Great Stupa of Sanchi was build by the Emperor Ashoka in 3 rd century BC . It was actually a burned clay brick hemispherical structure made above the relics of Buddha. Later it was covered by stone and enlarged by the Shunga king Agnimitra in 2nd century BC . It is believed that around 1 st century BC the four decorated gate and the Balustrade around the stupa were constructed . In Sanchi , there is actually three stupa , some temples and one monestry for Buddhist scholer . Among the temples Temple no 17 , 18 , 40 ,45 and 51 are most famous . There was a Ashoka piller of 42 feet height in the south gate of stupa 1 . Now , only the ruins of the mount is present there . Actual Ashoka stambha was kept in the Archeological Museum of Sanchi .
I started my journey from Bhopal . I stayed here in a hotel near “Chetak Bridge ” . In the morning first I reached towards the ISBT bus stand as my hotel manager recommended it . After reaching to this place , I understand that all buses toward Sanchi leave from another Bus stand names Nadra Bus stand just behind the railway station . From there which buses will go toward Bidisha will reach through Sanchi also .
How to reach to Sanchi ?
Sanchi is situated in Raisen district in the middle of Madhya Pradesh . It is just Beside the National Highway NH 146 .
Nearest city to reach to Sanchi is Bhopal . There is two way to reach to Sanchi by road , one with the Bhopal Bidisha Highway and another is NH 146 . First one is the shorter distance . In Bhopal you will get buses from the Nadra Bus stand towards sanchi . It will take around 1 and Half hour . I make mistake to reach to ISBT . From there no buses toward Sanchi .
There is Rail station in Sanchi which is very near to the Stupa . There is train from the different parts of madhya Pradesh toward sanchi .
Nearest Airport is Sanchi Airport .
After entering to the Sanchi first you saw some stone board which says about buddha’s way of life presented by Mp Tourism and Incridible India with some specific symbols . Then comes the Archiological Museum of Sanchi and then the ticket booking office . Normal ticket to indians and SAARC countries is Rs 40 and Rs 600 for foreign Tourist .After that you will need a hike to reach to the top . There is stairs road for walking and turmac road for cars . There is a light and sound show in the evening after closing the site .
Stupa no 1:
After you reach to the top , first structure you will see is the Stupa no 1 which was commissioned by the empiror ashoka on the relic of Gautam Buddha in 3 rd century BC . There is clearly a gap of 300 years between Gautam buddha’s death and building of this stupa . So question arises where was the relic stored up to that time . After the death of Mahatma Buddha his ashes and body parts are stored in small stupas around 8 places inside the indian sub continent . After Ahoka transformed into Buddhism he opens up 7 among the 8 small stupas and build 84000 stupa around the country and neighbours . but he was unable to open the Ramagrama stupa in modern day Nepal . because it was guarded by the Nagas king who is probably powerful . This story also depicted in the south gate of the great stupa . It was believed that the earlier stupa made by ashoka is much smaller and made of Bricks .
In Shunga period the stupa has been enlarged and was covered with the stones . In 1 st Century BC the Balustrade around the stupa was made and 4 decorated gateway was Established by singa kings . This gates tells the stories of Jataka (Jataka was the buddha’s previous birth’s stories ) and buddha’s life stories . In the all curvings around this stupa , buddha is represented as symbol . Beside the south gate there was a 42 feet monolithic piller . Above which there is a four headed lion structure (Ashoka stambha ) and the a wheel (Ashoka Chakra ) . This are the national emblem of India .Broken parts of this ashoka piller is kept just beside it and the Ashoka stambha was kept inside the Archeological Museum ..
In the top of the stupa there is a square ralling and inside this is a three stories umbrella like structure . This are the symbol of Very Holy place . This stupa have a two storied balustrade which can be accessed by the stairs.
Cave no 2 :
From the cave no 1 you have to go to downstairs through the monastery and finally reached there . Here actually relics of ten buddhist teachers were stored . It has a ground balustrade around the stupa and there is different relief around the wall . Some showing animals , some showing man on the horse and some showing flowers and other social and cultural scene . This stupa is 2.13 m in height from the ground . The balustrade around the stupa was made in 2nd century BC .
The relief is all around the Balustrade . This relief were made specifically on a round structure where the animals and cultural and social life of that time has been presented .
Stupa no 3 :
This stupa was build upon the relics of buddha’s disciple Sariputta and Mahamogallanna . It has a gate like the main stupa , build around 50 BC by the satbahana kings . In the time of the British raj the stupa was opened and a stone cascade was come out . It is expected that, the relics were preserved in this cascade . It was then preserved in London Museum . But after independence both Indian and sri lankan govt pressured on British govt to give it back . After that it was brought here again .
There is also some other temples and pillers which are important to visit .
Monestary 51
It is one of the oldest Monestary in Buddhism . It is made of clay brick . Both side of the middle hall there is small room for the students . Both Ashoka’s son Mahindra and Daughter Sanghamitra Studied Buddhism here before reaching to Sri Lanka . It has like a university like Nalanda .
In the end of this monastery, there is a giant bowl. It is believed that it was used to store all the alms by the students from the village .
Piller 25
It is a piller build in 2nd century BC . It’s base have octagonal structure and top with 16 sides shape and crowned with the four lion headed ashoka stambha
Piller 26
This was build during the Gupta period . It was crowned with four headed lion sculpture . It was comparatively new . It is a round shaped piller with a square base .
Temple 45
This temple and monastery was build above the ruins of the earlier building . The older building was build in 7-8 century
Temple 18 :
This is called as greek temple for it’s pillared architecture. It was originally build in 7 the century AD. This curved piller are standing on it’s own without any support . This temple was reconstructed in 10-11 the century AD.
Temple 40
This temple has been build and rebuild by three dynasty . First In the 3rd century BC , it was build by mourya dynasty Then it was totally build by timber . Later in 2nd century BC it was burned and rebuild by rock by the sunga dynasty . This rock pillers made the foundation . Later in 7-8 century AD it was reorganished and some shrine was kept inside . Now we see this form of the ruins .
Summery:
The whole site has been the rich treasure of Historical and religious collection which is before the birth of Jesus . Here stupa no 1 is one of the oldest stupa in the world . Three dynasty Mourya , Sunga and Satbahana are the main architect of this place . Best time to visit Sanchi is in the winter season .
