This week’s DP photo challenge is Rare.
To many westerns, stupas are rarely seen and the meaning are not fully known.
Stupas are generally solid, bell-shaped structures that contain a holy relic such as a hair or tooth from Buddha, relics or remains of eminent Buddhist figure, or a sacred Buddhist scripture.
They are modeled on ancient Indian burial mounds. The base of the stupa is often sealed with a copper plate incised with a vishva-vajra crossed thunderbolt design that is regarded as protection from evil. Stupas themselves were venerated as symbols of the Buddha.
This is a picture taken in the temple of Angkor Wat which displays a stupa.
retireediary 