Sanchi

Sanchi Stupa

 

Sanchi is 9 km from Vidisha and 68 km from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. It is famous for several stupas, Gupta temples and Buddhist monasteries. Sanchi is listed as the World Heritage Site. The stupas at Sanchi trace the growth of the Buddhist architecture and sculpture at the same site from the 3rd century BC to the 12th century AD. Emperor Ashoka built the Stupa at Sanchi the central chamber of which contains relics of Buddha.


 The stupas at Sanchi are remarkable for their toranas or the gateways as they are ornamented by depiction of incidents from the life of the Buddha, his previous incarnations and various episodes from Jataka tales. Sculptors of different time period depicted the same story by repeating figures. The Buddha has been represented through symbols like the tree, throne, stupa, horse, lion and elephant. There is a site museum at Sanchi, which has a good collection of artifacts found form the spot, and nearby locations. It is the first site museum in India. The tour of Sanchi is a must to appreciate the skills of the artisans and beauty of the monument.

•Sanchi is the Buddhist capital of the world.

•It is situated 46 kms from Bhopal in Vidisha district

•Coordinates of Sanchi are  23.48°N to 77.73°E.

• Sanchi Stupa was built by Ashoka the great for the spread of the Buddhism.

•The monuments have been listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1989.

•Currently there are fifty monuments remain on the hill of Sanchi, including three stupas and several temples.

•Sanchi has a population of 6,785 of which 53% are males and 47% are females.