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Sanchi is a small town located 48 km away from Bhopal which is the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. This town consists of a number of Buddhist structures like stupas and pillars. Sanchi is famous all over the world as a beautiful Buddhist pilgrimage destination; unfortunately it does not carry much importance in the Buddhist history. After marrying a local merchant's daughter, Sanchi became the center for King Ashoka where he built many historical and Buddhist monuments. The most famous out of these are the Sanchi stupa and the Ashoka Pillar.
Other Tourist Attractions:
Sanchi consists of around 50 different historical attractions out of which most of them were constructed between 3rd century BC and 12th century AD. The historical attractions include the monasteries, the stupas, the temples, the pillars and the torranas. All of these in a way reflect the history and the ancient times.
The Great Sanchi Stupa: This Stupa is a dome shaped building whose panels are carved with paintings which portray the life of Lord Buddha. At different places in the Stupa you will find the Brahmi script which is engraved. These stupas were built under the rule of King Ashoka in the 3rd century. The Sanchi stupas are visited and admired by people from all around the world and are recognized as world heritage destination by UNESCO.
The Ashoka Pillar: King Ashoka built the outstanding Ashoka Pillar in the 3rd century. The pillars are situated near the southern gate of Sanchi Stupa and are popular for its structural balance and artistic proportions. The four lions which once were at the top of the pillar are no more present today. These four lions have been removed and are preserved in the Archaeological museum of Sanchi. These pillars are different from the pillars which are present in Sarnath because the pillars in Sanchi do not contain the wheel of life or in other words the Dharmachakra which consist of the 24 spokes.
The Buddhist Vihara: The Buddhist Vihara is one of the very sacred places for the Buddhist pilgrims. It preserves the holy ruins of the Satdhara Stupa which are kept in glass box.
Archaeological Museum: The Archaeological Museum of Sanchi which is one of the main tourist attractions was set up by Sir John Marshall in the year 1919 and was repositioned in 1966 to the base of the Sanchi stupa. The Nagarjuna, Yakshi and the Dhyani Buddha are the center of attractions in this museum. The objects which are present here belong to six different periods namely Maurya, Gupta, post Gupta, Satvahana, Kushana and Sunga. The Archaeological museum very clearly depicts the culture and lifestyle of the ancient times.
Travel Route:
- Airways: Bhopal is the nearest airport which is at a distance of 46 km from Sanchi.
- Railways: Sanchi has its own railway station but many trains do not stop here. However the nearest railway station is Bhopal.
- Roadways: Bus services are available from all the cities of Madhya Pradesh to reach Sanchi.
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