Page 251 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

M ADH Y A PR ADESH & CHHA T TISGARH  249

VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
Practical Information
Archaeological Museum:
n Tel (07482) 26 6611.
Open daily. & 0 Closed Fri.
In acccordance with Buddhist
tradition, walk around the
stupa in a clockwise direction.
. North Gateway
Sujata, the village chief’s daughter, offers the Buddha
(rep resented by the Bodhi Tree) kheer (rice pudding), as
the demon Mara sends the temptress to seduce him.

The Great Stupa and its West Gateway
Enclosing a smaller brick stupa, built by
Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC, the
Great Stupa is capped by a three-tiered stone
umbrella, symbolizing the layers of heaven.

. Salabhanjika
Supporting the
lowest architrave of
the East Gateway
is this sensuous,
voluptuous tree nymph,
gracefully positioned
under a mango tree.

KEY
1 The four gateways show scenes a typical wooden railing design. Buddha’s home, just before he
from the Buddha’s life, and episodes They were the inspiration for the renounced his princely life.
from the Jataka Tales. The Buddha is stone railings around Sansad 4 Statues of the Buddha
not depicted in human form, but Bhavan or the Parliament House meditating, added in the 5th
only through symbols such as a (see p78) in New Delhi. century AD, face each of
Bodhi Tree, footprints or a wheel. 3 The East Gateway shows a the gateways.
2 The vedika (railings) are an royal retinue at the palace of
impressive recreation in stone of Kapilavastu, which was Lord

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