The Great Stupa of Sanchi

Context: In December 2022, the Humboldt Forum Museum in Berlin, Germany, unveiled an intricately designed red sandstone gateway, a 1:1 replica of the original East Gate of Sanchi's Great Stupa. At nearly 10 metres tall, 6 metres wide, and weighing around 150 tonnes, this reproduction reflects the detailed craftsmanship of the ancient structure. Its significance was highlighted by a visit from India's External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, emphasizing the ongoing cultural dialogue between India and Germany.

Stupa

• A stupa is a commemorative monument usually containing sacred relics of the Buddha or other venerable saints.
• The archetypal/typical stupa is a hemispherical structure, whose origins can be traced to pre-Buddhist burial mounds found in India.
• The Great Stupa of Sanchi exemplifies this form. 

Sanchi Stupa:

• Location: Raisen District of Madhya Pradesh.
• The Sanchi complex was in a state of profound disrepair when it was first encountered by British officer Henry Taylor in 1818.
• This discovery led to a renewed interest in the site, which was subsequently formally surveyed and excavated by Alexander Cunningham, the founder of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), in 1851. 
• The restoration of the site to its current condition was overseen by ASI Director-General John Marshall during the 1910s, with crucial financial support from the Begums of Bhopal.
• The most recent construction in Sanchi can be dated to as late as the twelfth century CE.
• The Great Stupa is one of the oldest standing stone structures in India, believed to have been built over the Buddha’s relics.
• The development of the Sanchi complex was supported by patronage from Vidisha’s mercantile community.
• The Great Stupa and Sanchi's other Buddhist monuments were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1989. 
• The Sanchi Stupa is featured on the reverse side of the ₹200 Indian currency note to highlight its significance as a cornerstone of Indian cultural heritage.

Commissioned by Emperor Ashoka: 

• The Sanchi Stupa was originally commissioned by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE.
• The initial design of the stupa featured a simple hemispherical brick dome constructed over the relics of the Buddha.
• This early form was crowned with a Chatra, a symbolizing high rank, intended to honour and protect the sacred relics of Buddha. 
• Ashoka’s wife Devi was a merchant’s daughter from nearby Vidisha and a native of Sanchi, oversaw the construction.

Expansions:

• In the 1st century BCE, significant enhancements were made to the original stupa.
• Four elaborately carved Toranas (ornamental gateways) and a balustrade (railing or barrier supported by a series of vertical posts) encircling the structure were added.
• These additions marked the stupa’s transition from its Mauryan origins to a more ornate and decorative phase.

Structural developments: 

• Subsequent rulers, particularly the Shungas and Satavahanas, expanded and embellished the stupa.
• During the Shunga period, the stupa was significantly enlarged with stone slabs, increasing its size to nearly twice its original diameter.
• The dome was flattened near the top and crowned with three superimposed parasols, set within a square railing, symbolizing the Dharma, or Wheel of the Law.
• The high circular drum supporting the dome was designed for circumambulation (Pradakshinapath) and accessible via a double staircase, complemented by a stone balustrade enclosing a second pathway at ground level.
• The railings surrounding Stupa 1, dating to around 150 BCE or 175–125 BCE, are composed of plain stone slabs with dedicatory inscriptions.
• These railings, though made of stone, mimic a wooden prototype, evident from the slanted joints resembling those in wood rather than vertical cuts typical of stonework.
• The railings also feature short donor inscriptions in Brahmi script, with additional inscriptions added during the Gupta Period.

Satavahana contributions: 

• The Satavahana Empire, under the rule of Satakarni II, conquered eastern Malwa from the Shungas, gaining control over the Sanchi site.
• The Satavahanas are credited with constructing the ornate gateways around the original Mauryan and Shunga stupas.
• The 1st century BCE saw the introduction of highly decorated gateways, which were also coloured.
• An inscription in Brahmi script, the Siri-Satakani inscription, commemorates the donation of one of the top lintels of the Southern Gateway by the artisans of King Satakarni II, reflecting the ongoing patronage and cultural significance of the site.

Gateways of the Great Stupa:

• The Great Stupa at Sanchi is renowned not just for its hemispherical dome crowned with a chhatra (parasol) but also for its intricately carved ornamental gateways or toranas.
• These gateways, constructed in the first century BCE during the Satavahana dynasty, serve as remarkable illustrations of Buddhist art and iconography.
• The Stupa is surrounded by four toranas, each oriented towards one of the cardinal directions.
• These gateways are composed of two square pillars topped with capitals, which support a superstructure.
• The pillars and lintels are adorned with elaborate bas reliefs and sculptures depicting scenes from the Buddha’s life, stories from the Jataka Tales, and other Buddhist motifs. 

1. Southern gateway: 

• The Southern Gateway, the first of the four to be erected, is situated directly in front of the steps leading to the stupa’s terrace.
• It is considered the main entrance to the stupa. 
• The decorations emphasize the role of Ashoka in spreading Buddhism.

2. Northern gateway: 

• The Northern Gateway, the second to be constructed, is the best-preserved of the four.
• It retains most of its original ornamental figures and provides a clear view of the artistic style used in all the gateways.
• This gateway features panels that narrate various events from the Buddha’s life.
• A notable atypical panel depicts foreigners making a dedication at the Southern Gateway. 

3. Eastern gateway: 

• The Eastern Gateway, constructed third, is particularly famous in Europe due to its plaster cast, created by Lieutenant Henry Hardy Cole in the late 1860s. This cast was widely distributed and displayed across Europe, including at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
• The upper lintel of the Eastern Gateway represents the seven Manushi Buddhas, with the historical Buddha being the latest.
• The middle lintel depicts the Great Departure, where Prince Siddhartha leaves Kapilavastu. 
• The lower lintel portrays Emperor Ashoka visiting the Bodhi tree.
• Decorative elements include shalabhanjika (fertility emblems represented by a yakshi grasping a tree branch), elephants, winged lions, and peacocks.

4. Western gateway: 

• The Western Gateway, the last of the four to be built, follows the same structural design as the other gateways, with two square pillars, capitals, and a superstructure of three architraves.