[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Reference works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference) › [An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989) › v2.c40.67 # An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c40.67 An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c40.67 - **Language:** English ### [v2.c40.67](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v2.c40.67) Most of the \*stūpas\* were wheel-shaped on plan, the number of spokes varying from four, six, eight to ten, and had \*āyaka\* platforms surmounted by five \*āyaka\* pillars at four cardinal directions. The wheel-shaped plan, which may be the outcome of a long series of experiments in different parts of, India, including Andhra, reached its perfection here. In the construction of such \*stūpas\*, the like of which is the Dharmarājikā Stūpa at Taxila of the first century A.D., the architects successfully translated a sacred Buddhist symbol into an architectural entity, besides attaining constructional perfection. That ideology influenced the plan of the \*stūpa\* was evident from the example with \*svastika\* inset in the centre (Sites 20, 59, 108). But not all \*stūpas\* of Nagarjunakonda, and for that matter, of the entire Andhra country, were wheel-shaped on plan or had \*āyakas\*. For example, the one of the Mahāvihāravāsins (Site 38) had a solid construction without the \*āyaka\*-platforms. Quite a good number of \*stūpas\* yielded relics \[12.8\] and may therefore be called \*śārīrika\* (corporeal) \*stūpas\* but isolated ones (Sites 15A, 16 and 22) may belong to the \*auddeśika\* type. Many \*stūpas\* had their drums and other parts encased with exquisitely sculptured slabs depicting episodes from Buddha's life, Jātaka stories and sometimes even scenes of secular import. Some were built on a raised platform (Site 4), whereas in some (Site 3) a railing either carved or uncarved was also provided. In sculptural wealth some (Sites 2, 3, 6, 9, 32A, etc.) may rival any site in India; in fact taken collectively the Nagarjunakonda phase represents the culmination of the Krishna valley art that had its beginning at AMARAVATI in the second century B.C. - [Previous: v2.c40.66](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v2.c40.66) - [Next: v2.c40.68](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v2.c40.68) - [Up: v2.c40](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v2.c40) ## Linked texts (1) - [Dharmarajika Stupa](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.dharmarajika-stupa) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v2.c40.67](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v2.c40.67) · Pramāṇa