Location : 46 kms east
of Bhopal
Tourist Attractions : Great Stupa no.1, The Eastern
Gateway, The Western Gateway, The Northern Gateway, The Southern Gateway,
Stupa no.2, Stupa no.3, The Ashoka Pillar, The Buddhist Vihara, The Great
Bowl, The Gupta temple, The Museum.
Nearby Tourist Destinations : Sonari and Satdhara,
Andher & Mural Khurd, Vidisha, The Lohangi Rock, Gumbaz-ka-Maqbara,
Bijamandal Mosque, Udaygiri Caves, Gyraspur, Udaypur and Rahatgarh.
When to Visit : October to March
About Sanchi
Sanchi is located 46 kms from Bhopal, on an isolated hill, it holds an
unmatched place in Buddhist history. Sanchi is famous for its Stupas,
monasteries, temples and pillars standing tall from the 3rd century B.C. to
the 12th century A.D. The Sanchi Stupa 1 is one of the most famous of these
monuments and was originally built by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. He was
then the governor of Ujjayini, whose wife Devi was the daughter of a
merchant from a nearby place called 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.
Sanchi's Stupas, Chaityas, Temples, Monasteries, and gateways, decorated by
delicate carvings depict the Buddha's life and teachings. For Buddhists all
over the world, Sanchi is almost as sacred a spot as Bodh Gaya or Sarnath.
On Buddha Purnima (full moon), which usually falls in April/May according to
the lunar calendar, Buddhists from all over the world gather at Sanchi to
celebrate the triple anniversary of Gautama Buddha's birth, enlightenment
and Parinirvana.
UNESCO designated the Stupas of Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh in the year 1989
as the world heritage site for its archaeological and historical importance.
Major Tourist Attractions in Sanchi
The ASI Museum
At Sanchi there's a museum of the Archeological Survey of India. By paying
a nominal entry fee you may visit the museum anytime between 9 am and 5 pm.
The museum displays rare and antique items. It also has the lion capital of
the Ashoka Pillar, several metal objects that were used by the monks and the
earliest known ancient stone sculptures in Indian art from the 3rd to the
1st century BC. The Ashoka Pillar owns amazing architectural design and
structural balance.
Ashoka's Stupa
Among the many Stupas at Sanchi, the most famous is the Great Stupa I that
was built by the Great Mauryan emperor Ashoka. Only three out of eight
stupas remain built by Ashoka at Sanchi in the 3 B.C. These Stupas have the
relics of Buddha like his teeth, hair and the shoulder bones. The Great
Stupa 1 is a major tourist attraction at Sanchi. The great Stupa is also
known as the Ashoka's Stupa who built it in 3 B.C. This Stupa was originally
constructed in burnt mud bricks though but the Stupa was largely re-built in
the middle of the 2 B.C. There was a carved railing added with a stone
facade to the 16 meter high Stupa and the restructured larger Stupa is what
attracts people from across the globe today to Sanchi.
Other attractions at Sanchi are The Buddhist Vihara, The Great Bowl, The
Gupta temple and many more.
Vidisha
Situated at a distance of twelve kilometers from Sanchi is the ancient city
of Vidisha. Vidisha was also known as Besnagar since it was located on the
conflux of the Betwa and the Bes rivers. Ashoka's wife was from Vidisha. One
of the must visits at Videsha is the Heliodoros Pillar of the 5 A. D. which
is dedicated to Lord Vishnu that marks the conversion of the Greek
ambassador of Taxila into Hinduism. Even today the local fishermen worship
the pillar as Khamb Baba.
Udaigiri
At Udaigiri (13 km from Sanchi), there are the Hindu and the Jain caves
that run in succession. These rock cut cave sanctuaries of Udaigiri are
world famous. Both the places are of much historical significances. The
Buddhist monks inhabited these caves cut into the sand stone hills in 2 B.C.
The caves contain carvings of Lord Vishnu. One can visit the remains of the
6th century Gupta temple on the top of the hill. The Gupta temple is amongst
the pioneer temples that followed the temple architecture in India.
The journey to Sanchi will definitely be memorable and will offer you a
deeper insight into the rich cultural, architectural and religious heritage
of India.
Getting there
Air : At a distance of 46 kilometers at Bhopal is the nearest
airport of Bhopal that connects Sanchi with the other major cities of India
like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Gwalior and Indore.
Rail : The railway station of Vidisha is at a distance of 10
kilometers from Sanchi and caters to the tourists who travel by trains.
Road : The road network links Sanchi with Indore, Sagar, Gwalior,
Vidisha and Raisen. From Bhopal the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, several
buses and taxis ply to and from Sanchi.
Accommodation
There are hotels ranging from luxury to economy, at Sanchi. One can also
stay at the government lodges.
