Sanchi City Guide
Sanchi is known for stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars dating from the 3 rd century BC to the 12th century AD.
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.
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
