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The Buddhist stupa at Sanchi

Sanchi is the site of a great Buddhist stupa. It is located in Madhya Pradesh, India, about 9 km southwest of Vidisha and 46 km from Bhopal.

[edit] Understand

History

Vidisha was the capital city of the ancient Malwa kingdom. Over the years, many Buddhist monuments were constructed within a 20 kilometre radius of Vidisha.

The emperor Asoka married a woman from Vidisha. He built for her the Caityagiri Vihara at Sanchi. Their son the arahant Mahinda set out from this place to convert Sri Lanka. Their daughter Sanghamitta set off from here with a sapling of the sacred Bo-tree from Bodhgaya, which was planted in Anuradhapura: the Sri Mahabodhi which is the oldest recorded tree in the world.

The Sanchi stupas date from the third century BC and are some of the best preserved historical monuments in India. There is no direct connection between Sanchi and the Buddha. The seventh century Chinese traveler Huen Tsang, who journeyed across India and wrote in detail about Buddhist monuments in India does not even mention Sanchi in his travelogues.

Yet Sanchi is a must-see on every Buddhist's pilgrimage of Buddhist holy sites.

[edit] Get in

Just 46 km from Bhopal, which is very well connected to the rest of India. Your own vehicle is not a must, as any buses going to Ashta from Bhopal can drop you within half a kilometre of the Site. And everything, including the site and the lodging facilities, is within 1 square kilometre. Also, the Sanchi railway station is very close to the site.

[edit] Get around

Apart from the Stupas, and the nearby Archaeological Museum, there's not much to be seen in Sanchi. Around 15 km from Sanchi, Udaigiri Caves is another good-to-visit place.

[edit][add listing] See

The stupas site (of course) and the Archaeological Museum--they have some wonderful artifacts there.

[edit][add listing] Do

The Archeological Museum is a must-see. The history and historical artifacts from places around Sanchi. Metal-tools and beautiful sculptures as old as 2000 years make you think about that era.

The museum also showcases the history and revival of this place.

[edit][add listing] Buy

Within the stupas boundary, you can buy literature and maps for various tourism sites in MP.

[edit][add listing] Eat

Good north Indian, south Indian, continental, and Chinese food is available.

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

MP tourism has two very good lodging facilities with good, tasty MP food. The availability of rooms, however, can be an issue.

Apart from these government owned places, there are a couple of private ones also. The Mahabodhi Society of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi together administer the Sanchi Vandana Niketana, a pilgrims' rest house.

[edit] Get out