Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi

It was the Indian emperor Ashoka’s embrace of Buddhism in the 3rd century BC that turned it into one of the world’s major religions. Here at Sanchi, you can see the greatest tribute he built to his new faith – an enormous stupa containing relics of Buddha himself. The intricate carved stone artworks telling historical stories help make the Great Stupa of Sanchi one of the marvels of the ancient world. Without Emperor Ashoka, Buddhism would possibly never have had such a dramatic impact around the world. In the 3rd century BC, the Indian ruler embraced the new religion and spread it across his vast territory. He saw it as a way to bring peace to his people, but his decision had much more far-reaching consequences. It gave momentum and authority to a religious movement that would spread to every corner of the globe over the next two millennia. About 400 years after Buddha was born in Lumbini, the Buddhist faith was being practiced by a relatively small group of followers in the Ganges valley, who had split into various schools. Emperor Ashoka was drawn to the teachings of Buddha that they spread, particularly those of social justice. Historical sources tell us that Ashoka had been left traumatised by the huge death toll of a war he had waged. In Buddhism, he saw a new path where he could conquer minds and hearts with morality rather than weapons. He believed that if all of his subjects followed this same peaceful religion, he could end conflict across his lands. To help spread his message around the Indian subcontinent, Ashoka erected stupas and other monuments with inscriptions. Over the centuries, most have been badly damaged or destroyed – although some still exist. The Great Stupa at Sanchi stands out as not just the best preserved of them all, but also the most beautiful. It is not just a testament to Ashoka’s story, but is still worshipped today as an incredible piece of ancient art. The Great Stupa at Sanchi sits at the top of a peaceful hill, easily seen from the surrounding areas without overshadowing the landscape. It’s located about 10 kilometres from the city of Vidisha, which was a wealthy trading city at the time of the stupa’s construction. Probably more importantly, though, Vidisha is also said to be the hometown of a woman that Ashoka fell in love with. She couldn’t follow him back to the capital to be his queen and it’s believed that influenced his decision to build his tribute in this location. The Great Stupa’s dome is more than 16 metres high and 36 metres in diameter (having been expanded over the centuries). Aside from its size, one of the first things that strikes you when you arrive is the detailed rock carvings that adorn the gateways at the four cardinal points. These were added after the death of Emperor Ashoka and show intricate scenes, including from the life of Buddha and the history of Buddhism. Around the Great Stupa are smaller stupas, as well as the remains of later temples and monasteries. After Emperor Ashoka built his monument here in the 3rd century BC, this became an important place of worship for many centuries to come. You can see here the evidence of Buddhist activity here until at least the 12th century AD. Further afield, there are other important Buddhist monuments that are easily reachable from Sanchi, including the impressive stupas at Satdhara and Sonari. The area continued to be an important centre for trade and faith, even as the dominance of different religions rose and fell. As you travel in the region around Sanchi and the city of Bhopal, you will find other significant sites with stunning works of art. There are also the artworks left on rock faces from people who lived here thousands of years before Buddha was born or Ashoka embraced his message and spread it to the world.  

The artwork of Sanchi

Buddhism around Sanchi

The flow of faith