Kids were mesmerized by the magnanimity, and so was I. We were standing in front of the southern gate, and our guide was explaining fascinating stories behind numerous sculptures which were more than 2300 years old. The evening sun was casting an orange hue on the domes and it was complementing beautifully to the majesty of this place. Landscaping was vast and beautiful, there were peacocks roaming on the grounds. One could feel the tranquility, this place was radiating.  We were visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Great Stupa of Sanchi. Depiction of this exact spot (group pic of our gang) also adorns the 200 Rupee note. 😀

                       “On a hill overlooking the plain and about 40 km from Bhopal, the site of Sanchi comprises a group of Buddhist monuments, dating back to the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C. It is the oldest Buddhist sanctuary in existence and was a major Buddhist center in India until the 12th century A.D. 

It was originally commissioned and built by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC with his wife Queen Devi, the daughter of a merchant in Vidisha. It also saw expansions and additions under the rule of various dynasties belonging to different periods. 

Per ancient Buddhist texts, Buddha’s followers divided his cremated remains into eight portions and erected stupas in the eight kingdoms where the Buddha lived. In the 3rd century BC, Emperor Ashoka is said to have opened these stupas and further distributed Buddha’s relics into 84,000 portions for the stupas to be built all over the world. Sanchi was the first of those Stupas he built.”

Visiting the spot that hosts relics of Buddha and both his chief disciples (Sariputta and Moggallana), was surreal and very very special to me! 

      This place is also beautifully kept and very well maintained. I was super proud to show it off to my Indian-American children. Spending 2-3 hours should be good enough to cover the entire place. Be prepared to do lots of walking though. We went in December so the weather was nice, but if you plan to visit in summer, visiting early morning or late evening (it is open till sunset) is the best idea. There is also a museum (by Archeological Survey of India) which we missed as it was closed but (according to my sister) you can give it a pass if you are not interested much in archeology. M.P tourism department hosts a light and sound show after sunset which will take you to the spectacular journey of Ashoka, Gautam Buddha, and more. Sitting under a star-lit sky and open gardens, I say, this grandeur is worth seeing at least once! (Caution: There is also a laser show in the evenings in nearby Buddha Jambudweep Park. We were pretty unimpressed by that one and in my opinion, can be passed.)  

                         Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to cover everything as we had reached just a few mins before sunset, but if you are visiting Madhya Pradesh, I highly recommend you visit Sanchi Stupas at least once! 

Credits:

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/524/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanchi

https://www.britannica.com/place/Great-Stupa-Buddhist-monument-Sanchi-India