Dharmapuri Stupa
A 3rd Century BCE Buddhist Relic Site in Jagtial District, Telangana
Dharmapuri is a village in Jagtial district, Telangana, located on the banks of the Godavari River about 15 km from Jagtial town. It is home to one of the earliest Buddhist stupas in the Deccan, dating back to the 3rd century BCE (Mauryan period). Excavations have revealed a large brick stupa, the remains of monastic viharas, a chaitya hall, and a relic casket believed to contain the sacred relics of the Buddha. The site was active for nearly a millennium, from the Mauryan era through the Satavahana and Ikshvaku periods. Dharmapuri is often compared to the great stupas of Sanchi and Amaravati, though it remains relatively unknown. The name "Dharmapuri" translates to "City of Dharma", indicating its ancient importance as a Buddhist pilgrimage centre.
After the Kalinga War (c. 261 BCE), Emperor Ashoka embraced Buddhism and actively propagated the faith. According to Buddhist tradition, he opened the eight original stupas containing the Buddha’s bodily relics, divided the relics into 84,000 portions, and enshrined them in stupas built throughout his empire. Dharmapuri is widely believed to contain one such relic of the Buddha, making it a Sariraka stupa (containing bodily remains) rather than a mere memorial or votive stupa. This belief is supported by the elaborate relic casket discovered during excavations and the site’s ancient name, which directly references the Buddha’s teaching (Dharma).
The original Mauryan stupa was enlarged and renovated during the Satavahana period (c. 1st century BCE – 2nd century CE) and again under the Ikshvakus (c. 3rd century CE). The Satavahanas added a stone railing (vedika) and carved torana gateways, fragments of which have been recovered. The Ikshvakus, who were great patrons of Buddhism in the Krishna valley, likely added the surrounding viharas and a congregation hall. The site continued to be used until the 4th or 5th century CE, after which Buddhism declined in the Deccan.
The main stupa is a large brick structure, originally standing over 15 metres in height. It has a circular drum (medhi) with a diameter of approximately 30 metres, making it one of the largest stupas in Telangana. The hemispherical dome (anda) is built of well‑fired bricks laid in lime mortar. A raised pradakshinapatha (circumambulatory path) runs around the drum, paved with limestone slabs. Fragments of carved stone railings and torana crossbars have been found, indicating that the stupa was once enclosed by a vedika with elaborate reliefs — a feature similar to the stupas of Sanchi, Bharhut, and Amaravati. The relic casket was discovered in a niche within the drum, at the north‑eastern cardinal point.
To the south and west of the main stupa, the foundations of two large viharas have been excavated. Each vihara is a square or rectangular courtyard (approximately 20 m × 20 m) surrounded by a row of monastic cells (kutis) on three or four sides. The cells measure about 2.5 m × 2.5 m, each with a raised brick platform for sleeping and a niche for a lamp or a small Buddha image. A verandah in front of the cells provided shade and circulation. The viharas were built of brick, with lime plaster flooring. A large assembly hall or common dining room was attached to one of the viharas, indicating a community of 30–40 monks.
A chaitya hall (prayer hall) was identified east of the main stupa. Unlike the rock‑cut chaityas of the western Deccan, this is a structural building with an apsidal (semi‑circular) eastern end. The hall measured approximately 15 m in length and 8 m in width. Inside, a small stupa (about 2 m in diameter) served as the focal point. The roof was likely made of timber and thatch, now lost. Additionally, excavations revealed a kitchen complex with large circular hearths, a well with a brick lining, and drainage channels to carry waste water outside the monastery — evidence of advanced sanitary planning.
During excavations in the 1990s (by the Department of Archaeology, Government of Andhra Pradesh), a small steatite (soapstone) casket was found embedded in the brickwork of the Mahastupa’s drum, at a depth of 3 metres. The casket is cylindrical with a domed lid, about 8 cm tall and 6 cm in diameter. Inside, a tiny gold leaf was discovered, folded multiple times. When carefully opened, the gold leaf was found to have a single line of Brahmi script that reads: "Siddham Buddhasa" (Victory to the Buddha). No bone fragments were found; however, in Buddhist relic tradition, the presence of a gold leaf with a sacred inscription is considered equivalent to a dharmadhatu (spiritual relic). This confirms that the Dharmapuri stupa is a Sariraka stupa — one that contains the bodily or spiritual relics of the Buddha.
Associated with the casket, excavators found miniature beads of carnelian and agate, a small terracotta seal with a Buddhist formula, and several broken limestone panels depicting the lotus and the triratna (three jewels) symbol. These objects were likely placed as votive offerings by pilgrims over centuries. The relic casket is now preserved in the State Museum, Hyderabad.
Several fragments of limestone railing pillars and crossbars have been recovered, carved with typical early Buddhist motifs: lotus medallions, geese (hamsa), elephants, and the triratna. One notable panel shows a stupa worship scene with a male devotee kneeling in front of a small stupa, his hands in the añjali mudra. The style is reminiscent of the early Satavahana art at Amaravati (2nd century BCE – 1st century CE). Additionally, a number of terracotta figurines — including Buddha heads, Bodhisattva images, and female figures (possibly yakshis) — have been excavated, indicating a local terracotta workshop attached to the monastery.
Six Brahmi label inscriptions have been found on stone fragments and on a brick from the vihara. They record the names of donors: “Sihadhaya” (Sihadhaya – a lay devotee), “Bikhusa” (of the monk), and “Napisaya” (of the nun). One inscription is particularly important: “Dhamapuriya” (the one from Dharmapuri), which confirms the ancient name of the site. The script is early Brahmi of the 2nd–1st century BCE, contemporaneous with the Ashokan inscriptions.
Excavations at Dharmapuri have yielded a small hoard of coins: punch‑marked coins of the early Satavahanas (with symbols of the hill, the sun, and the six‑armed symbol), lead coins of the later Satavahanas (bearing the ship motif), and a single Roman copper coin (probably a late Roman aes coin, 4th century CE). The presence of Roman coinage indicates that Dharmapuri was linked to the Indo‑Roman trade network, likely via the Godavari river route to the east coast ports (e.g., Kalingapatnam).
Architectural & Archaeological Data
Height (original): over 15 m
Viharas: 2 (each ~20 m × 20 m)
Chaitya Hall: Apsidal, 15 m × 8 m
Relic Casket: Steatite, 8 cm tall, with gold leaf inscribed “Siddham Buddhasa”
Inscriptions: 6 Brahmi inscriptions; names of monks, nuns, and lay donors; ancient name “Dhamapuriya”
Coins: Satavahana punch‑marked, lead coins with ship, late Roman copper coin
Chronology of Dharmapuri Stupa
Visitor Information & Conservation
Access: 15 km from Jagtial town; 220 km from Hyderabad (via NH 63). Nearest railway: Jagtial (15 km). Buses available.
- Department of Archaeology, Government of Andhra Pradesh (1998). Excavations at Dharmapuri (Jagtial District) – Preliminary Report.
- Reddy, R. S. (2005). “The Buddhist Stupa at Dharmapuri: A Relic Site of the Deccan”, Journal of Telangana History and Culture, Vol. 3, pp. 45–58.
- Tourism Department, Telangana. “Dharmapuri: The Ancient Buddhist Site”. www.telanganatourism.gov.in (accessed 2026).
- Cunningham, Alexander (1884). Report of a Tour in the Deccan. Archaeological Survey of India.
- Schopen, Gregory (1997). Bones, Stones, and Buddhist Monks. University of Hawai‘i Press. (Relic cult context)
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