On a low hill overlooking the plains of Madhya Pradesh sits the Great Stupa of Sanchi — a solid brick and stone hemisphere 16 metres tall.
Commissioned by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE, it is one of the oldest stone structures in India and the earliest known example of Buddhist monumental architecture.
Ashoka’s Stupa
After the Kalinga War (c. 261 BCE), Ashoka renounced violence and embraced Buddhism. His conversion transformed the subcontinent — and Sanchi is one of its most enduring symbols.
Ashoka enshrined relics of the Buddha here and erected a modest brick stupa. Later Shunga and Satavahana rulers enlarged it in stone and added the elaborate railings and gateways we see today.
The Four Toranas
The four toranas (gateways) at the cardinal directions, carved between 50 BCE and 50 CE, are Sanchi’s glory. They are covered in reliefs depicting Jataka tales, scenes from the Buddha’s life and everyday Mauryan-era existence.
Notably, the Buddha himself is never shown in human form here — only symbolically, as a footprint, a Bodhi tree, a wheel or an empty throne. This "aniconic" tradition would give way to human Buddha imagery in the following centuries.
The Wider Complex
Sanchi has 51 monuments in total, spread across a 100-metre hilltop: several smaller stupas, monasteries, an Ashoka pillar and the remains of temples.
Stupa No. 3 nearby contains the relics of Sariputta and Mahamoggallana, two of the Buddha’s closest disciples. The site has been continuously venerated for over 2,200 years.
Visiting
Sanchi is 46 km northeast of Bhopal. Open daily. The site is compact and can be seen in 2–3 hours.
Best combined with Bhimbetka (rock shelter paintings 30,000 years old) and Udayagiri Caves.