The Boudhanath stupa, located in the center of the dense residential fabric of Kathmandu, is one of the largest stupas not only in Nepal but in the world. The stupa is said to have been built around the 5th century, during the reign of Lichhavi King Manadeva (464-505 CE). The stupa was named 'Khasa Chaitya', a spiritual landmark perceived as an embodiment of Buddha's enlightenment. While the stupa is surrounded by several Nepalese legends, it might have Tibetan connections as well. The stupa lies on an important trade route between India and Tibet, which might explain the Tibetan influences on the stupa. However, according to the legends, the stupa, built around the mid-8th century was known as Jarungkhasor and could have probably been the birthplace of Tibetan Buddhism. 

 

The stupa lies on a three-tiered wide terrace, designed based on the star-shaped vimsatikona mandala. It has four entrances in the four cardinal directions, along with the big central hemisphere, which represents the five Buddhas that symbolize the five natural elements. The dome measures 31 meters in diameter, raised to a height of 9 meters. Above the dome is the four-sided base of the finial, known as the harmika, and each side has a pair of painted eyes looking in one of the four directions. This trend of painting eyes on the harmika was started only in the fifteenth century, and it represents the eyes of Buddha overlooking the whole world. Between the eyes is a symbol like a question mark, which is the number “one” in Nepali, representing the unity of the world. The stupa is said to have the relics of the Kassapa Buddha and Shakyamuni Buddha. The renovations of the stupa were often sponsored by the rulers. Hence the stupa was restored in smaller parts over all these years. 

 

The area surrounding the stupa has also changed over time. Initially, there were few houses made of mud around the stupa. Around the 1950s, when China took over Tibet, many Tibetan refugees moved here and set up smaller shops and businesses around the stupa, some of which are evident even today. As time passed, the houses and the shops modernized and buildings were constructed in concrete, covering the original water streams. These water bodies were covered to make roads. All these changes have now started creating problems of flooding and water pollution, which has led to the use of architectural solutions like raised high plinths and brick retaining walls.