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MP Tour
Sanchi, on a small hill-rise, about 46Kms north of Bhopal is the site of the oldest & most interesting Buddhist structures in India. Emporer Ashoka built the first Stupas here in 3rd century BC and great many were added later over the succeeding centuries.
6th December 2006, Tuesday:
I started from Sehore's Crescent Hotel at 7:30am and headed East towards Bhopal on NH-86. Some 20-25 Kms before Bhopal took a bye-pass to Raisena and so headed straight to Sanchi, avoiding congested Bhopal.
The road beyond Raisena was very bad and rutted all the way to Sanchi. My car, being relatively new, survived a breakdown! I reached Sanchi at 10:20 am and went straight to the hillock on which the Sanchi's Buddhist Stupas are located.
Eastern Gateway
Buddha panel on Main Stupa
Southern Toran with 4 back-to-back lions and depicts scences from Ashoka's life as a Buddhist
Rear face of North Toran
Two pieces of Ashoka Pillar (10) erected by Ashoka close to Southern Gateway of Great Stupa
A 7th Century Chaitya Temple ruins - similar in style to Greek-column buildings
Sceneces on Pillar in North Toran - Monkey offering bowl of honey to Buddha (bo-tree) and Miracle of Sravasti etc.
Great Stupa and North Toran (Gateway)
Eastern Toran with Yakshi hanging out from 3rd Architrave
Western Toran - architraves supported by pot-bellied dwarfs
Rear face of West Toran - Buddha undergoing "Temptation of Mara"
Closeup view of delicately carved Yakshi hanging - North Toran
Monastery Ruins at Sanchi
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After spending more than an hour at Sanchi (10:20 to 11:30am) I drove away further north to Vidisha arriving at Vidisha Museum at 11:50am (see those details in next Vidisha page).
See all Sanchi Pics on Flickriver: Sanchi
BTW: If you want to see the fine details of the carved figures in the sculptures then set the 'Photo Size' button to "Large" on the Flickriver page (top Left Hand Corner).
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