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Sanchi,
a serene and sleepy place atop a hill has the singular
distinction of telling an uninterupted Buddhist history of
over 2000 years in stones. Sanchi has the singular distinction
of having specimens of almost all kinds of Buddhist
architectural forms, stupas, chaityas, temples and monasteries
- the finest examples of Buddhist creative art and sculpture
in the country. The architectural pieces and sculptures
displayed here include the Ashoka pillar and images of Buddha
and Kushan. Initially the Buddhist stupas were large
hemispherical earthen domes, containing the relics of Buddha.
General
information
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Altitude |
427
meters. |
|
Best Season |
October to
March. |
|
Temperature |
Summer- Max 45,
Min 25; Winter- Max 22.5, Min 10. |
How
to get there
Air
Nearest
airport is Bhopal (46 km).
Rail
Sanchi
lies on the Jhansi-Itarsi section of the Central Railway.
Road
Good
motorable roads connect Sanchi to Bhopal (46 km), Vidisha (10
km) Indore (232 km) etc.
In
and around
Great
Stupa No.1
The oldest stone structure in India, 36.5m in diameter and
16.4m high, and with a massive hemispherical dome, the stupa
stands in eternal majesty, the paved procession path around it
worn smooth by centuries of pilgrims.
The
four Gateways
The four gateways of Sanchi, each consisting of two square
columns with three curved architraves supported by animals or
dwarfs above them, are the finest artistic expressions of
early Buddhist art.
Stupa
No. 2
This stupa stands at the very edge of the hill and its most
striking feature is the stone balustrade that rings it.
Stupa
no. 3
Situated
close to the great stupa. The hemispherical dome is crowned as
a mark of its special religious significance, with an umbrella
of polished stone.
Ashoka
Pillar
Lies close to the southern gateway of the great stupa, and is
one of the finest example of the Ashokan pillar and is known
for its aesthetic proportions and exquisite structural
balance.
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 this modern monastery.
The
Great Bowl
This huge bowl, carved out of one block of stone, was used to
contain food that was distributed amongst the monks at Sanchi
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