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FACTS
& FIGURES
Built in :3rd century B.C. to the 12th century
A.D
Built by : Mauryan Emperor Ashoka
Location :
Sanchi
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi
Sanchi is known for its masterpieces of Buddhist art - Buddhist stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars dating from the 3rd century B.C. to the 12th century A.D. The site consists of mainly three stupas.
The most famous of the stupas -
Stupa NO. 1 :- is a hemispherical dome, crowned by a triple umbrella, 36.60 meters in diameter. A railing encircles the stupa cut by four exquisitely carved gateways or tornas. The torana consists of two upright pillars that are square in shape and support of two upright pillars that are square i shape and support a super structure of three architraves with volute ends. Both sides of the architraves as well as various faces of the upright pillars are sculpted with depiction of religious subjects, elephants dwarfs of ganas (attendants) lions, auspicious emblems, vriksha devatas (symbolising different types of trees), incidents and stories from the life of the Buddha.
Stupa No. 2 :- consists of the Buddhist symbols like the Bodhi tree, a throne and the wheel of law. There are elaborate carvings on the pillars flanking the entrances. Some of them are lions supporting a Chakra (wheel), vidyadhars (bearers of wisdom) bringing garlands and the wish fulfilling wine.
Temple 17 consists of a flat roofed square sanctum with a portico supported on four solid pillars. Nearby is the 2nd century B.C. Heliodoruspillar, the 5th century A.D. Udaygiri cave and monuments at Vidisha, all within a ten kilometers radius.
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