streetsnsquares: Stupas of Kathmandu III: Boudhanath

The third stupa in this series, the Boudhanath Stupa is located at the centre of Bouddha market area which is about five km. north east of Kathmandu and is also part of the ancient trade route to Tibet. Generally considered to be the biggest stupa in the country, it's also known as Khasti Chaittya, Khasau Chaittya and Khasa Chaitya. There are many legends most notably Tibetan that of a little girl Kang-ma as well as others that mention how the stupa was established by the Lichhavi king Mandeva Ist (464-505 AD). Since this is close to the Cha-bahil stupa which is dotted with Lichhavi votive chaityas, this claim cannot be ruled out entirely.

Sketch showing the location of the major stupas of the Kathmandu Valley.
Boudhanath Stupa has been highlighted.

Bouddhanath Stupa - 2007

Picture by Tony Hagen - 1960

Boudhanath Stupa (Southern view) before 1960

An Aerial image of the Stupa and its surrounding area
(Date not known) Photo Credit to uploader, Source Google

Renovation - 1919/ 1920

The stupa was forgotten for a long time during the dark age in the history of Nepal like other monasteries lying around Cha-bahil-Sankhu link area.It was only after the visit of the Tibetan sage and bridge builder, Tong tang Gulepo in the late 14^th – 15^th century that the stupa then covered with weed came back to light.Guru Padma Sambav, tantric master from Drangso in Tibetan province of Tsang recognized as a Tulku-incarnation, excavated the big stupa around 15-16^th century.Thus, the stupa became famous with Tibetans and they started making contributions to it. It was during the period of Sivasimha Malla (1587-1617) – Tibetans were appointed as the sextons of Bouddhanath in which time, a new finial was donated to the stupa. Reign of Pratap Malla, Rangrik Repa undertook work of restoration of stupa. Thus the actual architecture may date back to the Malla period or even pre-date it.The medieval architecture can still be seen in Daniel Wright’s sketches from his book ‘History of Nepal’ first published in 1877.

Sketch by Daniel Wright

Stupa showing the twenty cornered plan

This development of Bouddhanath stupa that started in the Malla period with the appointment of a Tibetan resident seems to have continued in the Shah period too and there have been additions in 1818-1819, 1821, 1859 respectively. An image of the stupa in 1850-1860 can be observed from the sketches of H.A. Oldfield from his book – 'Sketches from Nipal'.

Only the recent images and sketches are mine.

Sketch by H.A. Oldfield

Updated on December 2016

The Bouddhanath Stupa was damaged by the April 2015 earthquake. And as of November 2016 it was the first of the monuments to be successfully restored.