What is on the top of the Great Stupa?

The top of the Great Stupa, a prominent Buddhist structure located in Sanchi, India, features a harmika, which is a square railing symbolizing the abode of the gods. Above the harmika is a chhatra, or parasol, representing the protection and honor of the Buddha. This structure is often interpreted as a representation of the cosmic axis and serves as a visual symbol of the connection between the heavens and the earth in Buddhist cosmology.