ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES

Chaitya represents the Vajrayana Buddhism, as the symbol of

Buddha’s teaching and is divided into three layers:
The dome at the base represents the entire world.
The awakened eyes represent wisdom and compassion and
aware on the bond of world and reach to the state of
enlightenment.
On the top layers, there are 13 pinnacles that represents the
sentient beings have to go the thirteen stages of spiritual
realizations to reach the Buddhahood.

LICCHAVI CHAITYA
Votive chaityas of Lichchavi origin are still found and
range from 2-4 ft. high. These are of monolithic stone
and composed of 3 principal sections: the drum, dome
and finial. The chaityas, except for a few are all raised
on plinths. Sometimes the plinth is elaborate and appears
to be a virtual square temple with exterior niches facing
the cardinal points. In some rare cases the plinth makes
the dome almost non-existent, and it becomes difficult to
even refer to it as a chaitya (Slusser, 1982).
The original configuration of Licchavi chaityas consists
of three primary elements:
- Finial
- Dome
- Substructure

1. FINIAL
The finials are made of stone and are monolithic. They are set into
a square indentation deeply chiselled out of the apex of the semi-
circular dome.
The cube form is above the dome, which is called 'Harmikä in
Sanskrit word and 'Gala' in Newari word. A pair of eyes is called
the "Vajradristi' or the adamantine view. Between the two eyes, the
curly hair is known as 'urnä. The harmikā is covered from a roof
mould, which is called 'bhagī. The shield is placed above the
'bhagi', which is known as 'halipati' or 'halapau' or 'torana'. It is not
found in Licchavi Stupas. There are carved on Buddha and
Boddhisattva or their symbol. Behind and above the halapati, there
are thirteen tiers or raised above the 'bhagi, which are diminishing
bottom to top small size. The thirteen tiers are round except
Boudha and Carumati. Therefore, the thirteen tiers may be round
 and square. The round tiers are called 'Cakrävali' in Sanskrit. In the centre of 'Vedīkā or Dome,
there should be a Yasti in vertical way, which is long up to the topmost tiers. It also cannot see
from the outside. It is a wooden pillar, which should be single tree. The pinnacle is above the
thirteen tiers. An umbrella is covered on the pinnacle.
Only four finials can safely be dated to the Licchavi
era, but all are only fragments of higher spires.
By attempts of reconstruction, it can be assumed that
the typical finial of the Licchavi era had a cubic block
covered by a profiled cornice moulding and topped by
a spire of up to seven steps. An important step away
from the simple stepped spires to spires with distinct
discs separated by horizontal grooves is the finials of
two chaityas.
The 13 layers of the finial of the Bungamati Chaitya
are square, whereas the finial of the Dipanani Chaitya
of Kathmandu shows a square cube and cornice and
five round discs, separated by square, squat blocks.
A pulvinated element rests on top of the last step or
disc. In striking contrast to the above-mentioned
spires are those found topping miniature chaityas placed in niches of some Licchavi chaityas.
They are worked in high relief and are monolithic with the chaityas. Other representations of
chaityas in low relief are parts of the decoration of the surface of chaityas. The most typical
features of these finials are the large umbrellas and fragments of higher spires the umbrellas are of
different design.

2. DOME
The dome is the most important part of a chaitya. The surfaces of the domes are unadorned,
except for a few that display at the base
of the hemisphere a frieze of stylized
leaves in low relief. The domes are solid
and monolithic with drums, and
sometimes also with plinths or the upper
levels of sub- structures. In rare cases a
dome is kept in position by a bead found
on top of a plinth. The dome is raised
above the Vedīkā, which is semicircular.
It is known as 'Anda' or 'Garbha-griha' in
Sanskrit word. The relics or holy texts are covered from hemispheric dome. So, we can't see the
elements.

THE DRUM
The drum is found below the dome and serves as a plinth of ancient stupas and chaityas. Its
diameter is generally larger than the one of the domes, thus providing at large stupas a walkway
around the dome (circumambulatory) or in Sanskrit: pradaksinapatha, and at for medium- sized
and small stupas space for laying down offerings. But fully formed, protruding drums are not
found at the miniature edifices, the chaityas. Here, a characteristic addition to the plain
hemisphere is a profile surrounding the dome's base. It is designed as a water groove mould along
with some horizontal bands of quarter rounds and stepped profiles.
3. SUB-STRUCTURE
A wide spectrum of architectural forms and archetypes of sub-structures have been developed in
India, later copied by Newar craftsmen, further embellished, and finally formed into self-
contained Newar types. Most of the Licchavi chaityas feature one to four levels that rest on top of
each other with upwardly decreasing dimensions. The ground plan can be round, square,
octagonal or feature 12 or 20 corners.
Horizontal cornices, roof-like mouldings,
niches, pilasters and other
architectural elements provide in many levels
the character of building storeys. Octagonal
blocks are the transitional elements between
the round domes and the square blocks in the
shape of the most popular ground plan, the
'plan with 20 corners' (Skt. vimśatikona). Due
to the addition of secondary niches next to the
central primary niches and of roof-like
mouldings, the platforms were transformed
into building 'storeys'. This development was
supported by the number of decor elements.
The stacking of several storeys with different
ground plans such as the vimśatikona with four or 12 niches, the octagon with eight and the circle
with eight or 16 niches can be found.

PLINTH
The plinth is the lowest element of a chaitya and is known as 'Vedīkā in Sanskrit word and 'phah'
in Newari word. It is raised above the ground plan, which is shaped in a round, square, octagon
and twentieth angled, which functions firstly is to mediate between the sub-structure and the
(invisible) foundation, and secondly to separate the divine chaitya away from the unclean ground.
The round Vedikä is found in Svayambhu, Carumati, and others Stupa: the square Vedīkā is found
in small stone Stupa, the octagon Vedīkā is found in padmavali chaitya and the twentieth angled
Vedikā is found in Boudha Stupa and small stone Stupas. The Vedīkā may be one to three levels.
The Svayambhu and Carumati Stupa have one Vedikä and the Boudha Stupa has three levels
Vedikä and the small stone Stupas have also found in three levels.
Most of the chaityas found nowadays have been relocated in the course of time and do not rest
anymore on their original plinth. One of the most decorated plinths deploying a special character
is the Chaitya No. 7, Dharmadeva Stupa-compound of Chabahil. The 20 upturned corners of the
vimśatikona-block displaying rockery design support a large downwardly unfolded lotus blossom
transforming this chaitya to a 'lotus-born' one.