caityagṛha

A caitya is a sacred Buddhist place or object, originally a natural site like a grove of trees. Over time, it evolved to mean a meeting place or meditation center for ascetics and a pilgrimage site for laypeople.1

From the 2nd century BCE to the 8th century CE, caityas were carved into rock bluffs, often imitating wooden structures. These rock-cut caityas typically feature a central nave with aisles, supported by pillars, and a semicircular apse that frequently houses a stūpa (a domed enclosure for sacred objects). The Kārli caitya-hall in western India is a notable example from the late 1st century BCE.1

Early Indian architecture primarily used wood and brick, with stone gaining prominence later. Many surviving examples are religious, with caityas and stūpas being prominent Buddhist structures.2