Chaukhandi Stupa

It is a lofty brick structure, the central walls of the three successive terraces were provided with niches for statuary. An image of Buddha seated in dharmacharkra mudra, a Bodhisattava and two beautifully carved bas reliefs of Gupta style indicates that the monument existed in the Gupta period as a terraced temple. The octagonal tower on top is a Mughal monument built in 1588 to commemorate Humanyu’s visit to this place.

The next important commemorative Stupa constructed at Nalanda in honour of Sariputra. During the day of Mauryans, Ashoka and subsequently in the Gupta period it turned into a huge monastery complex later well known as university of Nalanda. The ruins of the Ancient Buddhist establishments of Nalanda lie close to the village of Bargaon, south-east of Patna and north of Rajagriha. The temples were constructed on the west facing east and the monasteries on the east faces west. The main temple (temple No-3) standing at the southern extremity is the largest and most imposing structure. This temple is a huge solid structure standing in the middle of a court surrounded by a number of small votive Stupas.

During excavation it was found that the very small original structure was enlarged by later reconstructions and renovations build over and around the ruins of the earlier ones, the present mound being the result of seven successive recapitulations. The fifth of these successively built temples is the most interesting and best preserved. It had four corner towers of which three have been exposed and was found decorated with rows of niches containing well-modelled stucco figures of Buddha and deities of Buddhist pantheon are fine specimens of Gupta art.

As the structure increased in size with each addition, the level of the court gradually rose and many small votive Stupas are found at several places, completely or partly buried under the different floors and walls that have been exposed.

The eastern part of India comprising of Magadha and Bengal yielded many Buddhist temples side by side with the Stupas and monasteries viz; Bodhgaya temple, Nalanda Temple-3,12,13 and 14, Vikramsila complex with a lofty temple in the centre of a huge court surrounded by monasteries cells all around, Paharpur in Bangladesh, Temples of Maynamati etc.

Thus with the passing away of time the structural activities of Buddhist Stupas of Barhut, Sanchi, Amravati etc underwent changes and along with the constructions of Stupas, chaityas and viharas. Buddhism flourished unabated till twelfth-thirteenth century CE.

The importance of Stupa as a sacred object of veneration continued in unbroken sequences and large number of votive Stupas were constructed in large, medium and smaller dimensions on stone, bricks including monolithic Stupas with images of Buddha and Buddhist divinites and also devoid of images. The monolithic votive Stupas reported from Nalanda, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Sanchi, Orissa etc are forming a class by themselves for the study of the art, iconography and architecture associated with Buddhism.

As already stated above magnificent temple building activities flourished in the Pala Empire as exemplified in Nalanda (Temple No-3). Mahabodhi temple at Bodhgaya, central shrine at Vikramsila are leaving behind a great legacy of Buddhist pursuits in art and architecture throughout the length and breadth of the country.