The world-famous Kesaria Buddha stupa

 ■Kesaria Buddha stupa

✅The world-famous Kesaria Buddha stupa is waterlogged following floods in some parts of the district after heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of river Gandak

●Key points:

✅It is located in the east Champaran district of Bihar.

✅The ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) has declared it a protected monument of national importance

✅The stupa is located about 110 km from the State capital Patna.

✅Kesaria Stupa has a circumference of almost 1,400 feet (430 m) and raises to a height of about 104 feet (32 m).

✅It is the tallest and the largest Buddhist stupa in the world.

✅The local call the stupa "devalaya" meaning "house of gods"

●Exploration:

✅lts exploration started in the early 19th century after its discovery led by Colonel Mackenzie in 1814.

✅Later, it was excavated by General

Cunningham in 1861-62 and in 1998 an ASI team led by archaeologist K.K. Muhammad had excavated the site properly.

●History:

✅The first construction of the Stupa is dated to the 3rd century BCE.

✅The original Kesariya stupa is believed to date back to the time of emperor Ashoka (circa 250 BCE) as the remains of an Ashokan pillar was discovered there.

✅The stupa dates to the Gupta Dynasty between 200 AD and 750 AD, and may have been associated with the 4th-century ruler Raja Chakravarti.

✅Faxian, a Chinese Buddhist monk, mentioned a stupa which was built over Buddha's alms bowl by Licchavis of Vaishali.

✅Buddhist monk, Hsuan-Tsang, also

mentioned the stupa in his travels.

✅It is also believed that it was at this spot that he foretold his disciples that the time of his passing was near, and he would soon achieve nirvana

●Stupa:

✅It is an important form of Buddhist architecture, though it predates Buddhism.

✅It is generally considered to be a sepulchral monument a place of burial or a receptacle for religious objects.

●The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

✅It was established in the year 1861 under the Ministry of Culture

✅It is the premier organization for the

archaeological researches and protection of the cultural heritage of the nation. Users can get detailed information related to excavations, conservations, museums, epigraphical studies, etc.