Kesariya stupa
Topic: Early Indian Art and Architecture: Stupas, Rock-cut Caves, Temples · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Kesariya is a very large brick stupa in East Champaran district, Bihar. A stupa is a dome-shaped mound built over holy relics or at a holy place. Kesariya is counted among the tallest and largest Buddhist stupas in the world. Buddhist tradition links the place to the Buddha's last journey towards Kusinagara. It shows how places on the Buddha's travels became sacred.
Example
Tradition says that at Kesariya the Buddha gave his begging bowl to the Licchavis of Vaishali as a keepsake. He then went on towards Kusinagara, where he died. The brick stupa marks this event.
Don't confuse with
- Kusinagara stupa: it marks the place where the Buddha died (his mahaparinibbana). Kesariya marks a stop on the way there.
Related concepts
- Stupa
- Donations to stupas
- Sanchi stupa
- Bharhut stupa
- Amaravati stupa
- Deorkothar stupas
- Bhattiprolu stupa
- Kanaganahalli
- Nagarjunakonda
- Diamond Triangle of Odisha