A Buddhist or Hindu shrine or temple, typically built to honor a deity or contain sacred relics.
From Sanskrit चैत्य (chaitya), derived from the root chit meaning 'to perceive' or 'to be conscious.' The word evolved to refer to sacred worship spaces in South Asian religious architecture.
Chaityas are some of the oldest surviving structures in India—the rock-cut chaityas carved into caves around the 2nd century BCE show how architects literally carved entire prayer halls from mountainsides, and you can still visit many of them today!
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