use j/k or left/right arrow
to navigate through the photos below

The Entrance Plaza

The Entrance of the Buddhavanam complex is dominated by the reproduction of the Aśokan Pillar, with winged lions supporting a Dharmacakra. There are also many reliefs on the wall around the entrance, illustrating Buddhist and Andhran culture.

Mahā Stūpa

At the centre of Buddhavanam is the Mahā Stūpa, built according to the dimensions and architecture of the original Amarāvatī Stūpa, which was one of the biggest stūpas in Southern India. The stūpa has a Vedika (drum), Dome (Anda) and a Harmika and Umbrella (Chattra) on its top. Āyaka Platforms are seen on the four cardinal sides of the stūpa on which stand five pillars corresponding to the five important events in the life of the Siddhartha Gautama: his birth, renunciation, Awakening, teaching and passing.

Ground Floor

This area is still under construction, but will eventually have a multi-media museum. At present there is a statue of the Madhyamika teacher Ācārya Nāgārjuna, one of the most revered teachers of the Mahāyāna tradition, who is thought of as the Second Buddha.

First Floor

Inside the massive dome of the stūpa is a large meditation hall, with a golden stūpa having Vairochana Buddha Statues in the four directions, and the four intermediate directions portray Buddhas Amitābhā, Akṣobhya, Ratnasambhava and Amoghasiddhi. There is also a relic casket with Buddha relics inside. The sky is actually a reflection of the sky outside created with 528 aluminium panels.

Stūpavanam

There is a garden for 13 small-scale copies of the great Stūpas found throughout the Buddhist world, which represent the efforts of nine Buddhist countries. Some of these stūpas are iconic of the countries, or cultures, that produced them.

Sanchi is a remarkable example of Buddhist art and architecture spanning from the Mauryan period (3rd century BC) to the medieval era (12th century AD). The site features stūpas, an Aśokan pillar, monasteries, and rich sculptures. Emperor Aśoka commissioned the Mahā Stūpa to enshrine Buddha’s relics, possibly influenced by the hill’s location or his queen, Devī, from Vidisha. Originally a brick structure, it was later enlarged and faced with stone during the Sunga period, adding balustrades, staircases, and a harmika. The Satavahanas added intricately carved gateways in the 1st century BC, with inscriptions noting donations by King Satakarni II. The gateways depict episodes from Buddha’s life and Jātaka tales. During the Gupta period (4th century AD), Buddha statues and temples were added. Sanchi flourished under the Kuṣanas, Kṣatrapas, and Guptas, with further shrines and monasteries built between the 7th and 12th centuries. It was rediscovered in 1818 by General Taylor.

The Dhamek Stupa, located in Sarnath near Varanasi, is one of Buddhism’s four most sacred sites, marking where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon, Dharmacakrapravartanasutra (The Turning of the Wheel of Law). Established by Emperor Aśoka in 249 BCE, it commemorates Buddha’s teachings and the founding of the first Sangha (monastic community). The name, derived from the Sanskrit Dharmarājika Stūpa, symbolizes the reign of Dharma. Chinese traveler Xuanzang noted its grandeur in 640 AD, describing it as nearly 300 feet (91 m) high with over 1,500 priests residing there. Rediscovered in 1798 by J. Duncan, excavations revealed monasteries, stūpas, and sculptures dating from the 3rd century BC to the 12th century AD. The Dhamek Stupa is a solid cylindrical tower, 28.5 meters in diameter and 33.5 meters high, adorned with Gupta-period stone carvings and niches that once held images.

The Ajanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, consist of 30 rock-cut Buddhist caves carved in two phases: the 2nd century BC (Sātavāhanas, Theravāda Buddhism) and the 5th-6th centuries AD (Vakatakas, Mahāyāna Buddhism). These caves are celebrated for their exquisite Buddhist art and architecture. Cave 9, a chaitya hall, features a monolithic stūpa at its center, surrounded by a circumambulation path. The apsidal hall, supported by 23 pillars and a vaulted ceiling, showcases vibrant paintings of Buddha, Padmapānī, and Vajrapānī, adorned with jewels. Devotees, including yogis, lay people, and monks, are depicted offering garlands, with men wearing dhotis and turbans. The caves reflect the evolution of Buddhist traditions, from early Theravāda practices to the later Mahāyāna phase, and stand as a testament to the spiritual and artistic achievements of ancient India.

The Karla Caves, located 60 km from Pune on the Pune-Mumbai highway, feature 16 rock-cut caves dating from 60-40 BC to the 4th century AD. Cave No. 8, a chaitya hall built by the Sātavāhanas, is the largest in India, measuring 37.87 m deep, 13.87 m wide, and 14.02 m high. It includes an apsidal hall with pillars converging behind a stūpa and unique Asokan-style lion pillars at the entrance. The stūpa has a cylindrical drum, dome, harmika, and a seven-stepped pyramid topped by an umbrella. Funded by merchants, monks, and lay devotees, the site reflects Theravāda and Mahāyāna Buddhism and was historically known as ‘Veluraka’.

The Mankiala Stupa, located in Mankiala village near Islamabad, Pakistan, dates to the Kuṣan period under King Kaniṣka (128-151 AD), though some attribute it to Emperor Aśoka. According to the Jātaka tales, it marks the spot where the Buddha, as a Bodhisattva, sacrificed his body to feed hungry tiger cubs. Discovered in 1808 by Mountstuart Elphinstone, the stūpa was restored by the British in 1891. Alexander Cunningham described it in 1872 as a massive structure: a hemispherical dome 128 ft in diameter, resting on a 15 ft cylindrical neck, with a total height of 92 ft. Built of sandstone and kankar, it features a raised terrace. Relic deposits, discovered by Jean-Baptiste Ventura in 1830, are now housed in the British Museum.

The Top Darra Stupa, located in Top Darra village near Begram, Afghanistan, stands on high ground against the Koh-e-Safi mountains. First discovered by British explorer Charles Masson in the 19th century, it likely dates to the 2nd-4th centuries AD, near the ancient city of Kapisa. Built with stone, the stūpa’s drum measures 23 meters across and stands 30 meters high. It features a decorative band of 56 niches framed by rounded arches and a tri-lobed arch niche (facing east) that once held three Buddha figures. A ceremonial stair aligns with the frieze, facing the valley where the Kushan Empire’s capital, Kapisa, was located. The Afghanistan Cultural Heritage Consulting Organisation (ACHCO) began preservation and excavation in 2016. Buddhism flourished in Kapisa, with many monuments in the area. Top Darra was one of several stūpas along the road from Kabul to Kapisa (modern Begram).

The Kahu-jo-daro stūpa, located near Mirpur Khas in Sindh Province, Pakistan, dates back to the 6th century AD. First surveyed by J. Gibbs in 1859 and excavated by Henry Cousens in 1909, the site includes ruins of a Buddhist stūpa and monastery. Excavations revealed a relic casket with ash, bone, votive tablets, Buddha images, vases, and other artifacts. Xuanzang, the 7th-century Chinese monk, noted hundreds of Buddhist monasteries in the region. Cousens described the stūpa as having a decorated outer casing of carved brickwork. A key find is a terracotta Buddha relief sculpture in a meditative pose, along with 7th-8th-century clay tablets inscribed with the “Ye Dharma Hetu” formula.

The Ruwanwelisaya Stupa, located in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, is one of the 16 Solasasthana and 8 Astasthana sacred sites. Built by King Duthugamani in 140 BC, it enshrines the largest collection of the Buddha’s relics. It is also known as the Mahathupa, Swarnamali Chaitya, Suvarnamali Mahaceti, and Rathnamali Dagaba. It is one of the world’s tallest monuments, standing at 103 m (338 ft) with a circumference of 290 m (951 ft). Originally 55 m (180 ft) tall, it was renovated multiple times, with the final renovation completed in the early 20th century and the crowning in 1940. It is the second-highest stūpa in Anuradhapura, and is designed to resemble a bubble on water. The square above the dome symbolizes the Four Noble Truths, and the eight rings represent the Noble Eightfold Path, which are the core teachings of the Buddha.

Wat Mahathat, located in the Sukhothai Historical Park, northern Thailand, is a renowned Buddhist temple whose name means “Temple of the Great Relic.” Founded by King Sri Indraditya between 1292 and 1347, it served as the main shrine of the Sukhothai Kingdom, which flourished from the 13th to the 14th centuries. The temple’s design is based on a maṇḍala, symbolizing the universe, with a central lotus-bud-shaped stūpa (built in 1345) enshrining Buddha’s relics. This main stūpa, representing Sukhothai architectural style, is surrounded by 168 stucco sculptures of disciples and eight smaller stūpas, blending Mon Haripunchai-Lanna and Khmer influences.

In Tibet, a Buddhist stūpa is called a Chorten. The Chorten at Potala Palace Square in Lhasa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, symbolizes the Buddha’s physical presence. Its architecture consists of three main parts: a whitewashed base (representing the Buddha’s lotus throne and symbolizing earth and the five forces: faith, concentration, mindfulness, perseverance, and wisdom), a whitewashed cylinder (symbolizing water and the seven essential conditions for enlightenment), and a crowning steeple (representing the Buddha’s crown). The steeple, often made of brass or gold leaf, features 13 tapering rings (symbolizing fire and the 13 steps of enlightenment), a parasol (warding off evil and representing wind), and a twin symbol of the sun and moon. The Harmika, a square box between the cylinder and steeple, represents Eightfold Noble Path. This structure embodies profound Buddhist teachings and spiritual symbolism.

Boudhanath Stupa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Nepal, is one of the most visited sites in the Kathmandu Valley. It enshrines the remains of Kassapa Buddha, the 27th of 29 named Buddhas. Built in the 5th century AD during the reign of King Māndev (464-505 AD) or by Licchavi King Śivadeva, it lies on an ancient trade route between Lhasa and Kathmandu, serving as a key stop for Tibetan traders. The stūpa is 36 meters (118 feet) tall, built on a three-level maṇḍala-style platform. Unique features include Buddha’s painted eyes and extensive gold decoration. The base has 108 small images of the Dhyāni Amitābhā Buddha and 147 niches with prayer wheels. The structure symbolizes the elements: the square plinth represents earth, the dome (Kumbha) symbolizes water, the Harmika (with Buddha’s eyes) represents fire, the spire signifies air, and the umbrella (Chattra) represents the void. Known as Chorten Chempo (Great Stūpa) by Tibetans, it is onme of the most prominent stūpas in the Himalayan region.

The Shwesandaw Pagoda, a 328-foot bell-shaped stupa in Bagan, Myanmar, was built in 1057 AD by King Anawrahta, founder of the Bagan Kingdom. It is one of Myanmar’s most significant pagodas, designed like an Egyptian pyramid with five receding terraces and a golden multi-tiered hti (finial umbrella). Legend holds it enshrines one of the eight hairs of Shakyamuni Buddha, brought from India. The white-painted stūpa features terra cotta tiles depicting Jātaka tales and a Mandalay-style bronze Buddha statue near its southern entrance. Four central stairways, guarded by Makaras, lead to the terraces, with 12th-century standing Buddha images in pavilions on each side. Inscriptions in Mon language from the 11th century detail its early history. During restoration, numerous bronze and stone Buddha images were discovered and are now displayed in the Bagan Archaeological Museum.

The Sakyamuni Yeoraesangjuseolbeop Tap, popularly known as the Shadowless Pagoda, is a 10.75-meter-high stone pagoda located in Bulguksa Temple, the main temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Dating to 751 AD, it marks the golden age of Buddhist art in the Silla Kingdom. The pagoda, part of the Bulguksa UNESCO World Heritage Site, is designated as National Treasure No. 126 by South Korea. Its simple, three-story design follows a 4:3:2 ratio, creating balance and symmetry, and rests on a two-tiered base surrounded by eight lotus flower stones. Notably, it enshrines the Great Dhāraṇī Sūtra, discovered in 1966 as the oldest extant woodblock-printed material in the world. The sūtra, 620 cm long, underwent restoration in 1988-1989 due to deterioration. Excavations also revealed treasures like a bronze Buddhist spirit image, a miniature wooden pagoda, silk, and beads, highlighting its historical and spiritual significance.