round, tower-like stupa at Sarnath, near Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh). A stupa is a sacred Buddhist mound. Sarnath is where the Buddha gave his first sermon, and this stupa marks that holy place. It was rebuilt in its present form in the Gupta period, c. 500 CE. Its stone lower part is carved with fine floral and geometric bands. The upper part is of brick.
Example
The Dhamek stupa at Sarnath, c. 500 CE, is a solid cylinder, not a dome. The delicate carved patterns on its base are typical of the Gupta "quest for beauty".
Don't confuse with
- Great Stupa at Sanchi: a dome-shaped mound (anda) in Madhya Pradesh with carved gateways. It does not mark any event in the Buddha's life.
Related concepts
- Gupta art
- Sarnath school of art
- Mudras
- Abhaya mudra
- Bhumisparsha mudra
- Dharmachakra mudra
- Dhyana mudra
- Varada mudra
- Vitarka mudra
- Anjali mudra