Sanchi Stupas in Madhya Pradesh

The Sanchi stupa, built in and around 283 BCE by Ashoka, the famous Indian emperor who converted to Buddhism, is better known for its scriptures. The second largest stupa in India after that of Amravati, the Sanchi stupa is surrounded by a railing with four carved gateways facing towards all four directions. The entire stupa comprises symbolic representation of the gifts of nature as if explaining the Buddhist doctrine by reflecting the people's love for the nature. The use of lotus in stupa symbolises the rise of people from the mud of materialism to the reality and spirituality of life. Similarly, the female tree spirits depicted in the gateways are symbols of fertility.

A small place in Madhya Pradesh, central India, Sanchi occupies a big space in the history of Buddhism. Located on the hilltop, Sanchi is a religious place with archaeological and historical significance, mostly related to the spread of Buddhism.

Sanchi is situated in the state of Madhya Pradesh in India. It lies at a distance of approximately 52 km from the capital city of Bhopal and 10 km from Vidisha. The major attractions of Sanchi include a number of Buddhist stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars. Sanchi is famous for outstanding specimen of Buddhist art and architecture, belonging to the period between the third century BC and the twelfth century AD. The most important of all the Sanchi monuments is the Sanchi Stupa. Stupas are large hemispherical domes, containing a central chamber, in which the relics of the Buddha were placed. The Sanchi Stupa is one of the best preserved early stupas in central India. The Sanchi Stupa is surrounded by a railing with four carved gateways facing all the four directions.

Sanchi, in the state of Madhya Pradesh, is globally renowned for its many stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars dating from the 3rd century B.C. to the 12th century A.D. The most famous amongst these, the Sanchi Stupa 1, was built by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka, the then governor of Ujjaini. His daughter and son, Sanghamitra and Mahindra respectively, were sent to Sri Lanka where they converted the king, queen and the local people to Buddhism.

During the Shunga period the Sanchi Stupa was enlarged and faced with stones and decorated with railings, staircase and a harmika on the top. Around the main Stupa, there is a path for circumambulation. This path is enclosed by a railing with gates at each of the four directions. The railings and gates of the Sanchi Stupa are richly sculptured with different motifs and designs. Another interesting characteristic about the Sanchi Stupa is that Lord Buddha has been symbolically represented by footprints, wheels, thrones etc rather than by his own image. The gateways of Sanchi stupas contain ornamented depiction of incidents from the life of the Buddha and his previous incarnations as Bodhisattvas described in the Jataka tales. The Buddha has been shown symbolically in the form of tree or through other inanimate figures.

The Stupa at Sanchi is one the most wonderful structures of ancient India. It has been included by the UNESCO as one of the heritage sites of the world. The Sanchi Stupa is a fine example of the development of the Buddhist architecture and sculpture beginning from the 3rd century B.C. to the 12th century A.D. The site of Sanchi was discovered in the year 1818 by General Taylor and an archaeological museum was established in 1919y Sir John Marshall.

Air- Bhopal airport is the nearest, situated at a distance of approximately 46 km.

Rail- Nearest railway station is at Vidisha, approximately 10 km from Sanchi.

Road- Sanchi is well connected to Bhopal, Vidisha and Indore through well-laid road network.

BEST TIME TO VISIT : November to February