Locations :
Best Time to Visit : October to March
Sanchi a small town in Raisen District of Madhya Pradesh is the seat of Buddhist Vihar and the world renowned Sanchi Stupa. An unparalleled exemplification of Buddhist and Mauryan art, culture and architecture, Sanchi is known by various other names Kakanaya, Kakanava, Kakanadabota and Bota-Sriparvata.
Noted for being the oldest stone edifice of India the Great Stupa – a hemispherical structure was initially commanded by Emperor Ashoka in 3rd century BC to enshrine the mortal remains of Lord Buddha. It is said that the entire construction of Stupa was done under the supervision on Queen Devi – wife of King Ashoka. Apart from being the final residing place of Lord Buddha, Sanchi is also the place where King Ashoka and Queen Devi got married.
While the Stupa1was erected during Mauryan reign, the elaborate toranas or the ornate entrances were added by Satavahana kings in 1st century BC the carvings on the doorways depicts and displays the life and events in the life of Buddha. It is also around the same time the Stupa 2nd and 3rd and Temple 40 were added to the Buddh Vihar. Further additions were done from 2nd – 4th centuries when Sanchi was ruled respectively by Kushana, Kshatrapa and Gupta dynasties. During Gupta reign the statue of Lord Buddha on a canopy facing all four entrances was erected along with many other temples.
Sanchi continued to thrive during 7th and 12th centuries with the construction of more and more temples and shrines in the precinct. However, since 14th century Sanchi was forgotten and disregarded till 18th century when it was discovered by a British General Taylor in 1818 and resurrected by another, Sir John Marshall who in 1919 commissioned an archeological museum here which is also the current museum site. Sanchi was recognized a UNESCO World heritage site in 1989.
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The Great Stupa: An Ashokan foundation, the Great Stupa or Stupa 1 is among the most frequented and captured [on camera] monuments of the world. The hemispherical dome literally meaning a heap of dirt or stones is the sepulchral edifice of Buddha’s mortal remains. Sanchi is not the only place where the ashes of Buddha are enshrined, they are scattered or distributed among various other locations too and stupas were erected in each of these locations by Emperor Ashoka. The dome is surrounded by four ornate toranas or entrances each representing love, trust, peace and courage. The toranas were not a part of the original structure erected under the commission of King Ashoka but were added later in 1st century BCE by Satavahana rulers. All the four toranas are carved with the events in the life of Buddha as are narrated in Jataka Tales and places like Lumbini – the birth place of the lord, Bodh Gaya – where he attained Bodhisatva or enlightenment under the Bo tree, Sarnath – where the lord delivered his first sermon and Kushinara – where he attained Nirvana or Moksha, and the stories of his elaborate previous carnations. King Ashoka was the first [king] convert to Buddhism and built these stupas with the sole purpose of spreading the teachings of Buddha and providing the new converts with means and tools to sustain their new identity and faith and all this was not in vain as for the next 2500 years these stupas remained important Buddhist Institutions reminding us of Buddha’s teachings.
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Ashoka Pillar: The Ashoka Pillars are a series of vertical columns engraved with the edicts of Mauryan Emperor Ashok. Dispersed throughout the subcontinent these 40ft-50ft tall pillars are surmounted with the symbol of four lions standing back to back – the symbol later adopted as India’s national emblem. A reflection of Greco-Buddhist style of architecture these pillars are remarkable in being very well proportioned and maintaining a structural balance. The pillars each bear inscriptions or decrees for monks and nuns or animal sculptures, there are only six surviving specimens of the latter. Both the inscribed and animal capital pillars surviving till date are in the following locations – Sanchi, [Madhya Pradesh], Sarnath [Uttar Pradesh], Maker, Chhapra [Bihar], Rampurva, Champaran [Bihar], Vaishali, [Bihar], Lauriya-Nandangarh, Champaran [Bihar], Lauriya-Araraj, Champaran [Bihar],Kandhar [Afghanistan], Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], Delhi Ridge [Delhi], Feroz Shah Kotla [Delhi], Allahabad [Uttar Pradesh], Amravati [Andhra Pradesh]
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Sanchi Museum: Very close to the actual site of Sanchi Stupa, Sanchi Museum was established in 1919 by Sir John Marshall. With four galleries and one large central hall the museum was started with the aim of storing and displaying the historical artifacts recovered from the excavation site. The treasures showcased are not only the ones recovered from Sanchi but from other adjoining locations also which include Vidisha, Gyraspur and Murelkhurd. Among the articles recovered spreading across six dynasties from Maurya Period, Satavahana Period, Gupta Period, Post Gupta Period, Sunga Period and Kushana Period, is one yakshi from 1st century BC, a giant Nagaraja dating fron Sunga period, a statue of meditating Buddha, 7th century AD, but the most captivating of them all is the Ashokan capital of four lions standing back to back, the sculpture is on display in the central hall of the museum.
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Buddhist Vihar: Buddhist Viharas are the monasteries or principal residencies of the monks with small personalized chambers individually for each monk and a larger common activity area. The relics of Satdhara Stupa which hold great sentimental value for Buddhists are kept in the Vihara in a glass casket.
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Gupta Temple: Located in the intermediate shelf of Sanchi hill Temple 17 or Gupta temple is the finest example of rock cut architecture made popular and at its peak during the Gupta Rule. The era is marked with progress in every field of art and culture and the field of architect was not untouched either. Regarded by Sir John Marshall as the most logically designed edifice in Indian architecture Gupta Temple marks a new dawn in the temple architecture of India.
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The Great Bowl: The Great Bowl or Gumbha close to the monasteries was used to store and distribute food items for the monks. The structure is cut out of one single piece of rock and resembles a big bowl.
Places of Worship:
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Chetiyagiri Buddhist Temple
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Kamapaar Hanuman Mandir
Places of Entertainment:
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By Air – All domestic flights to Sanchi can be accessed from Raja Bhoj Airport at Bhopal which can be reached at a distance of 55 kilometers by road.
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By Railway – Nearest railway station to Sanchi is Vidisha at a distance of 10 kilometers
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By Road – State transport buses are available for and from each part of M.P in Sanchi
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