Page 210 - DK Eyewitness Travel Guides - The World's Must-See Places

The Great Stupa, Sanchi

Dominating the Hill of Sanchi, India's best-preserved
and most extensive Buddhist site, is the Great Stupa.
Its hemispherical shape is believed to symbolize the
upturned alms bowl of a Buddhist monk, or an umbrella
of protection for followers of the Buddhist dharma
(doctrine). The stupa's main glory lies in its four stone
toranas (gateways), added in the 1st century BC. Their
superb sculptures replicate the techniques of wood and
ivory carving, and cover a rich variety of Buddhist themes.
Buddha at Sanchi

~ West Gateway Chattra (Parasol)
A The Great Stupa and its This animated scene from the The Great Stupa is crowned by
West Gateway Jataka Tales shows monkeys a squared-off platform (harmika),
Enclosing a smaller brick stupa scrambling across a bridge to which encloses a triple "parasol"
built by Emperor Ashoka in the escape from soldiers. (chattra) atop a mast (yastl).
3rd century BC, the Great Swpa
is capped by a three-tiered
stone umbrella symbolizing the
layers of heaven .

Vedika (Railings)
These are an impressive re-
creation in stone of a typical
wooden railing design. They
were the inspiration for the
stone railings around Sansad
Bhav an, or the Parliament
House,inNewDelhi. ~

~ Circumambulatory Paths ----f.::.Jt-f.-'--;-Hl!r-;..
The paths have balustrades
carved with medallions of
flowers, birds, and animals,
and the names of the donors
who funded them.

~ Architrave

~ South Gateway

Four Gateways
These show scenes from the ~ Buddha
Buddha's life, and episodes from Statues of the Buddha
KEY DATES
the Jataka Tales. The Buddha is not meditating, added in the
depicted in human form, but only 2nd ~ntury BC 1300s 1818 1912-19 1989 5th century AD, face
each of the gateways.
through symbols, such as a Bodhi lhe Great Stupa is With the decline The Great Stupa. The Director lhe Great Stupa
Tree, footprints, or a wheel.
built at Sanchi by of Buddhism in is "rediscovered" General of is decla~ed a
Emperor Ashoka. India, the Great by General Taybr Archeology in UNESCO World
Stupa falls into of the Bengal India excavates Heritage Site.
disrepair. Ca;ahy. and then restores
the s~e.