Boudhanath Stupa, also known as Boudha, Jarung Kashor, or Khasti Mahachaitya, is one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a premier tourist magnet in Kathmandu.
Since I moved to Nepal last year (2025)—and joined as an English teacher at North Pole Boarding School (I am grateful to Mr Krishna Bahadur Tamang who has appointed me to work at NPBS), which is situated at Jibjibe, Rasuwa District—my aim was to visit the Kathmandu Valley. So, after spending four busy months at Jibjibe, I went to Kathmandu to visit the Boudhanath Stupa.
It was the first day of great Teej. I got up early in the morning and caught the first EV to Kathmandu. It takes three-and-half hours on an EV to reach Kathmandu from Jibjibe. The road goes via Pasang Lhamu Highway which runs through hilly areas in a zigzag fashion, along the Trishuli River, and via Bidur before ascending Shivapuri Hill. At around 10:00 AM, our EV arrived at Naya Bus Park from where I caught a citybus to Boudhanath. The citybus ran for thirty minutes until it reached Pashupatinath; then it came to an halt at Chahabil Chowk from where starts Boudhanath Sadak. Talking to the passenger sitting next to me on the citybus, I learnt that Boudhanath Stupa is familiar as Boudha (pronounced boe-da) among urbanites.
At Boudha, I got off from the citybus and started walking towards the entrance of the stupa. The whole area was quite crowded, even though it was still morning; people were walking from opposite direction, some of them wearing Maroon-colored robes; shops along the road were being started to open; traffic was moving slowly on the main road. As I entered into the premises of Boudha, I was stopped by two security guards, who were standing on the middle of the entrance, checking tickets. I showed them my school ID card, and they allowed me to go in. Thanks to NPBS!
As soon as I crossed the main gate, I caught the first glimpse of Buddha's Wisdom Eyes. They were looking at me—lovingly, compassionately. There was something in those eyes—something mysterious, devine, and heavenly. I felt immense gratitude for standing there under His unblinking peaceful gaze. It is believed that if a first-timer at Boudhanath make a wish as soon as they catch the first glimpse of the stupa, their wish will come true.
I slowly started walking towards the stupa around which people were circumambulating silently. Some were turning Mani wheels—which are fixed on the wall of the stupa—while others were lying on the ground with their arms stretching out in front, reciting OM MANI PADMA HUM. Everyone was being controlled by movement. It is believed that circumambulating the stupa (Kora), clockwise, three times or more, may bring good luck to anyone. Of course, Kora also helps to generate one's spiritual energy that breaks free from the attachments of the mundane world.
Boudhanath Stupa is situated on the north of Kathmandu city, or twenty minutes' drive from Tribhuvan International Airport. It is the largest stupa in Nepal and one of the most visited tourist destinations in Kathmandu Valley, which was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. For centuries, Boudhanath has been a place of pilgrimage for Tibetans. However, people from different parts of the world also visit it. The road on which the stupa is situated was once operated as a trade rout between Lhasa and Kathmandu. Tibetan traders, who reached Kathmandu with their yaks by crossing the high Himalayan passes, offered their sincere prayers to Boudha Stupa. According to Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, together with Swayambhu and Namo Buddha Stupa, Boudhanath forms a triad of great stupas often depicted together in Tibetan literature. The area around the stupa was originally Tamang settlement; however, the people living around it today are Tibetan refugees who fled China after 1959. The stupa is surrounded by a great many monestries, souvenir shops, cafés and restaurants.
There are many legends and myths about the origin of Boudhanath. According to Jarung Kashor (meaning "Let it be done, Slip of the tongue") legend, a long time ago, an old lady named Majhazima (or Jadzima) lived in the village—where the Boudhanath Stupa is situated today—with her four sons. She was a poulterer and belonged to low-caste. Being honest and hardworking, she managed to save some money by selling poultry over time. One day, the old lady met the King and asked him for a piece of land so that she could build a Boudha stupa there. The King granted her land covering the size of a water buffalo skin. The astute old lady cut a buffalo hide into thin pieces, and by making a long rope from it, she outlined a huge area of land and started building the stupa. After sometime—probably when the base was completed—the envious villagers attempted to destroy the progress of her work. Soon, they met the King and lodged an appeal against her: How dare a poultry seller construct such a big stupa? And why had the King granted her the land? The King, however, refused to take any action against the old lady, said, "Let it be done, Slip of the tongue."
There is another legend, this one is from Newar Chronicles, which identifies Boudhanath as Khasti Mahachaitya or Million Dew Drop Stupa: During the reign of Vrsadeva—the Great Licchavi King who ruled Nepal c.400–425—a worst drought affected the country. Deeply confused, the King seeked help from their oracles. The oracles advised the King to sacrifice a man who had possessed of thirty-two virtues. The king summoned his son, Manadeva, and told him to go to the royal well at the dawn and sever the head of a shrouded person he would find sleeping there. Manadeva, after obdiently following the order, stood petrified as he saw the severed head was his father's. Deeply baffled by this horrific incident, he left the court and started living as an ascetic in a temple.
One day, Goddess Bzrayogini appeared in his dream and told him to build a great shrine to Buddha, which would relieve him from his anguish. Politely listening to the Goddess's words, Manadeva started to build a big stupa on the site—"where white birds could settle"—that is, the place where Boudhanath Stupa is situated today. However, the drought was so severe that it had created huge impact on the construction of the stupa. Sheets were spread on the ground to be saturated with overnight dew; by the morning, the sheets were wrung out to collect the necessary water for the construction work. This is why Boudhanath is also called Million Dew Drop Stupa.
"Over the centuries Boudhanath has been embellished, fallen into disrepair, and again added to by saints and kings," writes Desmond Doig in his book In The Kingdom of The Gods. This is true. Over many centuries, the Great Stupa has faced many adversities, from natural hazards to historical destruction and rapid urbanization. But despite all of this, the Stupa firmly stands against all odds as a beacon of Buddhism. On April 14, 2015, a magnitude of 7.8 earthquake striked Nepal which killed 9000 people and caused nationwide destruction. Boudhanath was also hit by the quake: its gold spire that sits atop the dome was severely damaged; however, the Wisdom Eyes were spared. After the earthquake, people—without waiting for government fund to receive —started to repair the stupa by themselves. "Local and foreign donors contributed more than $2m (£1.6m)," reported The Guardian. "Donors also gave 31kg of gold, which covers the structure’s pinnacle." After eighteen months the Great Stupa had regained its former glory, thanks to the generous people of Kathmandu and the blessings of Boudhanath!
Refrences:
- A Voyage to Nepal by Gustave Le Bon (1886)
- Legend of the Great Stupa of Boudhanath by Keith Dowman (1973)
- In The Kingdom of The Gods by Desmond Doig (1999)
- Lonely Planet's Nepal
- The Princeton dictionary of Buddhism (2014)
- The Guardian: Nepal's earthquake-hit Boudhanath stupa reopens after restoration
Mithu Das's Popular Blogs:
- Avalokiteśvara: The Paragon Of Compassion
- The Death of Shakyamuni
- Do You Believe In God?
- Schopenhauer’s Views on Idea of Will, and Death
