History of Indian and Eastern Architecture v2.c33.s3.17

v2.c33.s3.17

In the Sapada and Tamani pagodas, above the bell is a square moulded plinth which by some authorities is thought to be symbolic of the chamber in the basement containing the Buddhist relics, and is in fact known as the “dhâtu-garbha” or relic-chamber. The feature is, however, of ancient origin, as it is shown on the dâgabas in Kârlê and Ajantâ (*ante*, vol. i., Woodcuts Nos. 70 and 71). It forms an essential feature in all the Sinhalese Dâgabas, and as Sapada, the builder of the pagoda bearing his name, was a Buddhist monk from Ceylon, he probably introduced it into Burma.