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Kesariya Stupa, photo by Monukro1

10Astonishing facts about Kesari’s stupa

Kesariya stupa is located 110 km from Patna which is the capital city of Bihar. The stupa has a rim of approximately 400 feet and holds a towering altitude of approximately 104 feet. It came into the limelight after the discovery of the biggest ever Buddhist Stupa. It is estimated to be the tallest ever-excavated Stupa in the world.
Keseriya commands prominent positions in East Champaran from a tourism point of view. The stupa is the symbol glorious past of the Buddhism era. It has a polygonal base and is capped with polygonal-shaped bricks from the top.

1. It’s a treat to watch for archaeological site lovers.

The Conservation of Kesaria Stupa is a turning point in the history of conservation in India. Earlier, the ASI team did not realize that the excavated Stupa would be the tallest and largest Stupa in the world.

Was historical importance of Bihar was established with the discovery of the 鈥渂iggest ever Buddhist Stupa 鈥� at Kesaria in East Champaran district about 120 K.M. from Patna and 30 miles from Vaishali on Indo Nepal border.

A team of Archaeological Survey of India Officials discovered this Stupa in the year 1998 after excavation. The ASI officials have declared that Bihar has the proud privilege of housing the tallest ever-excavated Stupa in the world.

2. Kesariya Stupa has a circumference of  400 feet and rises to a height of  104 feet.

Rising to a height of 104 feet and much reduced than its original height, it is one foot taller than the famous Borobodur Stupa in Java, a world heritage monument.

In the halcyon days when Buddhism thrived in India, the Kesaria Stupa was 150 feet and the Borobudur stupa 138 feet tall according to an A.S.I. report. 

At present, the height of Kesaria is reduced to 104 feet and Borobodur to 103 feet. 

3. The stupa is the tallest and the largest Buddhist  in the world 

Kesariya_Stupa, photo by Monukro1

It is considered to be one ft taller than the Borobudur stupa in Indonesia. The stupa is the tallest ever-excavated Stupa in the world. The Kesaria Stupa was 123 feet tall before the 1934 earthquake in Bihar. 

It is the largest site on the Buddhist route. Chinese pilgrim Hieun Tsang had visited this site of Stupa as per his diary in the seventh century.

4. The stupa has a number of statuses 

53 statues Kesariya. Photo by Anandajoti.

A large number of statues add to its beauty. Though some parts of the statues have not survived the passage of the time and the turbulent events that hit the region in the past, primarily the attacks led by various invading Muslim rulers in the Middle Ages, and now are in a ruinous state.

5. The Kesariya stupa is waterlogged

The world-famous Kesaria Buddha stupa in the East Champaran district of Bihar is waterlogged following floods in some parts of the district after heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of river Gandak in neighboring Nepal.

It is waterlogged from all sides it is believed and feared that this might cause some damage. The tourist inflow has been hit due to the water around the structure.

6. The original Kesaria stupa is said to date back to the time of emperor Ashoka

The stupa was excavated by General Cunningham.In1861-62 and in 1998 an ASI team that was led by archaeologist K.K. Muhammad had excavated the site properly.

 Between 250 BCE  the remains of an Ashokan pillar were discovered there. The current stupa dates to the Gupta Dynasty between 200 AD and 750 AD and may have been associated with the 4th-century ruler Raja Chakravarti. 

7. The ASI has been declared a protected monument of national importance.

Kesariya Stupa in Bihar, photo by Rahulkumar

  The largest Buddhist stupa in the world and has been drawing tourists from across several Buddhist countries.  Two great foreign travelers, Faxian (Fahien) and Xuan Zang (Hsuan Tsang) visited this place.

Visitors tend to prostrate themselves before the stupa multiple times, circumambulate clockwise around it on a walking path, do both, or do nothing at all. Circumambulation is the ritual most closely associated with images of stupas in the modern day.

8. The Buddha at Kesaria

Buddha Statue, Kesariya, Photo by Anandajoti.

Lord Budha on his last Journey spent a memorable height at Kesaria. He made sensational announcements, which were later on recorded in Buddhist Jatak Story. Buddha at Kesaria said that in his previous births he ruled as Chakravarti Raja. Buddha also asked Licchivis to return to Vaishali after giving them 鈥淏EGGING BOWL

The excavation revealed the terraces with the 鈥淧radakshina path鈥� around the stupa.  The important finding is a number of figures of Lord Budha in 鈥淏hoomi Sparsh Mudra鈥� and other sitting images. These figures are made of soil and pebbles in each layer.

The earthen lamp, decorated bricks, and other potteries are other points of attraction. The Buddhist treasure trove has been exposed to its full glory to the glee of devotees of the world and the public alike.

9. The Kaseriya stupa Architecture

Kesariya Stupa at Bihar, photo by Summit Roy

The base is polygonal in the structure made of brick and with at least six terraced levels. At the top, there is a cylindrical brick tower. There are cell shrines on each terrace with stunning stucco images of the Buddha and geometric patterns. The design of the Kesaria stupa is unique and has special features. Many of the Buddha statues are still visible today, although they are either headless or broken from the waist, a fact attributed to the Muslim invade

10. The stupa acts as a holy place