Chaitya literally means Chita-related. After the cremation, the remains of the remains were sung in the ground and the tomb was built on them, he was initially called Chaitya and Stupa. Metal remains of great men were safe in these mausoleums. Hence Chaitya became the center of worship.
Later, Buddhists made them center of their worship and due to this Chaitya-Vastu became an integral part of Buddhism. Earlier the Chaitya or Stupa used to be in open space but later, it was installed in buildings. These types of buildings were called Chaityagriha. These were two types.
- Chaitya made by cutting the hills.
- Chaitya made in the open space with the help of brick and stone
Reference : https://www.indiaolddays.com
