Boudhanath Stupa is the largest spherical stupa located in Boudha city on Kathmandu’s outskirts, built sometime around the 14th century. It has been listed as the UNESCO world heritage site of Nepal. While for some, it is known to hold the remains of the Kassapa Buddha, the 27th of the named Buddhas, and others believe that it contains a bone of Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha. This substantial Buddhist meditative monument is about 36 meters high (118 ft). The stupa is referred to as “Chorten Chenpo” among the Nepalese in Kathmandu, which translates to “Great Tower” or just “Great Stupa.”
The Buddha’s all-knowing nature has been depicted through a pair of eyes, which can be found in all of the cardinal directions on the stupa tower’s base. The canopy of the stupa has 13 levels, representing the stages a human must pass through to achieve Nirvana- the path to enlightenment. There is also a brick wall with 147 niches and 108 images of the meditational Buddha at the ground level. It is the center of Tibetian Buddhism in Nepal, with several monasteries around it. The Boudha has been built in the shape of a Mandala to replicate the Gyangtse of Tibet. The stupa’s location once laid on the ancient trade route to Tibet, which led to Tibetian merchants resting and offering prayers for many centuries.
The stupa sets high standards in terms of grace and purity. According to legend, the king constructed the stupa as an act of penance after unwillingly killing his father. After the Mughals destroyed the stupa in the 14th century, it was reconstructed, making it comparatively newer. The entire stupa is highly symbolic, with the plinth representing the Earth, the Kumbha(dome) representing water, the Harmika (the square tower) representing fire, and the spire as air. The umbrella designed at the top is the void of space (ether).
The Boudhanath stupa has remained an important pilgrimage site and a stopover for Buddhism worshipers for centuries. However, on April 25th, 2015, a massive earthquake of 7.8 magnitudes shook Nepal, damaged the great stupa, severely cracking the spire along with several other vital sites killing lots of people. The stupa was repaired and opened once again almost a year later.
If one wishes to reach the top of the plinth, they can find a gateway at the stupa’s north end beside a small shrine dedicated to Hariti, goddess of smallpox, offering a higher viewpoint of the giant mandala. The same is from 5 am to 6 pm (7 pm in summer) all days a week. Also, during the Losar festival (Tibetian New Year) in February or March, Boudhanath offers the largest celebration in Nepal. The Boudhanath Stupa entrance fee for foreign nationals is 400 NPR; for SAARC country nationals is 100 NPR and is free for Nepalese people and children below ten years of age. Overall, if you are willing to experience ultimate peace within yourself and learn more about life, this is the place you must visit.
