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If you want to travel back more than two millenniums in history then Sanchi near Bhopal is the place for you. Sanchi is the perfect destination to see, explore & marvel at some of the most beautiful Buddhist monuments. It is one of those sites which not only inspire awe but also make us proud of our ancient civilization.
The Great Stupa of Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh dates to 3rd Century BCE. It is India’s finest monument personifying the philosophy of Buddhism. Buddhism propounds simplicity and withdrawal, yet connectivity with daily life. Not far from Sanchi near Vidisha are the 4th/5th Century CE Hindu Caves of Udayagiri.
A memorable day:
It was an overcast morning in the month of July. After an early breakfast, we checked out of our hotel at Bhopal . We wanted to cover Sanchi, Udaygiri Caves and Bhimbetka rocks. We had the 6 p.m. flight to Mumbai. Sanchi is at a distance of 46 kms from Bhopal. On the way to Sanchi from Bhopal we came across an interesting spot. It took us back to the subject of geography. In school we had learnt about the Tropic of Cancer. The Tropic of Cancer line passes through 8 Indian States. This spot near Vidisha was one such spot in Madhya Pradesh.
Our tryst with Sanchi:
We reached Sanchi by 8.30 am. The hordes of tourists had not yet arrived. The morning air was so pristine. The first sight of the Great Stupa with the Gateway in front of it left me spellbound !! The hill & the well manicured lush green lawn made it is such a picturesque setting. Emperor Ashoka, the Great had chosen a perfect destination. Absolute peace and solitude are the prerequisites for study, meditation & reflection. What amazes & fascinates the visitor is that these monuments have withstood the test of time. Even after 2000 years of exposure to elements their beauty has not diminished.
A Guide to Sanchi:
“By a strange coincidence it happens that the monuments of Sanchi, the noblest of all the monuments which early Buddhism has bequeathed to India, are those about which least information is available to the public. Ancient Indian writers scarcely mention them. The Chinese pilgrims, who are such a mine of information regarding other Buddhist sites, pass them by in silence !!”
This is an extract from preface of the book ‘A Guide to Sanchi’ written in 1917 by Sir John Marshall. He was the Director General of Archaeology in India. Marshall spent nearly 7 years (between 1912 to 1919) at Sanchi. He led a team involved in the excavation & restoration.
Sanchi is undoubtedly the most magnificent & perfect example of Buddhist architecture in India. It was declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989. Despite this, Sanchi is yet to find a prominent place in the bucket list of many domestic travellers. I personally feel that that the exquisite craftsmanship and state of preservation even after 2 millenniums is unparalleled. The site deserves to be included in the Wonders of the Ancient World !!
Marshall had dedicated this book to the ruler of Bhopal and mentions the following:
“To
Her Highness Nawab Sultan Jehan Begam Sahiba, ruler of Bhopal. To whose
interest and generosity is due all that has been done in recent years
to investigate and preserve these matchless memorials of the past”
Isn’t it a pleasant & welcome surprise that a Buddhist Site was patronized by the progressive Muslim Ruler of Bhopal?!
Surprisingly Sanchi has no connection with the life of Buddha and he never visited this place.
Going back in history
The history of Sanchi starts during the reign of Ashoka in the third century BCE. It covers a period of some fourteen centuries. It almost mirrors the rise and fall of Buddhism in India. Ashoka was the Mauryan Emperor during the period 268 to 232 BCE. In the 12th year of his rule he embraced Buddhism. His empire extended over almost entire Indian subcontinent.
For almost 24 years of his reign Ashoka remained steadfast in spreading the message of Buddha. He even sent emissaries and ambassadors to many other far off countries. It is said that he built more than 84000 stupas in India but not many have survived. But the Great Stupa of Sanchi containing the relics of Buddha remained closest to his heart. Prior to becoming the Emperor, Ashoka was the Governor of Avanti with Ujjain as his capital. During that period he had married Devi, the daughter of a Buddhist merchant of Vidisha (Besnagar). Sanchi was chosen as the site for the Great Stupa due to its proximity to Vidisha. Ashok had deputed Devi to Sanchi to personally oversee the construction of the Stupa. Ashoka’s daughter Sanghamitta also stayed at Sanchi for a long time.
Ashoka’s son Mahendra was sent as head of a Buddhist mission to Srilanka. Before embarking on that mission, he came to Sanchi from Patliputra to visit his mother. He spent about a month in a vihara or monastery there.
Unique craftsmanship:
The monuments & sculptures of Sanchi are some of the most perfect and highly developed specimens of sculpture in India. They seem to be Perso-Greek or early Gandhara in style. They differ from the subsequent Buddhist sculptures created by the Indian artists and craftsmen. Barhut near Sanchi is the only other place where sculptures carved in similar style were found. These foreign craftsmen probably came along with Heliodurus, the Indo-Greek Ambassador. He was sent by the King of Taxila to the court of King Bhagabhadra in 113 BCE.
Heliodurus converted to Hinduism. He is credited with erecting a pillar at Vidisha known as Garuda Pillar of Lord Vishnu. This pillar now known as Heliodurus Pillar can still be seen in Vidisha. It stands forlorn with not many realizing its historical importance.
The Great Stupa at Sanchi is the iconic symbol of Buddhism. You might have seen it in the pictures. But still the stupa leaves you wonder struck the moment it comes in view. 8 stupas were built by Ashoka in Sanchi. Many more in the settlements in an area of 150 kms around Sanchi. Much of it has been lost for ever but fortunately Sanchi survived. Probably bcoz it was on a hill top surrounded by dense forests. It remained hidden for nearly 6 centuries.
The Great Stupa:
The original Stupa built by Ashoka had only half the diameter of today’s stupa. It was expanded during the reign of the Shungas/ Sungas. Originally covered in brick it contrasts with the stone structure seen now. The Shunga Emperor Pushyamitra Shunga overtook the Mauryan Empire in 2nd Century BCE. He disliked Buddhism and may have damaged the original Stupa. It was restored and made bigger by his son Agnimitra. Many historians are of the view that the later Shungas had a dislike for Buddhism. They may not have patronized the subsequent embellishments. But they didn’t stop further additions. It is believed that the wealthy Buddhist merchants of nearby Vidisha had contributed towards the later additions.
Toranas: Four gateways or Toranas were added in the 1st Century BCE during the reign of Satavahanas. The themes of the panels on the gateways are scenes from Buddhist Jataka tales. They relate to important episodes from Buddha’s life. They also provide an excellent portrait of the life of that period. Scenes of dream of Maya, temptation of Mara and the Sermon at Sarnath are beautifully depicted. The illustration of the miracles at Sravasti and Kapilavastu are the popular themes.
Images of Buddha were added during the reign of the Guptas in 5th Century CE. A temple in Sanchi is one of the oldest surviving Hindu temples of the Gupta period. Some monasteries and temples were built later when the Pratiharas and Parmaras ruled the region. Harshavardhana (590-647 CE) was the last Emperor who patronized Buddhism along with Hinduism. Monastic activity at Sanchi declined with the decline of Buddhism in the 9th century. There was resurgence & assertion of Hinduism following the rise of Adi Shankara in the 8th/9th century. Buddhism gradually disappeared from India by the 11th Century.
There is an Archaeological museum known as Sanchi Museum at the base of the hill adjacent to Marshall’s bungalow.
Sanchi on stamp & currency note: Sanchi has figured on the rear of INR 200 currency note released in 2017 and Postal Stamp released in 2018.
Udayagiri Caves:
The Udayagiri Caves are twenty rock-cut caves near Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh. The caves have been carved into the sandstone hills. They belong to the late 4th century CE & early years of the 5th century. Some of the oldest surviving Hindu iconography in India can be found here. They are among India’s most important archaeological sites. The Udayagiri hills and its caves are protected monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India.
Udayagiri caves contain iconography of Vaishnavism , Shaktism & Shaivism. The Cave No.5 has the monumental relief sculpture of Vishnu’s incarnation as the man-boar Varaha. He is depicted as rescuing the earth symbolically represented by Bhudevi. Bhudevi is shown clinging to the boar’s tusk. Another interesting image is of one mukha linga. The site has important inscriptions of the Gupta dynasty belonging to the reigns of Chandragupta II (375-415 CE) and Kumaragupta I (415-55 CE). Out of the twenty caves, one is dedicated to Jainism and all others to Hinduism.
The historic city of Vidisha is located 12 kms from Sanchi. It is one of the oldest cities of India dating back to 4th Century BCE. It was on the important trade route that connected North India to South India. The Shunga dynasty had made this town as their capital. Udayagiri caves are 4 kms from Vidisha. After spending 2 hours at Sanchi we made our way to the Udayagiri Caves via Vidisha. On reaching the caves we were disappointed to know that the caves were closed to public for restoration. As we were the only visitors that time, the caretaker acceded to our request. He opened the lock of the most important Cave No. 5 for us. Time & elements have taken their toll on the sculptures and many of them are in eroded condition.
Please do not confuse Udaygiri Caves with another famous site near Bhubaneshwar in Orissa with the same name.
I spent an hour at the caves and a climb up to the top of the hill. Post this we were on our way to Bhimbetka Rock Shelters. This is an archaeological site that spans the prehistoric Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods. The rock paintings at Bhimbetka are believed to be 10000 years old. It was declared as a World Heritage Site in 2003.
It was 12 noon and we expected to be in Bhimbetka by 1.30 pm. We had about 1.30 hours to explore the caves. But we were not destined to see Bhimbetka in this trip. After travelling some 20 kms we found ourselves stuck on the highway. An oil tanker had overturned and the traffic on both sides was stranded. We had no option but to turn back disappointed and make our way back to Bhopal.
We had more than an hour at our disposal. I used the time to see some historic monuments of Bhopal before going to the airport.
Latest attraction in Sanchi: a 17 acre theme park named ‘Buddha Jambudweep’ has been opened to public on 7th January 2021. This park showcases the life and works of Buddha and Ashoka. It is located opposite the Archaeological museum. It has been developed at a cost of Rs 250 million by MP Tourism Development Corporation.
One needs a minimum of 4 days to explore Bhopal and surrounding places. 1st Day: Bhojpur & Bhimbetka. 2nd Day: Vidisha, Udaygiri Caves, Gyraspur monuments (40 kms from Vidisha) & Udaypur Neelkanteshwara temple (40 kms from Vidisha). 3rd Day: Sanchi (half day) and Bhopal (half day). 4th Day: Bhopal. One can stay for 2 nights at Bhopal and 1 night at Sanchi. MP Tourism Dept. has a resort at Sanchi known as Gateway Retreat.
Bhopal is well connected with the major cities of India by road, rail and air.
As I could not see Bhimbetka and some other places I do not mind making another trip to Bhopal!!
The best time to visit Bhopal is from November to mid March. One could also visit during the monsoon months of July & August which is an off-season to get a different experience.
References: For historical details: (1) 100 Wonders of India by Roli Books. (2) Speaking Stones -World Heritage Sites in India. (3) Monuments of India by George Michell. (4) Wikipedia
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