Sanchi Stupa

Sacred Sanchi

Unesco World Heritage Site ‘Mahastupa’ - Great Stupa 

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE ‘MAHASTUPA’ (GREAT STUPA) STANDS HERE

Gupta Temple Architecture        

HOME TO THE GUPTA TEMPLE, ONE OF THE EARLIEST EXAMPLES OF TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE

Gupta Art through Udayagiri Caves         

THE EVOLUTION OF TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE IS SEEN IN THE GUPTA TEMPLE IN THE STUPA PREMISES THAT WERE BUILT IN 5TH CENTURY

4 Gateways - Life through Intricate Carvings       

HOUSES 4 GATEWAYS THAT SHOWCASE BUDDHA’S LIFE THROUGH INTRICATE CARVINGS

Asokan Pillar at Archeological Museum 

THE LION CAPITAL OF ASHOKAN PILLAR CAN BE FOUND AT THE ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

Great Stupa, the most noteworthy of the structures at the historic site of Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh state, India. It is one of the oldest Buddhist monuments in the country and the largest stupa at the site.

The Great Stupa (also called stupa no. 1) was originally built in the 3rd century BCE by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka and is believed to house ashes of the Buddha. The simple structure was damaged at some point during the 2nd century BCE. It was later repaired and enlarged, and elements were added; it reached its final form in the 1st century BCE. The building is 120 feet (37 metres) wide and 54 feet (17 metres) high.

The central structure consists of a hemispherical dome (anda) on a base, with a relic chamber deep within. The dome symbolizes, among other things, the dome of heaven enclosing the earth. It is surmounted by a squared railing (harmika) that can be said to represent the world mountain. A central pillar (yashti) symbolizes the cosmic axis and supports a triple umbrella structure (chattra), which is held to represent the Three Jewels of Buddhism—the Buddha, the dharma (doctrine), and the sangha (community). A circular terrace (medhi), enclosed by a railing, surrounds the dome, on which the faithful are to circumambulate in a clockwise direction. The entire structure is enclosed by a low wall (vedika), which is punctuated at the four cardinal points by toranas (ceremonial gateways). The toranas of the Great Stupa are the crowning achievement of Sanchi sculpture. Each gateway is made up of two squared posts topped by capitals of sculptured animals or dwarfs, surmounted by three architraves. All the elements are covered with relief sculpture depicting the events of the Buddha’s life, Jataka stories (about the Buddha’s previous lives), scenes of early Buddhism, and auspicious symbols. The names of donors are also inscribed, the most notable one being the ivory workers of Vidisha.

Architraves of the north torana (gateway) of the Great Stupa at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh, India.

Art Resource, New York

Sometime after the 12th century CE, Sanchi was abandoned, and its monuments fell into disrepair. In 1818 British Gen. Henry Taylor came upon the site and documented his findings. Restoration work began in 1881 and was completed in 1919 under the supervision of Sir John Hubert Marshall, director general of the Indian Archaeological Survey. The Great Stupa and Sanchi’s other Buddhist monuments were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1989.

The town of Sanchi is synonymous with Buddhist Stupas - hemispherical structures typically containing relics of the Buddha or his followers. The Stupas of Sanchi were constructed on the orders of Emperor Ashoka to preserve and spread the Buddhist philosophy. Sanchi has been protecting these beautiful and sacred architectural wonders, just the way these wonders have been safeguarding ancient history and art of the Mauryan period.

The numerous stupas, temples, monasteries and an Ashokan pillar have been the focus of interest and awe for global audiences as well. In fact, UNESCO has given the status of 'World Heritage Site' to the Mahastupa.

A visit to Sanchi will bring alive the awe you felt as a child as you listened to the tales of Ashoka.

http://www.mptourism.com/tourist-places/sanchi-stupa.html

Sanchi  is a village in Madhya Pradesh in India, about 9 km southwest of Vidisha and 46 km from Bhopal. It is the site of a great Buddhist stupas listed on UNESCO World Heritage List.

History

Vidisha was the capital city of the ancient Malwa kingdom. Over the years, many Buddhist monuments were constructed within a 20 kilometre radius of Vidisha.

The emperor Asoka married a woman from Vidisha. He built for her the Caityagiri Vihara at Sanchi. Their son the arahant Mahinda set out from this place to convert Sri Lanka. Their daughter Sanghamitta set off from here with a sapling of the sacred Bo-tree from Bodhgaya, which was planted in Anuradhapura: the Sri Mahabodhi which is the oldest recorded tree in the world.

The Sanchi stupas date from the third century BC and are some of the best preserved historical monuments in India. There is no direct connection between Sanchi and the Buddha. The seventh century Chinese traveler Huen Tsang, who journeyed across India and wrote in detail about Buddhist monuments in India does not even mention Sanchi in his travelogues.

Yet, Sanchi is a must-see on every Buddhist's pilgrimage of Buddhist holy sites.

Get in

46 km from Bhopal, which is very well connected to the rest of India. Your own vehicle is not a must, as any buses going to Ashta from Bhopal can drop you within half a kilometre of the village. And everything, including the site and the lodging facilities, is within 1 square kilometre. Also, the Sanchi railway station is very close to the village.

You can also reach by Vidisha station, a less known but located very near to Sanchi.

See

Sanchi Stupas.  edit

Archaeological Museum. They have some wonderful artifacts there. The history and historical artifacts from places around Sanchi. Metal-tools and beautiful sculptures as old as 2000 years make you think about that era. The museum also showcases the history and revival of this place.

Bhopal (Hindi: Bhopaal) is the capital of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is a good mix of the old and the new with a lot of old portions of Bhopal reminiscent of the Mughal influence and the new showcasing the planned development of a modern Indian city. Bhopal is the seat of the Madhya Pradesh Government and is a beautiful mid-sized city in the heart of India. It is said that Bhopal was originally called "Bhoj-pal" after Raja Bhoj, who is attributed with founding the city. It was an important part of the "Bhoj" kingdom with Ujjaini (a city close to Bhopal) being the seat of the kingdom.

Get in

By plane

Raja Bhoj Airport. Raja Bhoj Airport’s new terminal comprises two separate sections for domestic and international flights. The terminal with all the latest facilities of international standard consists of a passenger lounge having a seating capacity for 750 people. Apart from that separate entry and exit points have been made for national and international flights. A massive car park having a capacity to park 1500 vehicles has also come up outside the airport. Air India  and Jet Airways  run regular air service linking Bhopal with New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Indore,Chennai, Kolkata/Calcutta and Mumbai.

On an honest note, no international flight comes here and there are hardly any facilities inside the terminal (not even decent eateries). Also, the parking arrangement is very poor.

By train

Bhopal is very well connected by rail and is a major hub and exchange railway station for the Central and Western Railway networks. Bhopal has two main railway stations - Bhopal Railway Station in old Bhopal or Habibganj Railway Station in New Bhopal. Shatabdi express running between Delhi and Bhopal provides an excellent and convenient means to get here. Apart from this, regular multiple trains connect Bhopal to all the major metros in India. Check all connecting trains http://trainspy.com/station/(BPL)BHOPAL--JN Also for Bhopal Railway Station Code and Train Time Table check: http://www.distancesfrom.in/station-code/bhopal-jn-station-code.html

By Bus

Serving southbound buses there is Kushabhau Thackrey Inter State Bus Terminus, 5 min walk north east from Habibganj railway station.

By car

Bhopal is also well connected to the major cities in India through many national highways. Bhopal is a well developed city of the Madhya Pradesh. Road distance between Bhopal and Gwalior is 449 KM, Bhopal to Jabalpur is 316 Km. Also get road distance from Bhopal

Within the stupas boundary, you can buy literature and maps for various tourism sites in MP. At Gateway Retreat (M.P. Tourism Hotel) you can buy handcrafted statues of Lord Buddha, Sanchi Stupa, etc in marble, stone, wood and other materials at Alankar Handicrafts.

Eat

Good north Indian, south Indian, continental, and Chinese food is available.

Drink

One can try sugarcane juice from local vendors but keep an eye on hygiene aspect. Tourists should rely only on packaged drinking water. Before buying make sure your Mineral water bottle is properly sealed. There is a small shop that sells cold, soft drinks.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bali
http://serendipityholidays.in/the-ruwanwelisaya-stupa-anuradhapura-sri-lanka/
http://www.dwc.gov.lk/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udawalawe_National_Park
http://www.srilanka.travel/star-tracing-stupas-of-sri-lanka
http://www.archaeology.lk/
 http://si.archaeology.lk/
http://serendipityholidays.in/jetavanaramaya-dagoba-stupa-anuradhapura-sri-lanka/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anuradhapura
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The Sanctuary of Truth Pattaya Thailand
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