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Sanchi
 Location
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46 kms east of Bhopal
Tourist Attractions
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Great Stupa no.1, The Eastern Gateway, The Western Gateway,
In 1989, Sanchi was built-in on the World heritage list and is a must-stop for the millions of devout Buddhists who arrive to India, from all corners of the world, each year for pilgrimage.
Buddha himself never came to Sanchi; however in the tranquil motionlessness of the place he seems closer than in any of the other well-known places of spiritual pilgrimage which still follow Hinayana Buddhism, the original form of the religion or philosophy - whatever you prefer to call it. Sanchi offers a lovely view of the surrounding countryside and sitting under the trees in the bright sunshine, it is easy to understand why so many have gone away so moved and touched by this ancient village.
Even if religion isn't your thing, Sanchi is good place to just unwind and relax, or explore if you should so wish, as comparatively few people venture here. Sanchi can effortlessly be visited by car for a ½-day trip from Bhopal. The road out of Bhopal runs along the railway and once in the countryside the Vindhya Hills lie bang to your right - the higher ground all covered in low scrub jungle, the flat lowland cultivated.
History of Sanchi
Sanchi emerges from obscurity to take centre stage as a hub for, first traveling merchants and then, Buddhist pilgrims rather early in India's history. Sanchi had, even before it caught the eye of a certain king who made it famous, always been a bustling village, or rather traveler's halt.
Because, about 7km away, is Vidisha which had always been a strategic trade centre and a thriving town throughout history.In fact Sanchi's very old name was Vidishagiri, the hill of Vidisha. In the ancient Indian times, majority of the merchants of Vidisha followed Buddhism.It is easy to see why Buddhism might have appealed to the level-headed businessmen of Vidisha - it was a way of life that was not burdened by caste restrictions and gave to everyone the freedom to attain the respectability which comes with wealth and social mobility.
We are told that rich merchants and patrons from Vidisha opened their ample coffers to pour in the money to sustain the religious life and building activity at Sanchi, dated around 2nd century BC to 1st century AD. For the Buddhist monks too the location was ideal. They could live in the calm and peaceful sanctuary of Sanchi (also called Chaitya-giri, the hill of Chaitya prayer halls) and walk to Vidisha, according to the tenets of Buddhism, to beg for alms and their daily food.
 The
Formation of the City
The story behind the making of Sanchi and its stupas is however nothing less than a fairy tale - and it's a substantiated historical fact.
When the merchants of Vidisha decided to convert Sanchi into a Buddhist retreat, they went to famous Mauryan King (then governor of Ujjaini of which Vidisha formed a part) Piyadasi Asoka (215 BC) - before he became the most famous convert to Buddhism - to ask him to grant them the land. Asoka not only agreed, but also decided to take a personal interest in the building activity.
Upto this point Asoka's interest can be safely put down to a king's (even a would-be) natural love for building and plain curiosity, but mark the sequel.
When he came to Vidisha, the prince fell in love with the beautiful Devi, the daughter of one of the most powerful merchants of Vidisha.
The love was returned and it is said that it is because of this connection that Asoka started to take a serious interest in Buddhism. To honour his ladylove's faith the prince started playing an active role in the building of Sanchi, giving out generous grants in form of both money and kind.
The love story meanwhile continued against the backdrop of the building of Sanchi during which time Asoka also succeeded to the throne.
Although they had two children, Asoka and Devi never married as she refused to move to Patliputta (the king's capital, now Patna in Bihar), choosing to stay in Vidisha instead.
She gave two reasons for this. Firstly because she preferred to stay out of the intricate royal politics of the centre and secondly, Vidisha was where her religious and community work was based and she was reluctant to abandon that. One suspects that the first might have been the real reason, because what with Asoka already having so many 'suitable' queens and Devi being an 'outsider', it's hardly conceivable that she would have been warmly accepted as the chief queen in the capital.
Devi was wise to anticipate complex royal intrigue - and wiser still to choose to stay away from it all.
Many years later it was her children, Mahindra and Sanghamitta, who led the famous royal embassy that Asoka sent to the island of Sri lanka to carry the message of the Buddha.
Major Tourist Attractions in Sanchi
The ASI Museum
At Sanchi there's a museum of the Archeological Survey of India. By paying a nominal entry fee you may visit the museum anytime between 9 am and 5 pm. The museum displays rare and antique items. It also has the lion capital of the Ashoka Pillar, several metal objects that were used by the monks and the earliest known ancient stone sculptures in Indian art from the 3rd to the 1st century BC. The Ashoka Pillar owns amazing architectural design and structural balance.
Ashoka's Stupa
Among the many Stupas at Sanchi, the most famous is the Great Stupa I that was built by the Great Mauryan emperor Ashoka. Only three out of eight stupas remain built by Ashoka at Sanchi in the 3 B.C. These Stupas have the relics of Buddha like his teeth, hair and the shoulder bones. The Great Stupa 1 is a major tourist attraction at Sanchi. The great Stupa is also known as the Ashoka's Stupa who built it in 3 B.C. This Stupa was originally constructed in burnt mud bricks though but the Stupa was largely re-built in the middle of the 2 B.C. There was a carved railing added with a stone facade to the 16 meter high Stupa and the restructured larger Stupa is what attracts people from across the globe today to Sanchi.
Other attractions at Sanchi are The Buddhist Vihara, The Great Bowl, The Gupta temple and many more.
Vidisha
Situated at a distance of twelve kilometers from Sanchi is the ancient city of Vidisha. Vidisha was also known as Besnagar since it was located on the conflux of the Betwa and the Bes rivers. Ashoka's wife was from Vidisha. One of the must visits at Videsha is the Heliodoros Pillar of the 5 A. D. which is dedicated to Lord Vishnu that marks the conversion of the Greek ambassador of Taxila into Hinduism. Even today the local fishermen worship the pillar as Khamb Baba.
 Udaigiri
At Udaigiri (13 km from Sanchi), there are the Hindu and the Jain caves that run in succession. These rock cut cave sanctuaries of Udaigiri are world famous. Both the places are of much historical significances. The Buddhist monks inhabited these caves cut into the sand stone hills in 2 B.C. The caves contain carvings of Lord Vishnu. One can visit the remains of the 6th century Gupta temple on the top of the hill. The Gupta temple is amongst the pioneer temples that followed the temple architecture in India.
The journey to Sanchi will absolutely be memorable and will offer you a deeper insight into the rich cultural, architectural and religious heritage of India.
Getting there
Air :
At a distance of 46 kilometers at Bhopal is the adjacent airport of Bhopal that connects Sanchi with the other major cities of India like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Gwalior and Indore.
Rail : The railway station of Vidisha is at a distance of 10 kilometers from Sanchi and caters to the visitors who travel by trains.
Road : The road network links Sanchi with Indore, Sagar, Gwalior, Vidisha and Raisen. From Bhopal the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, several buses and taxis ply to and from Sanchi.
Accommodation :
There are hotels ranging from luxury to economy, at Sanchi. One can also stay at the government lodges.
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