Sanchi Stupa

Sanchi Stupa, or the Great Stupa at Sanchi, is a Buddhist monument on a hilltop in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh, about 46 km from Bhopal. The Great Stupa was begun in the 3rd century BCE under the emperor Ashoka and enlarged over the following centuries, making Sanchi Stupa one of the oldest stone structures in India. The Buddhist monuments at Sanchi were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989.

Ashoka's brick stupa was later encased in stone and doubled in size, and around the 1st century BCE the four toranas, or gateways, were added. Their carvings tell the life of the Buddha and the Jataka tales without ever showing him in human form: he appears as a tree, a wheel, footprints or an empty throne. Sanchi had no link to events in the Buddha's own life, yet it stayed a monastic centre for over a thousand years. Forgotten after Buddhism declined, the site was brought to notice by a British officer in 1818 and restored in the early 20th century under John Marshall.

What to see

• The four carved toranas of the Great Stupa, especially the north gateway
• Stupa 3, where relics of two of the Buddha's leading disciples were found
• Stupa 2, set lower down the hill with carved railings
• The broken Ashokan pillar beside the south gateway
• Temple 17, a small Gupta-period shrine from the 5th century
• The ASI site museum with the pillar's lion capital

What to wear

Sanchi Stupa is an open hilltop with little shade, so wear light cotton, a hat and sunscreen, and walking shoes for the paths between monuments. Dress modestly and walk clockwise around the stupas as a mark of respect. Winter mornings from December to January are cool. In the villages of the Malwa region men often wear dhoti and a turban, and women sarees or lehenga with an odhni.

Local food to try

Most visitors eat in Bhopal, which has a strong Muslim food culture: try Bhopali gosht korma, biryani and seekh kebabs around Chatori Gali in the old city, with plenty of halal options. Breakfast in Madhya Pradesh means poha with jalebi, and dal bafla is the classic lunch. Sanchi itself has a few simple eateries and a state tourism cafeteria.

Good to know

• Best time: October to March; early morning light suits the gateway carvings
• Hours: daily, sunrise to sunset; the site museum closes on Fridays
• Entry: ASI ticket; foreign visitors pay a higher rate
• Allow 2 to 3 hours for the monuments and museum
• Getting there: about 46 km from Bhopal by road; Sanchi also has a small railway station
• Do not climb on the stupas or railings

Nearby places

Sanchi is often paired with the Khajuraho Temples, about 380 km north-east, and with Kanha National Park in the south of the state. Buddhist travellers may continue to the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya, the site of the Buddha's enlightenment.