Sanchi is an important Buddhist pilgrim center of India. The site has no direct connection with the life of Buddha. It was Emperor Ashoka, the great patron and follower of Buddhism, who built the first Stupa here in the 3^rd century B.C., and a great number of stupas and other religious structures were added over the succeeding centuries.

However with the revival of Hinduism, the monuments at Sanchi were forgotten and fell into a state of disrepair.

It was in 1818 that the site was re-discovered through chance, by a British officer General Taylor. However, amateur archaeologists and treasure hunters, ravaged the site till 1881 when proper restoration work was initiated. One Ashokan pillar was used to build sugarcane press! Between 1912 and 1919 the structures were carefully repaired and restored to their present condition under the supervision of Sir John Marshall.

ALTITUDE located at an altitude of 427m.

LOCATION Sanchi is a small village at the foot of a hill on which the site, where the structures are built, is located. It is 46km north east of Bhopal in the central part of Madhya Pradesh.

CLIMATE & SEASON
The summers are hot with temperature rising to nearly 40degC (March-June). The monsoon lasts from mid of June to Sept. The best period to visit Sanchi is during the winter months (Nov- Feb) when the days are very cool and pleasant.

CLOTHING

SUMMERS: light clothes preferably natural fibres.

WINTERS: light woolens for the day and heavy woolens for the night.

ACCESSIBILITY

BY ROAD: Local buses connect Bhopal with Sanchi about every hour from dawn to dusk. Sanchi is also connected by a regular bus service with Vidisha and other important towns of the area.

MP Tourism arranges tours to Sanchi from Bhopal. It also provides the facilities of a car (with driver) which can hired for the day at reasonable rates.

BY TRAIN: Sanchi is on the main Delhi to Mumbai railway line. Twice a day express trains connect Bhopal with Sanchi (both ways) which cover the distance in an hour time.

BY AIR: There is an airport at Bhopal, which is connected to Indore, Gwalior, Mumbai and Delhi by Indian Airlines.

ACCOMODATION
You can explore Sanchi in two or three hours but if you wish to soak in the peaceful and tranquil atmosphere that seems to surround Sanchi, MP Tourism offers two accommodation options – Tourist Cafeteria and the Travellers Lodge. Both these places provide accommodation at reasonable prices, besides having attached restaurants, which serve standard fare.

The Sri Lanka Mahabodhi Society runs a Guesthouse here which offers the best budget option. Rooms are available for as less as Rs.40. Most of the visiting monks stay here.

JAISWAL LODGE : Here the rooms (5) are available for Rs.50

PLACES TO EAT
There are food and fruit stalls near bus stand. Besides, there are a couple of restaurants.

CHAITYGIRI VIHARA FESTIVAL This festival takes place in late Nov. each year. During the festival, which is attended by hundreds of Buddhist monks and pilgrims, the relics of two of Bhagnan Buddha’s early disciples – SARI PUTTHA and MAHA MOGGALLANA are brought out for display. The relics were discovered in Stupa 3 in 1853 and are kept in the Vihara for the rest of the year.

MONASTRIES
There are no remnants of the early monasteries, which were chiefly made of wood. However, monasteries 45 and 47, which are located on the eastern edge of the fort, have survived as they date from a later period when Hinduism was regaining its lost glory. This view is supported by the presence of elements in the design, which are associated with the Hindu style of temple building. From these monasteries you can see Vidisha.-Monastery 51 is located partway down the hill; on the western side.

TEMPLES

Temple 18 is located to the south of Stupa I. The Chaitya is built in the classical Greek style. It dates back to the 7^th century, but beneath it are traces of a wooden building which must have belonged to a much earlier period when wood was used as a building material.

Temple 17, which is near Temple 18, is comparatively smaller and is built in the same Greek style.

Temple 40, which is to the south east of temples 17 & 18, dates back to the Ashokan period and is quite large.

Temple 31: This temple is adjacent to Stupa 5. It dates back to the 6^th or 7^th century and was reconstructed during the 10^th or 11^th century. There is a well executed image of Lord Buddha which seems to have been shifted here from another temple as it does not quite exactly fit the pedestal on which it is placed. The temple is rectangular in shape and the roof is flat.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSUEM

The exhibits at this museum consist of sculptures found at the site. There is a beautiful figure of Lord Buddha sculpted in red sandstone. Besides there is a lion capital from an Ashokan pillar and a Yakshi (maiden) hanging from a mango tree.

SITES

STUPA (GREAT STUPA)

This Stupa was originally constructed in the 3^rd century B.C. by Ashoka. It was later enlarged. The original brick Stupa was enclosed within a stone one. In its present form the Stupa extends to a height of 16m and has a diameter of 37m. The Stupa is encircled by a railing.

There are 4 gateways or TORANAS. They were erected around 35B.C. and believed to have fallen down during the reconstruction of the Stupa. The Toranas are exquisitely carved depicting scenes from the Jataka tales (about the previous life of Lord Buddha).

During that period Lord Buddha was not worshipped in the human form. A pair of footprints or the 'Bo tree' indicated his presence. In one scene, he is represented by a Bo tree, ascending a road to heaven (MIRACLE OF SRAVASTI).

Elephants facing four directions support the architraves above the columns while horses with riders and elephants fill the gaps between architraves.

Early Buddhist art represent the life and teachings of Lord Buddha through the use of symbols. His birth is represented by a lotus, his enlightenment by the Bodhi tree, his first sermon by a wheel and the Stupa represents his Nirvana. Riderless house, a pair of footprints and throne indicate his presence.

PILLARS There are a number of pillars near the Stupa I. Pillar 10 standing close to the south entrance of Stupa I was erected by Ashoka. Only the base of this pillar now stands. Built in the Graeco- Buddhist style this beautifully proportioned pillar was topped by 4 lions, seated back to back. They now form the state emblem of India, which is printed on every bank note.

OTHER STUPAS

Ashoka built 8 Stupas. However, only 3 remained. The other Stupas are not so big. In fact they are referred to as lesser Stupas. Stupa 2 is one of the most interesting of the lesser stupas. It is located halfway down the hill to the west. There are no TORANAS around this Stupa but the ‘ medallions’ that decorate the surrounding walls, are very interesting. Flowers, animals, people and mythological creatures adorn the walls.

Stupa 3 is to the north east of Great Stupa. It is similar to the Great Stupa in design but it is much smaller and has only one gateway. It is believed that this Stupa was built soon after the Great Stupa was constructed.

Besides these Stupas, Sanchi has ruins of several Buddhist temples and monasteries. All these buildings at Sanchi span the whole range of Buddhist art in India from its beginning in the 3^rd century B.C. till its decay in the 12^th century A.D.

IMPORTANT

The site is open daily from dawn to dusk and tickets are available from the kiosk outside the museum. No entry fee (Rs.5/-) is charge on Friday.