Varanasi City
Chaukhandi stupa, a Buddhist mound, is an important Buddhist attraction at Sarnath.

Varanasi : Sarnath : Chaukhandi Stupa

Chaukhandi Stupa

Chaukhandi Stupa is one of the important Buddhist Stupas at Sarnath. It is a lofty mound of brick, whose square edifice is surrounded by an octagonal tower. The Chaukhandi Stupa is said to be originally a terraced temple during the Gupta period (4th to 6th Century). Govardhan, the son of Raja Todarmal, gave the present shape to the Chaukhandi Stupa. He built an octagonal tower to commemorate the visit of Humayun, the great Mughal ruler. Chaukhandi Stupa was built to mark the place where Lord Buddha met his first disciples as he traveled from Bodh Gaya to Sarnath. Today, the Chaukhandi stupa stands neatly in lush green lawns, well maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. Draped in the calmness and mystery of history, the Chaukhandi Stupa forms a gateway to the Buddhist city of Sarnath.