The Relic Stupa of Vaishali is a stupa (hemispherical structure) located within the archaeological site of Vaishali in the state of Bihar in India. It has been dated to potentially the 5th century BCE and is considered to be the earliest archaeologically known stupa. [1] [2]
Since 2010, the stupa has been considered a tentative site under the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list as one of the Silk Road sites in India. [3]
Vaishali formed the capital of the Licchavis who ruled from up until 468 BCE. The stupa itself was only discovered in the 1950s following excavations at the site. [4] The stupa itself is made of brick and has a clay core that has been enlarged several times. [2] The excavators noted that the final brick addition was contemporary with a nearby third century BCE Mauryan empire column which would therefore mean that the clay core predated the Mauryans. They also found that the relics within the stupa had been removed at a later date. This would match up with the legends pertaining to Ashoka who is said to have redistributed the relics of the Buddha in the third century BCE. [5]
Sri Lankan sources including the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta stated that the Licchavis of Vaishali were one of the groups that were designated to receive a portion of the cremated remains of the Buddha and that they built a shrine/stupa to enhrne it at their capital. Thus it can be stated that this small clay stupa was likely the original stupa detailed in the Sutta. [2] The relic casket itself has been kept at Patna Museum.
The original structure measured 26' in diameter at its base. The enlargements of the stupa took place in three phases and had four platforms which pointed in the four cardinal directions, possibly so that offerings could be placed on them. [2]
Despite the site being protected by the Archaeological Survey of India, concerns were raised in 2014 about possible security and management issues that are affecting the site. Due to flooding in the region and a lack of drainage, waterlogging has been noted to be a potential threat to the stupas structural integrity. There are also no security guards deputed at the site. [6]
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