The famous Chaukhandi Stupa in Sarnath

Now for those of you who do not know- Sarnath is a small town close to Varanasi and is the place where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon after his enlightenment. Sarnath was the site of archaelogical excavations that revealed a large number of structures prominent among them the Stupas and the monasteries where buddhist monks lived and studied.One of the fist stupas that you will see on your way to Sarnath is the Chaukhandi Stupa. This stupa is a huge structure made of red bricks and is called Chaukhandi because of its four armed plan. Chau means four and khand means parts or arms in the local language and hence the name chaukhandi.
The Chukhandi stupa was built around 4th -5th Century AD during the Gupta period. The spot according to the historians is where Lord Gautam Buddha “probably” met his first five disciples/companions after enlightenment. This stupa also finds mention in the written accounts of the celebrated Chinese Traveller, Hiuen Tsiang of 7th century AD.

The image of Buddha in Dharmachakra Pravartan mudra and Leogryphs with swordsmen found here are astonishing remnants of the classical Gupta Art of those times.

The octagonal brick tower crowning the Stupa is actually a Mughal structure erected in 1588 AD by Govardhan son of Raja Todar Mal to commemorate the visit of Humayun, the great Mughal emperor to this place. This is recorded in an Arabic inscription on a stone slab above its doorway on the north side.

The stupa is now maintained by the archaelogical survey of India.