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Created page with "{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Short description|Stupa in the Parasi District of Nepal}} {{Infobox religious building | building_name = Ramagrama stupa |native_name = रामग्राम नगरपालिका | image = 013 King Asoka visits Ramagrama (33428090870).jpg | image_size = 250 |alt = Ramagrama, the relic stupa of Lord Buddha |caption = Ashoka (right) visits the..."

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Short description|Stupa in the Parasi District of Nepal}}
{{Infobox religious building
| building_name = Ramagrama stupa
|native_name = रामग्राम नगरपालिका
| image = 013 King Asoka visits Ramagrama (33428090870).jpg
| image_size = 250
|alt = Ramagrama, the relic stupa of Lord Buddha
|caption = [[Ashoka]] (right) visits the [[Ramagrama]] Stupa (center), at his failed attempt to take relics of [[the Buddha]] from the king (left)
| map_type = Nepal
| map_size = 250
| map_relief = yes
| map_caption = Location in Ramgram, Nepal
| location = {{flagicon|Nepal}} [[Ramgram, Nepal|Ramgram]], [[Parasi District]], [[Lumbini Province]], [[Nepal]]
| coordinates = {{coord|27|29|52|N|83|40|52|E|display=inline,title}}
| religious_affiliation = [[Buddhism]]
| sect = [[Theravada Buddhism]]
| architecture_type = [[Stupa]]
| architecture_style = [[Buddhist architecture|Buddhist]], [[Gupta Empire|Gupta]]
| year_completed =
| height_max =
| materials = brick and earth
| functional_status = Preserved
| administration =
|length = {{convert|50|m}}<ref name=Shrestha2001>{{cite journal|last=Shrestha|first=SS|title=Ramagrama excavation II|journal=Ancient Nepal: Journal of the Department of Archaeology|volume=148|pages=1–29|year=2001
|url=http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/ancientnepal/pdf/ancient_nepal_148_01.pdf|access-date=2014-11-30}}</ref>
|width = {{convert|50|m}}<ref name=Shrestha2001/>
}}
{{BuddhasHolySites}}

'''Ramagrama stupa''' ({{lang-ne|रामग्राम नगरपालिका}}, also Ramgram, Rāmgrām, Rāmagrāma) is a [[stupa]] located in [[Ramgram, Nepal|Ramgram Municipality]], in the [[Parasi District]] of [[Nepal]]. This [[Buddhist pilgrimage]] site containing [[Relics associated with Buddha|relics]] of [[The Buddha|Gautama Buddha]] was constructed by the Ashoka.<ref name="UNESCO843">{{cite web|author=[[UNESCO]]|year=2014|title=Ramagrama, the relic stupa of Lord Buddha|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/843/|access-date=2014-11-30|work=Tentative Lists|publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|location=Paris}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |url=https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000262925 |publisher=[[UNESCO]] |author=[[Durham University]] |date=Apr 2018 |language=en |access-date=14 August 2023 |title=The Greater Lumbini Area religious and archaeological sites}}</ref>

==History==
[[Image:Ancient india.png|right|thumb|The Malla Mahajanapada]]
Gautama Buddha's parents were from two different [[mahajanapada|mahājanapadās]] (kingdoms) of the [[Suryavansha|Solar dynasty]] — his father ([[Śuddhodana]]) belonged to the [[Shakya]] kingdom, while his mother ([[Maya (mother of Buddha)|Maya]]) was from the [[Koliya]] kingdom. According to [[Buddhist texts]], after Buddha's [[Parinirvana|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.<ref name=Shrestha1999>{{cite journal|last=Shrestha|first=SS|title=Ramagrama excavation|journal=Ancient Nepal: Journal of the Department of Archaeology|volume=142|pages=1–12|year=1999|url=http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/ancientnepal/pdf/ancient_nepal_142_01.pdf|access-date=2014-11-30}}</ref> These eight stupas were located at:
#[[Allakappa]], a settlement of the [[Bulī]] people. The precise location of this place is not currently known.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/am/allakappa.htm |title=Allakappa |publisher=Palikanon.com |access-date=2015-05-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/b/buli.htm |title=Bulī |publisher=Palikanon.com |access-date=2015-05-16}}</ref>
#[[Kapilavastu (ancient city)|Kapilavastu]], capital city of the [[Shakya]] kingdom<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/ka/kapilavatthu.htm |title=Kapilavatthu |publisher=Palikanon.com |access-date=2015-05-16}}</ref> (the location of this stupa is the subject of some controversy; there is evidence it was actually constructed at [[Piprahwa]])<ref name=Peppe1898>{{cite journal|last=Peppe|first=WC|title=The Piprahwa Stupa, containing relics of Buddha|journal=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society|issue=Article XXIII|pages=573–88|year=1898|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3HjaswkRsSYC&q=since+the+discovery+of+the+pillar&pg=PA927}}</ref><ref name=Srivastava1980>{{cite journal|last=Srivastava|first=KM|title=Archaeological Excavations at Piprāhwā and Ganwaria and the Identification of Kapilavastu|journal=The Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies|volume=13|issue=1|pages=103–10|year=1980|url=http://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/jiabs/article/download/8511/2418}}</ref>
#[[Kushinagar|Kusinārā]], capital city of one of the two [[Malla (tribe)|Malla]] republics<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/ku/kusinaaraa.htm |title=Kusinārā |publisher=Palikanon.com |access-date=2015-05-16}}</ref>
#[[Pava|Pāvā]], capital city of the other [[Malla (tribe)|Malla]] republics<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/pa/pava.htm |title=Pāvā |publisher=Palikanon.com |access-date=2015-05-16}}</ref>
#[[Rajgir|Rājagaha]] a major city of the [[Magadha]] kingdom<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/r/raajagaha.htm |title=Rājagaha |publisher=Palikanon.com |access-date=2015-05-16}}</ref>
#[[Parasi, Nepal|Rāmagrāma]], a major city of the [[Koliya]] kingdom (this settlement is sometimes referred to as ''Koliyanagara'')<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/r/ramagama.htm |title=Rāmagāma |publisher=Palikanon.com |access-date=2015-05-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/ku/koliyaa.htm |title=Koliyā |publisher=Palikanon.com |access-date=2015-05-16}}</ref>
#[[Vaishali (ancient city)|Vesāli]], capital city of the [[Vajjika League]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/vy/vesaali.htm |title=Vesāli |publisher=Palikanon.com |access-date=2015-05-16}}</ref>
#[[Vathadipa|Veṭhadīpa]], a settlement of [[Veṭhadīpaka]] Brahmins. The precise location of this place is not currently known.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/vy/vethadiipa.htm |title=Vethadīpa |publisher=Palikanon.com |access-date=2015-05-16}}</ref>

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 [[Nāga|serpent king]] was guarding the Ramagrama stupa, and prevented Ashoka from unearthing the relic, making it one of the eight undisturbed stupas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moksha.foundation/ramagrama-stupa |title=Ramagrama Stupa |access-date=2023-10-23}}</ref>

==Archaeological research==
To this day, Ramagrama stupa remains the only intact and original stupa containing relics of Buddha.<ref name=UNESCO843/> The stupa has been an object of great reverence and pilgrimage site since its original construction. The {{convert|7|m|0|adj=mid|-high}} stupa is now buried under a mound of earth and is awaiting further research.<ref name=Shrestha1999/> The dimensions of the stupa complex are 10m high and 23.5m in diameter. A geophysical survey revealed a perfect quadrangular Kushan monastery buried below the surface, whose dense concentration of brick prevented crops from growing, leading to the area being known as an "unlucky field".<ref name=":0" />

==World Heritage Status==
This site was added to the [[World Heritage Site|World Heritage]] Tentative List by [[UNESCO]] on May 23, 1996 in the Cultural category.<ref name=UNESCO843/>

==Conservation and Enhancement==
[https://www.tplv.com/ The Promised Land] and [https://lumbinidevtrust.gov.np/en The Lumbini Development Trust] signed a Memorandum of Understanding on October 23, 2023, dedicated to the protection, preservation, conservation, development, and management of the Ramagrama Stupa with the support from [https://www.moksha.foundation/ Moksha Foundation].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/ramagrama-stupa-sole-undisturbed-original-063500837.html |title=Ramagrama Stupa the Sole Undisturbed Original Stupa Containing Relics of Lord Buddha to be Preserved and Developed |publisher=yahoo.com |access-date=2023-10-23}}</ref>

On December 12, 2023, Ramagrama hosted a gathering for the World Peace Program. Graced by the Right Honorable [[Pushpa Kamal Dahal]] (Prachanda), the Prime Minister of Napel, renowned architect [[Stefano Boeri]] unveiled the masterplan for the Conservation and Enhancement of the Ramagrama Stupa.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/prime-minister-of-nepal-unveils-renowned-architect-stefano-boeris-visionary-masterplan-for-ramagrama-stupa-conservation-and-enhancement-302017472.html |title=Prime Minister of Nepal Unveils Renowned Architect Stefano Boeri's Visionary Masterplan for Ramagrama Stupa Conservation and Enhancement. |publisher=PRNewswire |access-date=2023-12-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wLYX5_aGHo |title=Live From Ramgrama: Ramgrama World Peace|publisher=Bodhi TV |via=youtube.com|access-date=2023-12-13}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery perrow="4" widths="200px" heights="150px">
Ramgram Stupa 8.jpg|statue and entrance gate at Ramagrama stupa
Ramgram Stupa Gate Statue.jpg|statue and entrance gate at Ramagrama stupa
Ramgram Stupa Entry View2.jpg|pathway leading to Ramagrama stupa
Ramgram Stupa 12.jpg|view of Ramagrama stupa
Ramgram Stupa 4.jpg|view of Ramagrama stupa
Ramagrama Stupa.jpg|sacred Bodhi tree (''[[Ficus religiosa]]'') at Ramagrama stupa
Ramgram Stupa 15.jpg|sacred Bodhi tree at Ramagrama stupa
Stupa of Ramagrama - Bottom Architrave - Rear Side - East Gateway - Stupa 1 - Sanchi Hill 2013-02-21 4464.JPG|a [[Relief#Low_relief_or_bas-relief|bas-relief]] of the Ramagrama stupa, from the east gateway of Great Stupa at [[Sanchi]], in [[Raisen District]] of the [[States and territories of India|State]] of [[Madhya Pradesh]], India
Ramagrama lintel.jpg|left|a bas-relief of the Ramagrama stupa, from the Catalogue of the [[Sarnath Museum|Museum of Archaeology at Sarnath]] in 1914
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Ayodhya]]
*[[Dasharatha]]
*[[Ikshvaku dynasty]]
*[[Kshatriya]]
*[[List of stupas in Nepal]]
*[[Mahapadma Nanda]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*[https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000373034 Ramagrama geophysical survey and preparation of risk map]
*[https://www.moksha.foundation/ramagrama-stupa Ramagrama Stupa]
*[http://www.diwasdhakal.com/book_accumulate_stupa.php The Accumulate Stupa of Ramagrama]

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSFJ9aNAnPg Ramgram Stupa, the Buddha relic stupa of Nepal]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYNgSFRZCmI Ramgram Stupa ko Behal-Nawalparsi] (video in Nepali language)
{{Buddhism topics}}
{{Gautama Buddha}}
{{Buddhist temples in Nepal}}
[[Category:5th-century BC establishments in Nepal]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Nepal]]
[[Category:Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Nepal]]
[[Category:Buddhist relics]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Parasi District]]
[[Category:Nāgas]]
[[Category:Religious buildings and structures in Nepal]]
[[Category:Stupas in Nepal]]

Ramagrama Stupa - Revision history