SANCHI STUPA

By Cameron TaylorYear 6

Sanchi stupa (background information)

Sanchi, in the state of Madhya Pradesh, is globally renowned for its many stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars dating from the 3rd century B.C. to the 12th century A.D. The most famous amongst these, the Sanchi Stupa 1, was built by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka, were sent to Sri Lanka where they converted the king, queen and the local people to Buddhism.

History of the Sanchi stupa

The original stupa was built by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka , but enlarged to its present form in the 1st century CE.   The stupa later fell into ruins and disappeared, and when it was first discovered it was severely damaged by treasure-hunters (who dug into the main vault, looking for buried treasure).  In the 1880s the Archeological Survey of India began to restore it, with the major restoration between 1912 and 1919 under the leadership of Sir John Marshall.   

Where was the Sanchi stupa built?

Sanchi is a small village of India, located 46 km north east of Bhopal, 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.

Religious Significance

A stupa is a dome shaped mound that mimics the funerary mounds used to mark the graves of great kings. The first Buddhist stupas enshrined the Buddha's physical relics (bones and teeth). Another sign of this claim is the three-layer stone umbrella visible at the top of the stupa. Since the umbrella was also a royal symbol.

Pictures of the Sanchi stupa

Fun facts about the Sanchi stupa

•Sanchi Stupa is located in Sanchi state of Madhya Pradesh.

•The original structure of the Stupa was commissioned by Emperor Ashoka.

The Sanchi stupa was built in 273-236 BC

•Most of the Buddha statues and carvings at the Sanchi Stupa still possess the legendary Mauryan polish.