Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi
साँची (Sāñcī)
Also known as: Sanchi Stupa, Great Stupa, Sanchi Topes
Religions: Buddhism | Place Type: Ancient site | Region: Asia | UNESCO World Heritage Site
Overview
The Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi are a complex of Buddhist structures on a hilltop in Madhya Pradesh, central India, about 46 kilometers northeast of Bhopal. The site is most famous for the Great Stupa (Stupa No. 1), one of the oldest stone structures in India. Built originally by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE and expanded over subsequent centuries, Sanchi is the oldest surviving Buddhist sanctuary and was a major center of Buddhism in India until the 12th century CE. The site was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989.
Present
Though abandoned for about 600 years, Sanchi has witnessed a revival of pilgrimage from Buddhist communities worldwide, especially from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tibet, and other Asian countries. Pilgrims perform circumambulation (walking clockwise around the stupas), offer prayers, light lamps, and meditate at the site. The complex is particularly busy during Buddhist festivals like Buddha Purnima (celebrating Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and passing) and Dharma Chakra Day (celebrating Buddha's first sermon).
Sanchi is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India and is protected as a national monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The complex comprises approximately 50 Buddhist monuments on the hilltop, including three main stupas, several temples, monasteries (viharas) from the 4th–11th centuries, an Ashokan pillar with inscriptions, and over 400 epigraphical inscriptions. The Great Stupa stands 16.46 meters high and 36.6 meters in diameter, with its four elaborately carved gateways (toranas) remaining the highlight.
Religious Significance
Buddhism
Sanchi is one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the world, though Buddha never visited it personally. The site's sanctity stems from several factors:
The Great Stupa contains relics of the Buddha himself, enshrined in the central chamber. Stupa No. 3 contains the relics of Sariputra and Maudgalyayana (also spelled Moggallana), two of Buddha's foremost disciples. These relics were discovered in the 19th century, taken to London, and ceremonially returned to India in 1952, where they were enshrined at the Buddhist Temple in New Delhi before some were returned to Sanchi. The presence of these sacred relics makes Sanchi a major pilgrimage destination.
According to Sri Lankan Buddhist chronicles, Sanchi is identified as the sacred Cetiyagiri where Mahindra (or Mahinda), the son of Emperor Ashoka, stopped before undertaking his journey as a missionary to Sri Lanka to spread Buddhism. This connection gives Sanchi special significance to Theravadin Buddhists, particularly from Sri Lanka.
The Great Stupa's structure is rich in symbolism:
The base and hemispherical dome (anda) represent the dome of heaven enclosing the earth. The squared rail unit (harmika) on top represents the world mountain (Mount Meru). The central mast (yashti) symbolizes the cosmic axis. The umbrellas (chatras) at the top represent the various heavens (devaloka).
History & Structure
Built by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE, the Great Stupa began as a simple brick structure housing relics of the Buddha. During the Shunga and Satavahana dynasties (2nd–1st century BCE), it was encased in stone and expanded to its current size. Abandoned after the 13th century and hidden by jungle, the site was rediscovered by British General Henry Taylor in 1818 and underwent major restoration by Sir John Marshall between 1881 and 1919.
The Great Stupa (Stupa No. 1) is a massive hemispherical dome featuring four magnificent stone gateways (toranas) covered in intricate reliefs depicting the Buddha's life and Jataka tales, carved by local ivory workers using wood-carving techniques. Stupa No. 3, a smaller structure, contained the relics of Sariputra and Maudgalyayana, two of the Buddha's chief disciples. An Ashoka Pillar near the Southern Gateway originally bore imperial edicts; its lion capital is a hallmark of Mauryan art. Temple 17, a 5th-century Gupta period shrine, is recognized as one of India's earliest examples of a free-standing stone temple with a flat roof and pillars.
Resources
- Wikipedia: Sanchi