Buddhist Monuments of Sanchi

Buddhist Monuments of Sanchi are the ancient structures of religious, historical and archaelogical importance. These are situated in Sanchi in the State of Madhya Pradesh in Inida, a place known since ancient times such as Kakanaya, Kakanava, Kakanadabota and Bota-Sriparvata.

Sanchi is famous in the world for stupas, monolithic Asokan pillar, temples, monasteries and sculptural wealth dating back from 3rd century BC to 12th century AD.

The Sanchi stupas are noteworthy for their gateways. They contain ornamented depiction of incidents from the life of Buddha and from his former births. Here, Gautam Buddha is depicted by symbols, such as the wheel, which represents his teaching.

During Sunga times, several edifices were raised at Sanchi and its surrounding hills. The Asokan stupa was enlarged and faced with stones and decorated with blustrades, staircase and a harmika on the top. The reconstruction of Temple 40 and erection of Stupas 2 and 3 also date back to the same time.

In the first century BC, the Andhra-Satavahanas, who had extended their sway over the eastern Malwa, caused the elaborately carved gateways to Stupa 1. From the second to 4th century AD, Sanchi and Vidisha came under the Kushanas and Kshatrapas and subsequently passed on to the hands of the Guptas. During the Gupta period, some temples were built and sculptures were added.

The largest stupa, known as the Great Stupa, is surrounded by a railing with four carved gateways facing all the four directions of the compass. The gateways were probably carved around AD 100. Stupas are large hemispherical domes, containing a central chamber, in which the relics of the Buddha were placed.

There are no sculpture of Buddha in human form. The carvings show a world where people and animals live together in happiness, harmony and plenty. Lord Buddha has been shown symbolically in inanimate forms and figures.

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