Sanchi Travel Guide
Location :
The distance of Sanchi from the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal
is just 46 kilometers in the East, this makes the trip to the Sanchi a
one day affair and extremely popular. Away from the hustle bustle that
surrounds Bhopal Sanchi offers complete peace and tranquility. Sanchi is
situated over a hillock and in the ancient times was addressed to as
Kakanaya, Kakanava, Kakanadabota and Bota-Sriparvata.
About Sanchi :
Sanchi is known for stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars dating
from the 3 rd century BC to the 12th century AD. The most famous of
these monuments, the Sanchi Stupa 1, was originally built by the Mauryan
Emperor Ashoka, the then governor of Ujjayini, whose wife Devi was the
daughter of a merchant from adjacent Vidisha. Their son Mahindra and
daughter Sanghamitra were born in Ujjayini and sent to sri Lanka, where
they converted the king, the queen and their people to Buddhism.
The world-renowned stupas of stupa of Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh are
being designated by UNESCO as the world heritage site for its
archaeological andhistorical importance.
Getting There :
By Air : Nearest airport is at Bhopal (46 km via
Diwanganj and 78 km via Raisen) which is connected with Delhi, Mumbai,
Gwalior and Indore.
By Rail : Sanchi lies on the Jhansi-Itarsi section of
the Central Railways> However, the most convenient railhead is
Vidisha (10 km).
By Road : Good, motorable roads connect Sanchi with
Bhopal, Indore, Sagar, Gwalior, Vidisha and raisen, besides other
places.
Tourist Attractions :
Sanchi Stupa :
The stupas at Sanchi trace the growth of the Buddhist architecture and
sculpture at the same site from the 3rd century BC to the 12th century
AD. Emperor Ashoka built the Stupa at Sanchi the central chamber of
which contains relics of Buddha. The stupas at Sanchi are remarkable for
their toranas or the gateways as they are ornamented by depiction of
incidents from the life of the Buddha, his previous incarnations and
various episodes from Jataka tales. Sculptors of different time period
depicted the same story by repeating figures. The Buddha has been
represented through symbols like the tree, throne, stupa, horse, lion
and elephant. There is a site museum at Sanchi, which has a good
collection of artifacts found form the spot, and nearby locations. It is
the first site museum in India. The tour of Sanchi is a must to
appreciate the skills of the artisans and beauty of the monument
