Nagging wife, traffic jam, scorching heat , irritated boss and meagre income..................the list of problems in the life of a common man is limitless. However Buddhism is one such faith that offers us with the mantra, which ones chanted works as a balm and healer of all the wounds which life gives us at some time or the other. Find solace in Sanchi........

Sanchi lies to the north - east of Bhopal. It sits upon a hill and is a mute witness to a glorious era of Buddhism in India spanning its efflorescence to its decadence. The place has a distinction of having remarkable specimen of Buddhist art and architecture which dates back to the early Mauryan period. The place is famous for the monolithic pillars, palaces, temples, stupas and monasteries. It is the oldest Buddhist sanctuary in existence and was a major Buddhist centre in India until 12 th century AD. Emperor Asoka laid the foundations of a religious centre in Sanchi. There are total 50 monuments at Sanchi.

Places Of Interest In Sanchi

Great Stupa No. 1

The oldest stone structure in India. Emperor Asoka erected the famous stupa 1 in order to spread Buddhism. Earlier it was a minor structure carved out of brick. This Great Stupa served as a nucleus to the large Buddhist establishment during the later period. The Great Stupa at Sanchi is the legacy of one of India's most charismatic emperors, Asoka. The stupa is 36.5 mt in diameter and 16.4 MT high, with a massive hemispherical dome, it stands in eternal majesty. The carved getaways depict the different stages of the Buddha's life.

The Eastern Gateway
Depicts the young prince, Gautama leaving his father's palace on his journey towards enlightenment and the dream his mother had before his birth. The Western Gateway Depicts the seven incarnations of the Buddha. The Northern Gateway Crowned by a wheel-of-law, this depicts the miracles associated with the Buddha as told in the jatakas. The Southern Gateway The birth of Gautama is revealed in a series of dramatically rich carvings.

Stupa No. 2
The stupa stands at the very edge of the hill and its most striking feature is the stone balustrade that rings it.

Stupa No. 3
This hemispherical dome is of special religious significance, with an umbrella of polished stone. The relics of Sariputta and Mahamogallena , two of the Buddha's earliest disciples, were found in its inmost chamber.

The Ashoka Pillar
Lies close to the Southern gateway of the Great Stupa, and is one of the finest examples of the Ashokan pillar and is known for its aesthetic proportions and exquisite structural balance.

The Great Bowl
Carved out of one block of stone, this mammoth bowl contained the food that was distributed among the monks of Sanchi.

The Gupta Temple
This 5th century AD temple is one of the earliest known examples of temple architecture in India. The temple is now in ruins.

The Buddhist Vihara
The sacred relics of the Satdhara Stupa, a few km away from Sanchi, have been enshrined in a glass casket on a platform in the inner sanctum of his modern monastery.


The Museum
The Archaeological Survey of India maintains a site museum at Sanchi. Note worthy antiquities on display include the lion capital of the Ashokan pillar and metal objects used by the monks, discovered during excavations at Sanchi

Year Of Kudos

The Buddhist Monastery at Sanchi was designated as a World Heritage site in the year 1989 for its historical and archaeological importance. One can breathe in the pure air which surrounds the entire environment of the place and feel medicated and refined.

Peppery Bulletin

• Since the 14th century, Sanchi remained deserted but in 1818 General Taylor rediscovered the site.
• Some Sir John Marshall established an archaeological museum in 1919, which was later transformed into the present site museum at Sanchi.
• The Buddha here is not represented through figures but through symbols. The lotus represents the Buddha's birth, the tree signifies his enlightenment, the wheel represents his first sermon and the stupa represents his nirvana or salvation. The footprints and the throne denote the Buddha's presence.
• Presently under an UNESCO project Sanchi and Satdhara, a Buddhist site, 10 km south-east of Sanchi, is being further excavated, conserved and environmentally developed.
• Sanchi is variously known as - Kakanaya, Kakanava, Kakanadabota and Bota-Sriparvata .