Spread over a well maintained garden, the renowned Buddhist stupas
of Sanchi and the surroundings exhibited a serene influence all around. I was
the first visitor for the day and had all the stupas, sculptures and carvings
to myself. The unfinished monasteries and the monuments reminded me a lot of
the heritage site at Sarnath. The sun had just begun to warm up and it was a
pleasant walk amidst the Buddhist monuments of this UNESCO world heritage site.
Though I was awed by the carvings and sculptures, what left me dumbfounded was
the fact that these were built in the 3rd century BCE during Mauryan
dynasty. It also means that a visit to Sanchi is a look back at monuments,
carvings and stories which are more than two thousand years old. This also
probably makes Sanchi one of the oldest Buddhist archaeological sites in the
world.
Ashoka, the Mauryan king who was a follower of Buddha and
his teachings was instrumental in setting up this Buddhist site and Great Stupa
(Maha Stupa/ stupa 1) in Sanchi. This hillock was chosen as the site as the
surroundings were serene and apt for meditation. The large hemispherical stupas
contain relics of some of the disciples of Buddha. It is widely believed that
Ashoka had only built the Great Stupa and erected the Ashoka pillar, with four
lion heads, similar to the one at Sarnath. The Great Stupa which is a
hemispherical structure had many additions like outer covering, entrance
gates, balusters etc. during various latter periods such as Shunga and Satavahana.
The other stupas and monuments were also built during these periods between 2nd
BCE and 1st BCE. Though Sanchi flourished as a centre for learning
until the 11th century CE, it went into oblivion after the 14th
century, only to be rediscovered by the British in 19th century. Sanchi site houses fifty Buddhist
monuments spread across the hill.
Maha Stupa or the Great Stupa (stupa 1) is one of the
prominent structures in Indian architecture. This iconic monument has four
entrance gates (toranas) which are embellished with extensive carvings and sculptures
depicting stories from Buddhism, life of Buddha and Jataka tales. The railing
with balustrade between the entrance gates and the stupa creates a
circumambulatory path around the hemispherical edifice. The stupa was initially made of red bricks but
later stone slabs were added to expand it to almost twice the original size during Shunga period.
There is another railing with steps and a procession path that runs around the
stupa. The railings have a few inscriptions on them and the circumambulatory
path on the ground has four sculptures of Buddha. Atop the stupa is a small
square railing with a parasol like structure.
Stupa 2 is a short walk down the hill and is secluded away
from the other stupas and monuments. Built during the Shunga period, this stupa
has a railing with balustrade around it, but is devoid of any entrance gates.
The balustrade has numerous motifs and inscriptions engraved on them depicting
stories from Buddha’s life. Like stupa 1, this too has steps that leads up to
another path around the Stupa, but does not have railings. It is believed that
Alexander Cunningham, who is credited as the founder of the Archaeological
Survey of India found numerous relics of Buddhist preachers inside this stupa
in the 19th century.
Another beautiful monument at this UNESCO world heritage
site is stupa 3 which is located near stupa 1. The stupa which was built during
Shunga period has an entrance gate with innumerable sculptures carved on it,
which was added later during Satavahana period. The circumambulatory path is at
a height and the railings have floral designs and carvings on them. Atop the
stupa is a square railing with a parasol, similar to stupa 1. It is believed
that this stupa held relics of Buddha’s two close disciples.
Ashoka pillar or pillar no.10 is one of the most important
structures at Sanchi, however, only the base remains as of now at the location.
The polished monolithic column made from sandstone lies in a covered space
nearby. The crowning lion capital (4 lions) is displayed at the museum near the
entrance gate of the site.
The archaeological site also houses a few other pillars that were erected during the Gupta dynasty. Only the column remains, and the crowns of
all these pillars are exhibited at the museum. Another interesting structure is
a large bowl carved out of a single stone that was used to store and distribute food to monks.
As you walk around, one can spot numerous low brick
structures which were supposedly monasteries, some of which were left
unfinished.
During the Gupta period a few temples were also built amidst
the stupas and Buddhist shrines of Sanchi. Temple 17 is known for its symmetrical
proportions and is devoid of much carving. It has a flat roofed sanctum and a
portico with supporting pillars. Temple 18 which is believed to be an apsidal
or semi circular shrine has just the base and pillars remaining. The tall
pillars have designs on their upper parts and stand on the foundation of an
earlier shrine from the Mauryan period. Located at a height, temple 40 is
another shrine which had pillars and a platform. However, only the base of the
pillars presently remains.
Referred as Gupta temple, temple no. 45 is one of the
prominent structures at this heritage site. It is both a temple and a
monastery, and most of the structure does not exist apart from the base. Believed
to have been built in the 7th century CE over an existing
foundation, what remains are a few carvings of figurines, motifs, designs and a
large sculpture of Buddha is a seated position.
I was lost the whole morning in the world of Ashoka’s Mauryan
empire, Buddhsit stupas, stories from Buddhism and brilliant sculptures from 3
rd century BCE. It was only when a busload of Srilankan Buddhist pilgrims
arrived at the site, that it dawned upon me that I was time travelling at this UNESCO world heritage site.
The Chaitya Vihar outside the site is run by the Mahabidhi
society of Sri Lanka and has a collection of Buddhist memorabilia from 1st
century BCE to 5th century CE. The museum at the base of the hill
has a huge display of Buddhist sculptures from various centuries apart from the
crowning Lion Capital of the Ashoka pillar.
Travel Tips:
- The site is open from 8:30 AM to 5.30 PM every day.
- The museum is open from 10 AM to 5 PM everyday.
- There is a shop within the premise which sells basic refreshments.
- Make Bhopal your base to visit Sanchi. There are numerous accommodation options across the city.
- It is advised to reach Sanchi by 8:30 AM to avoid the crowd and the harsh sun.
How to reach Sanchi:
Sanchi is 48 Kms from Bhopal. There is public transportation
between Bhopal and Sanchi. One can also hire a taxi from Bhopal to reach
Sanchi. Bhopal is well connected to other cities across India by flights and
trains.