Dhamek Stupa, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh Dec 23, 2024

Welcome to Sarnath, home of the celebrated marvel of Buddhism—Dhamek Stupa, featured in today"s image. This structure was built on the very spot where Buddha shared his first-ever sermon with his first five disciples. Originally built in 500 CE to replace an earlier monument commissioned by Emperor Ashoka in 249 BCE, it holds a legacy as rich as its carvings. With a solid base of 28 metres in diameter and a towering height of 43.6 metres, it merges stone and brick in a design that"s both massive and intricate. The lower stonework boasts delicate floral carvings from the Gupta era, while its walls feature finely detailed depictions of humans, birds and inscriptions in the ancient Brahmi script. Although the stupa has been expanded six times over the centuries, the upper section remains unfinished. Standing before it, one can"t help but marvel at the stories it holds.

© Dinodia Photo/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Ive got a lot of problems with you penguins!
Dec 23, 2023Chinstrap penguins

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Apr 14, 2024Bowling Ball Beach, California, USA
Aug 18, 2025Avalanche Lake Trail at Adirondack High Peaks, New York, United States
Jan 9, 2025Sossusvlei sand dunes, Namib desert, Namibia
Jun 6, 202581st anniversary of D-Day
Mar 1, 2025Sandstone hoodoos, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, United States
Apr 29, 2024Fujian Tulou, China
May 15, 2024The Blue City of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
May 7, 2024A duckling swimming in a water meadow, Suffolk, England
Go fly a kite!
A real fun guy…er, squirrel
Jan 15, 2025Chital, Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Want to hang about?
The worlds most exclusive beach?
The ancient home of the Minoans
Winter wonderland for your wallet
A future built on the past
Dec 1, 2024Antarctica Day
Oct 20, 2024International Sloth Day
Aug 24, 2023Shark Fin Cove, California, USA
Jellies in a world all their own
Sep 1, 2025Great Basin National Park, Nevada, United States
Beauty by the bay
A painters palette of natures hues
Im ready for my close-up, Mr. DeSquirrel
Jun 12, 2025Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Texas, United States
Kings of the north
Nov 30, 2025Christmas market in Leipzig, Germany
Jan 28, 2025Short-eared owl
Jul 26, 2025International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem
Feb 2, 2024Alpine Marmot