Sanchi

History

Begun in the Mauryan period and enlarged under the Shungas and later dynasties, Sanchi’s stupas and monasteries illustrate early Buddhist art without a primary Buddha image — narrative reliefs on the toranas tell Jataka and life scenes. Rediscovered and restored from the 19th century, the site is a cornerstone of Indian archaeological heritage.

Madhya Pradesh Tourism and MoT Swadesh Darshan list Sanchi among key Buddhist destinations. MPSTDC properties in Bhopal/Sanchi area are preferred overnight bases for state-run stays.

Stories

Ashoka's stupa on the hill

The Great Stupa at Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh was begun in the 3rd century BCE by the emperor Ashoka, who built it over relics of the Buddha. It was later enlarged in the Shunga period and covered with stone.

UNESCO listed the Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi as a World Heritage Site in 1989. Sanchi is close to Vidisha, where tradition says Ashoka's wife Devi was born.

A Buddha who is never shown

The four gateways, or toranas, of the Great Stupa were added in the 1st century BCE or CE, under the Satavahanas, and are covered with carvings of Jataka tales and scenes from the Buddha's life. In them, the Buddha himself is never shown as a person.

He is shown through symbols: a Bodhi tree, an empty throne, footprints, a wheel or a stupa, a feature of the earliest phase of Buddhist art.

Lost in the forest, found in 1818

After Buddhism faded from the region, Sanchi was forgotten and overgrown. It was rediscovered in 1818 by General Henry Taylor, a British officer, and treasure hunters damaged the site until its protection began.

Alexander Cunningham opened Stupa 3 in 1851 and found relics of Sariputta and Maudgalyayana, the Buddha's chief disciples. Sir John Marshall led a major restoration between 1912 and 1919.

Relics that came home

The relics of Sariputta and Maudgalyayana were taken to England but returned to India in the late 1940s, and a modern vihara, the Chetiyagiri Vihara, opened in 1952 to house them. They are shown to the public once a year in November.

Sanchi is a quiet hilltop site that sees large crowds on Buddha Purnima and for the annual Sanchi Festival.

Good to know

Great Stupa with four carved torana gateways

UNESCO World Heritage archaeological hill complex

Museum and smaller stupas/monasteries on the hill

Getting there

About 46 km from Bhopal. Rail: Sanchi station or Bhopal Junction. Air: Raja Bhoj Airport, Bhopal. Road: easy taxi/day-tour from Bhopal; often done as a one-day add-on after the Bihar–UP Buddhist core.