Sanchi Stupa: History, Toranas and the Three Stupas Explained | Rooftop

The Great Stupa at Sanchi began as a brick mound about half its present size. Ashoka had it raised in the 3rd century BCE on a hill near Vidisha, the town his wife Devi came from. Almost everything visitors travel to see was added later:

• the stone casing in the 2nd century BCE
• the four carved gateways around the 1st century BCE
• four seated Buddhas in the 5th century CE

The Buddha never lived or taught at Sanchi. It mattered because the merchants, monks and craft guilds of Vidisha kept paying for it, generation after generation. The concept of the stupa later spread across the Buddhist world, influencing structures in Sri Lanka, Java, Tibet, China, Korea and Japan.

Sanchi at a glance

Sanchi is in Raisen district, Madhya Pradesh, about 48 km from Bhopal. Around fifty monuments stand on the hill, including three main stupas and several temples. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1989. General Henry Taylor reported the site in 1818, and John Marshall restored it between 1912 and 1919.

How the Great Stupa is built

The stupa is a prime example of Buddhist architecture, reflecting the style influenced by the religion. Originally constructed from large bricks, it is believed that terraces at the base were once enclosed by wooden railings, later replaced by stone railings during the Sunga period when larger versions were built using local sandstone. The hemispherical design of the stupa is thought to have originated from pre-Buddhist burial mounds. Its dome is adorned with a 'harmika,' a structure holding a triple umbrella or _'chhatravali,' symbolising the Three Jewels of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. The stupa stands on a circular base, supporting a massive solid dome, from which an umbrella projects.

The parts have names you will see on site signs:

• anda, the dome
• medhi, the raised terrace
• harmika, the railed box on top
• chhatra, the umbrellas
• vedika, the railing
• pradakshina patha, the walkway for circling clockwise

At ground level, there is a path surrounded by stone balustrades. The structure also features four intricately carved gateways, known as toranas, added in the 1st century BC. These toranas are the architectural highlights of the stupa. Each torana has two vertical pillars and three horizontal bars, with sculptural decorations on both sides. The carvings depict significant symbols of Buddhism, historical events from Buddha’s life, and religious scenes.Interestingly, Buddha is represented symbolically rather than in human form, appearing as a riderless horse, an umbrella, an empty throne, the Bodhi tree or footprints. The four seated Buddhas facing the entrances were added much later, in the 5th century CE. The southern gateway is renowned for its aesthetic proportions, structural balance, and features a depiction of the Ashoka pillar. Dedicated by the guild of ivory carvers from Vidisha, the inscription reads: 'Vedisehi dantakarehi rupadamam katam,' meaning "The ivory carvers from Vidisha have done the carving."

The four toranas and what each shows

The gateways went up one after another: south first, then north, east and west.

South gateway. This was the main entrance, and Ashoka's pillar stands beside it. An inscription records it as the gift of Ananda, foreman of the artisans of the Satavahana king Satakarni.

North gateway. This is the best preserved. Its lowest architrave tells the Vessantara Jataka, the prince who gave away everything he owned.

East gateway. It shows the Great Departure, the Buddha leaving his palace, marked only by a riderless horse. It also has the yakshi, a tree spirit leaning out from the pillar as a bracket figure.

West gateway. It shows the Chhaddanta Jataka, the six-tusked elephant, and the War of the Relics, the kings who fought over the Buddha's ashes.

Sanchi Stupa I

Stupa 1 is a dome about 36 metres across and over 16 metres high. This hemispherical dome spans about 36 metres in diameter and rises over 16 metres in height. Built by Emperor Ashoka, it is the first and most prominent stupa at Sanchi. Originally constructed from large bricks, the stupa was later encased in local sandstone, reflecting the architectural transition from wood to stone. Over time, the structure evolved, with stone encasing, pathways, and balustrades added, along with modifications in the mid-2nd century B.C. such as terraced stairs and additional balustrades, finally in the 5th century A.D., four monumental Buddha images were installed, embodying a sense of quiet meditation and spiritual sanctity. No relics of the Buddha have been found in Stupa 1. Sanchi's relics come from Stupas 2 and 3.

Sanchi Stupa II

Situated on a serene artificial terrace, it exudes a sense of quiet isolation, with intricate carvings dating back to around 115 B.C. These carvings offer some of the earliest examples of Buddhist stone art. The balustrades display a array of decorative motifs, including depictions of flora, fauna, and figures that reflect the spiritual and symbolic world of early Buddhist culture. Animals such as elephants, lions, and horses are carved into the stone, with horsemen using stirrups – considered the earliest known representation of stirrups in Indian art. Stupa also features demigods, human figures, and a blend of real and mythological creatures. A relic chamber within the stupa contains a sandstone box with inscribed caskets, an important discovery shedding light on the ancient Indian cult of relic worship. The relics, attributed to ten saints, highlight the reverence not only for the Buddha but also for his disciples, including Kasapagota, Majhima, and Mogaliputa. This tradition of enshrining saintly remains suggests a growing evolution in the Buddhist practice of relic worship.

Sanchi Stupa III

It is located just north of Stupa 1 and mirrors many architectural elements of its neighbour. While its gateway is not as grand, it shares several design motifs and principles with Stupa 1. The balustrades of Stupa 3 offer a unique glimpse into the intersection of art and history, with inscriptions revealing that the stairway balustrades of both Stupas were donated by the same individual, highlighting a unified vision in their construction. One of the most remarkable discoveries at Stupa 3 was the relics of the Buddha’s foremost disciples, Sariputra and Maudgalyayana, uncovered by Alexander Cunningham during his excavation. Sariputra’s casket contained fragments of bone alongside beads made from precious materials like pearl, garnet, lapis lazuli, crystal, and amethyst, adding a layer of symbolic reverence. Similarly, Maudgalyayana’s casket held two bone fragments, inscribed and encased with equal sacred care. Alexander Cunningham and Frederick Maisey opened Stupa 3 in 1851, and the caskets went to London. They came back after Independence and were enshrined on 30 November 1952 in the Chetiyagiri Vihara, the modern temple on the hill.

Ashoka's pillar and Temple 17

Beside the south gateway lie the broken pieces of a polished sandstone pillar Ashoka set up, carrying one of his edicts. Its capital is kept in the site museum. A short walk away, Temple 17 is a small flat-roofed shrine with a pillared porch, built under the Guptas in the 5th century. It is one of the earliest free-standing temples in India.

Visiting Sanchi

• Getting there. Sanchi is about an hour by road from Bhopal. Vidisha is 10 km away, and the Gupta-period Udayagiri caves make a natural pairing.
• Opening hours. The site is open from sunrise to sunset.
• Tickets. The ASI ticket is ₹40 for Indians and ₹600 for foreigners, and children under 15 enter free.
• Museum. The archaeological museum at the foot of the hill has a separate small fee and is closed on Fridays.
• When to go. October to March, early in the morning. The last Sunday of November is relic day, when the caskets are shown at the Chetiyagiri Vihara and the hill fills with monks and pilgrims.
• How long. Allow two to three hours. Walk the pradakshina path clockwise.

Rediscovery and restoration

The present site of Sanchi was rediscovered and preserved under the guidance of Sir John Marshall, then Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India. In 1989, the Great Stupa and other Buddhist monuments at Sanchi were recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The stupa dome reappears in New Delhi, where the Rashtrapati Bhavan dome is said to draw on Sanchi. That building also belongs to the colonial style covered in Indo-Saracenic architecture.