Ramagrama stupa
| रामग्राम नगरपालिका | |
| Coordinates | 27°29′52.2″N 83°40′52.13″E / 27.497833°N 83.6811472°ECoordinates: 27°29′52.2″N 83°40′52.13″E / 27.497833°N 83.6811472°E |
|---|---|
| Location | Parasi, Nawalparasi District, Lumbini Zone, Nepal |
| Type | stupa |
| Material | brick and earth |
| Length | 50 metres (160 ft) |
| Width | 50 metres (160 ft) |
| Height | 6.85 metres (22.5 ft) |
| Beginning date | circa 483 BCE |
| Completion date | circa 483 BCE |
| Dedicated to | Gautama Buddha |
Ramagrama stupa (Nepali: रामग्राम नगरपालिका, also Ramgram, Rāmgrām, Rāmagrāma) is a stupa located in Ramgram Municipality, in the Nawalparasi District of Nepal. This Buddhist pilgrimage site, which was constructed some 2500 years ago, contains relics of Gautama Buddha.
Gautama Buddha's parents were from two different mahājanapadās (kingdoms) of the Solar dynasty — his father (Śuddhodana) belonged to the Shakya kingdom, while his mother (Maya) was from the Koliya kingdom. According to Buddhist texts, after Buddha's Mahaparinirvana, his cremated remains were divided and distributed among the princes of eight of the sixteen mahājanapadās. Each of the princes constructed a stupa at or near his capital city, within which the respective portion of the ashes was enshrined. These eight stupas were located at:
Some 300 years later, Emperor Ashoka opened seven of these stupas and removed the Buddha relics (his goal was to redistribute the relics into 84,000 stupas which he planned to construct throughout the Maurya Empire). According to legend, the serpent king was guarding the Ramagrama stupa, and prevented Ashoka from unearthing the relic.
To this day, Ramagrama stupa remains the only intact and original stupa containing relics of Lord Buddha. The stupa has been an object of great reverence and pilgrimage site since its original construction. The 7-metre-high (23 ft) stupa is now buried under a mound of earth and is awaiting further research.
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