The Great Stupa is the centerpiece of Sanchi’s Buddhist monuments. The UNESCO World Heritage Site was built in 262 BCE by the great Mauryan emperor Ashoka, who embraced Buddhism after his siege of Kalinga. These stupas are some of the greatest in the world.
Stupas
The beautifully proportioned Stupa 1, the Great Stupa, is the main structure on the hill. Constructed by Ashoka, it was later enlarged, and the original brick stupa was enclosed within a larger stone one. Encircling the stupa is a wall with four entrances through magnificently carved toranas (gateways) – the finest Buddhist works of art in Sanchi.
Stupa 2 is halfway down the hill to the west (turn right at Stupa 1). It is simpler in design, adorned with flowers, animals and people. Instead of gateways, medallions (circular design) decorate the surrounding wall.
Stupa 3 is northeast of Stupa 1 and is similar in design, though it is smaller, with a single gateway. It once contained relics of two important disciples of Buddha: Sariputtra and Mahamoglayan.
Behind Stupa 3, Stupa 4 eroded with time and only the base remains. Between Stupas 1 and 3 is the small Stupa 5, which once contained a statue of Buddha, now displayed in the museum.
Toranas
The Great Stupa’s four toranas, one in each direction, were erected around 35 BCE. The scenes carved onto the pillars and their triple architraves are mainly tales from the Jatakas (episodes from Buddha’s various lives). Buddha is represented through symbols. The lotus stands for his birth, the bodhi tree for his enlightenment, the wheel for his teachings and the footprint and throne for his presence. The stupa itself symbolizes Lord Buddha. A panel depicts the Miracle of Sravasti – one of several miracles represented – in which Buddha, in the form of a bodhi tree, ascends a road into the air. Elephants support the architraves above the columns, and there are delicately carved yakshis (maidens) on each side.
Eastern Gateway
The carved yakshi hanging from an architrave on the Eastern Gateway is one of Sanchi’s best-known images. One of the pillars, supported by elephants, features scenes from Buddha’s passage to nirvana. Another shows the dream that his mother had when he was conceived, of an elephant standing on the moon. Across the middle architrave is a representation of the Great Departure, when Buddha renounced the sensual life and set out to find enlightenment.
Southern Gateway
The back-to-back lions supporting the Southern Gateway (the oldest one) form the state emblem of India, which can be seen on every banknote. The gateway narrates Ashoka’s life as a Buddhist, with scenes of Buddha’s birth and another representation of the Great Departure. Also featured is the Chhaddanta Jataka, a story in which Bodhisattva (Buddha before he reached enlightenment) took on the form of an elephant king who had six tusks.
Western Gateway
Pot-bellied dwarfs support the architraves of the Western Gateway, which has some of the site’s most interesting scenes. The top architrave shows Lord Buddha in seven incarnations, manifested three times as a stupa and four times as a tree. The rear of one pillar shows him resisting the Temptation of Mara (the Buddhist personification of evil, often called the Buddhist devil).
Temples
Temple 18, behind Stupa 1, is a chaitya (prayer room or assembly hall) similar in style to classical Greek columned buildings. It dates from around the 7th century CE, but traces of earlier wooden buildings have been discovered beneath it. To its left is the small, also Greek-like Temple 17. The large Temple 40 dates back to the Ashokan period. The rectangular Temple 31, beside Stupa 5, was built in the 6th or 7th century, but it was reconstructed during the 10th or 11th century. It contains a well-executed image of Lord Buddha.
Monasteries
A central courtyard is surrounded by monastic cells, but most of them are ruined. Among the few cells that remain are Monastery 45 and Monastery 47, which date from the transition of Buddhism to Hinduism, with strong Hindu elements in their design. The former has two sitting Buddhas. The Great Bowl is carved from a boulder, into which food and offerings were placed for distribution to the monks.
Archaeological Museum
This museum has a small collection of sculptures from the site. The centerpiece is the 3rd-century BCE lion capital from the Ashoka Pillar 10. Other highlights include a yakshi hanging from a mango tree and serene Buddha figures in red sandstone. Some interesting photos show the site prior to restoration. Next door is the preserved Gothic-style bungalow of Sir John Marshall, former director of the Archaeological Survey of India. Marshall stayed here in 1912 and was the instrumental figure in excavations.
Getting to and Around Sanchi
Sanchi is 48km from Bhopal. Buses run to Sanchi regularly, and taking a train is a decent option; the journey lasts around an hour. The best time to visit is between November and March. The village itself is tiny and can easily be seen on two feet, unless you can’t climb the 768m uphill to the Buddhist monuments. Autorickshaws ply the route between the train station and the monuments,
