dagabas

Dagaba, also spelled dagoba or dagoba, is a Buddhist reliquary monument in the shape of a mound or dome. The name comes from the Pali dagaba, meaning a heap or mound. Dagabas serve as shrines and pilgrimage focal points and historically were used to enshrine relics of the Buddha or other revered figures, though some dagabas commemorate events without containing relics.

Architecturally, dagabas are typically circular in plan and rest on a raised base. The central form—a hemispherical dome (anda) atop a square or polygonal platform—is often crowned by a harmika, a small railing, and a vertical pillar (yasti) that supports a multi-tiered umbrella (chatra) at the apex. A surrounding walkway allows circumambulation (pradakshina).

The dagaba form originated in ancient India and spread across South Asia and Southeast Asia. In Sri Lanka the term dagoba is commonly used; many large brick dagabas were constructed from the 3rd century BCE onward within Buddhist monastic complexes. Notable examples include Thuparama Dagaba, the Ruwanwelisaya, Abhayagiri Dagaba and Jetavanaramaya in Anuradhapura, and Kantaka Cetiya at Mihintale.

Dagabas are symbolic as reliquaries, sometimes housing the Buddha’s relics or other sacred objects, and they function as pilgrimage and meditation sites. Variants and local adaptations appear throughout Myanmar (zedi), Thailand (chedi), and other Buddhist regions. Today, several dagabas are major heritage and pilgrimage sites, and some lie within UNESCO-designated historic areas.