Advertisement
Published: September 22nd 2010
Hi there ....
Heres a little about the place...
SANCHI is a small village in Raisen District of the state of Madhya Pradesh, India, it is located 46 km north east of Bhopal, and 10 km from Besnagar and Vidisha in the central part of the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the location of several Buddhist monuments dating from the third century BCE to the twelfth century CE and is one of the important places of Buddhist pilgrimage. It is a nagar panchayat in Raisen district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Toranas surround the Stupa and they each represent love, peace, trust, and courage.
The 'Great Stupa' at Sanchi was originally commissioned by the emperor Ashoka the Great in the third century BCE. Its nucleus was a simple hemispherical brick structure built over the relics of the Buddha. It was crowned by the chatra, a parasol-like structure symbolising high rank, which was intended to honour and shelter the relics.
Etymology of Sanchi
Sanchi might have originated from Sanskrit and Pali word Sanch meaning To Measure. In Hindi, however Sanchi or Sancha means for Moulds of Stones.
History : Sunga period
The compound Buddhist symbols:
Shrivatsa within a triratana, over a Chakra wheel, on the Torana gate at Sanchi.The stupa was vandalized at one point, sometime in the second century BCE, an event some have related to the rise of the Sunga emperor Pusyamitra Sunga. It has been suggested that Pushyamitra may have destroyed the original stupa, and his son Agnimitra rebuilt it.During the later rule of the Sunga, the stupa was expanded with stone slabs to almost twice its original size. The dome was flattened near the top and crowned by three superimposed parasols within a square railing. With its many tiers it was a symbol of the dharma, the Wheel of the Law. The dome was set on a high circular drum meant for circumambulation, which could be accessed via a double staircase. A second stone pathway at ground level was enclosed by a stone balustrade with four monumental gateways (toranas) facing the cardinal directions. The buildings which seem to have been commissioned during the rule of the Sungas are the Second and Third stupas (but not the highly decorated gateways, which are from the following Satavahana period, as known from inscriptions), and the ground balustrade and stone casing of the Great Stupa.
Satavahana period
Carved decoration of the Northern gateway to the Great Stupa of SanchiThe gateways and the balustrade were built after 70 BCE, and appear to have been commissioned by the Satavahana. An inscription records the gift of one of the top architraves of the Southern Gateway by the artisans of the Satavahana king Satakarni:
"Gift of Ananda, the son of Vasithi, the foreman of the artisans of rajan Siri Satakarni".
Although made of stone, they were carved and constructed in the manner of wood and the gateways were covered with narrative sculptures. They showed scenes from the life of the Buddha integrated with everyday events that would be familiar to the onlookers and so make it easier for them to understand the Buddhist creed as relevant to their lives. At Sanchi and most other stupas the local population donated money for the embellishment of the stupa to attain spiritual merit. There was no direct royal patronage. Devotees, both men and women, who donated money towards a sculpture would often choose their favourite scene from the life of the Buddha and then have their names inscribed on it. This accounts for the random repetition of particular episodes on the
stupa (Dehejia 1992). On these stone carvings the Buddha was never depicted as a human figure. Instead the artists chose to represent him by certain attributes, such as the horse on which he left his father’s home, his footprints, or a canopy under the bodhi tree at the point of his enlightenment. The human body was thought to be too confining for the Buddha.
Detail on the Sanchi stupaSome of the friezes of Sanchi also show devotees in Greek attire (Greek clothing, attitudes, and musical instruments) celebrating the stupa.
Later periods
Further stupas and other religious Buddhist and early Hindu structures were added over the following centuries until the 12th century CE. Temple 17 is probably one of the earliest Buddhist temples as it dates to the early Gupta period. It consists of a flat roofed square sanctum with a portico and four pillars. The interior and three sides of the exterior are plain and undecorated but the front and the pillars are elegantly carved, giving the temple an almost ‘classical’ appearance (Mitra 1971). With the decline of Buddhism in India, the monuments of Sanchi went out of use and fell into a state of disrepair.
Western rediscovery
A British officer in 1818, General Taylor, was the first known Western historian to document (in English) the existence of Sanchi (Sāñcī). Amateur archaeologists and treasure hunters ravaged the site until 1881, when proper restoration work was initiated. Between 1912 and 1919 the structures were restored to their present condition under the supervision of Sir John Marshall.
Today, around fifty monuments remain on the hill of Sanchi, including three stupas and several temples. The monuments have been listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1989.
.......................................................
THE MAIN STUPA
A nearly perfect hemispherical dome, the Great Stupa is topped by a triple "parasol" set within a square railing or harmika. A third of the way up from its base, a raised terrace, enclosed by a fence, is meant for ritual circumambulation of the monument. A second, stone-paved procession-path at ground-level is enclosed by an encircling stone balustrade. This path is accessed from the cardinal directions through four exquisitely carved gateways.
The Great Stupa is 120 feet across (36.6 meters) and, excluding the railing and umbrella, is 54 feet high (16.46 meters). Stupas may be made of brick, brick and rubble, or encased in masonry.
The present
stupa encases an earlier one of about half its present dimensions. The earlier one, built of large burnt bricks and mud, has been attributed to the Emperor Ashoka, the main reasons being that the level of its floor is the same, and that the bricks used in it resemble those in other Ashokan structures.
The four gateways, or toranas, are the finest works of art at Sanchi and are among the finest examples of Buddhist art in India. The gateways were erected c. 35 BCE. The scenes carved into the pillars and their triple architraves are of episodes in the various lives of the Buddha.
The balustrades of the ground-level fence consist of a series of octagonal uprights with lenticular crossbars mortised into them and crowned by enormous copings rounded at the top. The outer faces of the uprights on the berm and stairway are carved with a variety of motifs, mostly flowers. The ground uprights, however, are austerely plain. The reproduction of the technique of wood construction in these balustrades shows that they follow the custom of wooden fences and are probably an innovation here.
The most elaborate and well known of the more than 50
magnificent Buddhist monuments that crown the hilltop of Sanchi, India, is Stupa Number One or the Great Stupa. It is part of an entire complex of structures, mostly stupas, built between the 3rd Century BCE and the 12th Century AD. The stupa is not a building in any traditional sense. Once a burial or reliquary mound, the stupa has become a purely symbolic object.
.........................................
SOME MORE DETAILS…
Ashoka built the first stupa and put up many pillars here. The crown of famous Ashoka pillars, with four lions standing back to back, has been adopted as the national emblem of India. Sanchi adopted Buddhism, which replaced the prominent Hinduism. But time took its toll and slowly both the stupas and the place were forgotten. In 1818 Sanchi was rediscovered and it was found that the marvelous pieces of structure were not in good shape. Gradually historical and the religious significance of the place was recognized. Restoration work of the stupas started in 1881 and finally between 1912 and 1919 these were carefully repaired and restored. It was accepted that the structures at Sanchi are the most organized construction, which went into the engineering of temples in the medieval
period.
The carvings here are done with the precision of Jewellers.Despite the damage and restoration work done Sanchi is the most evocative and attractive Buddhist site in India. Sanchi is primarily a place of Stupas and pillars but the gorgeous gateways add grace to the place. These gateways are beautifully carved and carry scenes from the life of Buddha or Ashoka. These gateways are the finest specimens of early classical art, which formed the seedbed of entire vocabulary of later Indian art. The images carved on the pillars and the stupas tell moving story of the incident from the life of Buddha.
The purpose of these stupas was mostly religious. The most likely use of the stupas has been said to keep the relics. Some of these stupas have been found containing relics of disciples of Buddha. The stupas date as early as the 3rd century and are built in brick made of stone. Though most of the stupas are in ruins now three remain intact and are of great archaeological value. The designs and the carvings on the walls and gates of these stupas spell a heavenly grace and are very tastefully done.
Great Stupa No.
1
This is one of the oldest stupas in India. 36.5 m in diameter and 16.4 m high with a hemispherical dome this massive structure was constructed by Ashoka in the 3rd century B.C. But the whole structure was enlarged later. Today the original brick structure by Ashoka is inside the enlarged stone one. The stupas of Sanchi stand on the top of a hill. There are four entrances to the great stupa. A railing encircles the stupa. The entrance is through the magnificently carved gates or as they call it the Torans. These Torans are one of the finest examples of Buddhist art in India and are best works at Sanchi. The path to the stupa has been smoothen by the centuries of pilgrims visiting the place. Near the stupa stands a Chunar sandstone pillar, which has some edicts by Ashoka, which warns against the schism within Buddhism.
Stupa No. 2
This is second stupa on the Sanchi hill. This again a very good example of the Buddhist architecture. The stupa stands on the very edge of the hill. Though there are no entrance to this stupa, it attracts visitors for the stone balustrade, which encircles
it. The wall of stupa is decorated with medallions. But the seems to be an imagination of a child as they depict animals, flowers people and scenes from the mythology.
Stupa No. 3
The third stupa is located near Great Stupa. A polished stone umbrella crowns this stupa. The crown denotes some religious significance. There is only one entrance to this third stupa, In the stupa the relics of Sariputta and Mahamogallena were discovered. These two were the earliest disciples of Buddha. The relics were carried to England in 1853 and were returned to Sanchi in 1953.
The Ashoka Pillar
The Ashoka pillars is one many pillar which are scattered in the area some of these are in broken and some in shape. The Ashoka pillar is on the southern entrance. Today here only the shaft stands and the crown is kept in the museum. The crown is the famous four lions, which stand back to back. This figure was adopted as the national Emblem of India. The Ashoka pillars are an excellent example of the Greco-Buddhist style and are known for the aesthetic proportions and the exquisite structural balance.
The Buddhist Vihara
The earlier monasteries
were made from wood, which was exquisitely carved and tastefully decorated. The present monasteries are not even the shadow of what they were in the past. A few kms from Sanchi are the relics of the Satdhara Stupa. The relics are kept in glass casket, which is placed on the inner sanctum of the modern monastery.
The Great Bowl
Sanchi had a huge bowl carved out of single rock. Grain was stored in this bowl and it was distributed among the monks in Sanchi.
The Gupta Temple
This temple is now in ruins. But what ever is left tells a saga of greatness and a temple which had no match during its times. The temple was built in 5 the century and is an excellent example of ancient temple architecture in India.
The Museum
The archaeological survey of India maintains a museum, which house many items, which were discovered during the excavation of Sanchi area. Most prized possession of the museum is the lion crown from Ashoka pillar. The museum has a sizeable collection of utensils and other items used by the monks who lived here.
Four Gate Way
The Four gateways constructed in
35 BC is the best from of Buddhist expression one can find anywhere in the world. Gateways or Torans as they are called are covered with explicit carvings which depict scenes from the life Buddha and the Jatakas, the stories relating to Buddha and his earlier births. At this stage Buddha was not represented directly but symbols were used to portray him-- The lotus represents his birth, the tree his enlightenment, the wheel, derived from the title of his first sermon, the footprints and throw symbolizing his presence. The carvings on the Torans are done with inspired imagery, which in harmony with the surrounding figures balance the solidity of massive stupas.
• The Western Gate: This gate has depictions of the seven incarnations of Buddha. The six incarnations before becoming the Buddha is called the Manushi Buddha. The architrave's is supported by the dwarfs. One of the pillars shows Buddha resisting the temptation of Mara. While the demons are fleeing the angles cheer Buddha. On the bottom Architraves the colourful stories of the Chhadanta Jataka are also carved with the intense care. Pot bellied dwarfs support the architraves on this gate.
• The Eastern Gate: The pillar of
this gate depicts story of the great departure of Prince Gautama. The pillar shows vividly the moments when the Gautama was leaving his fathers a place in search of Enlightenment. It also depicts the dream which Gautama's mother had before his birth. On the pillar Buddha is shown as riderless horse. Also on the architraves are hanging images of Yakshi, which is one of the best known images from Sanchi.
• The Southern Gate: This gate is a representation of scenes from the life of Ashoka and Buddha's Birth. There is another representation of the Great Departure. This oldest of the three gates and is very rich in the carvings.
• The Northern Gate: This gate is crowned by the wheel of law and depicts the miracles, which took place during the life of Buddha. Though the wheel is broken the northern gate is the most well preserved gates of all the four. The architraves of this gate is supported by elephants facing four directions, the gap between the architraves is filled by more horses and elephants.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.161s; Tpl: 0.018s; cc: 11; qc: 58; dbt: 0.0609s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
buddhist matrimonial
non-member comment
http://www.sabamangal.com
hey cool information and nice collection of stupa images. cool thx for sharing such a nice info.