Rare Old Photos of Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal

According to the Nyeyig, Guru Rinpoche གུ་རུ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ། in the 8th century is believed to have meditated on the practice of Tandin རྟ་མགྲིན་ (Hayagriva) at this place in order to subdue the evil forces of the region. Centuries later, great masters such as Phajo Drugom during the 13th century and Terton Drukdra Dorji in the 17th century is also supposed to have meditated and practiced at this place.

A stupa is generally known as the most important architectural symbol in Buddhism, but few are aware of the fact that the structure pre-dates Buddhism itself. It has existed through pre-Buddhist times in India in some shape or form. The remains of the dead, mostly of someone important, were stored in a mound to pay homage and reverence to.

Also known as Peace Pagda or Peace Pagoda, the Shanti Stupa of Dhauli Giri is a one-of-a-kind stupa near Bhubaneswar in India.