Page 8 - apr-Jun 2020

Splendid Sanchi – The Great Stupa

The earliest architectural form in India associated with a religion is the stupa, built
in the 3rd century BCE. Sanchi has the best preserved stupa complex belonging to WORLD
the Buddhist Architecture.
RECOGNITION
Samiksha Dey, VIII B, Global Indian International School, Ahmedabad; Yash Chaudhary, VIII C, Greenwood Sr.
Sec. School, Rahe Raza, Rampur; Angel, VIII, Balwant Rai Mehta Vidya Bhawan, ASMA, GK II, New Delhi; Prabhat
Maurya, VIII C, Vidyagyan School, Sitapur Sanchi comprises of a
collection of 50 Buddhist
DESCRIPTION CHATTRA HARMIKA monuments – stupas,
temples, monasteries, and
A stupa is a memorial containing the relics of the
RELIC monolithic pillars. It was
Buddha and his great disciples. Sanchi has three
declared a UNESCO World
stupas – Great Stupa 1, Stupa 2, and Stupa 3 –
Heritage Site in 1989.
made of locally quarried sandstone.
The Great Stupa 1 is about 54 ft in height with a
dome that is 120 feet in diameter. MEDHI
Vibhash Singh, VII C, Delhi Public School, Mandla Road, Jabalpur
PARIKRAMA ANDA
PATH
HARMIKA
YASHTI
CHATTRA Square-shaped railing
Central pillar for the cosmic
A triple umbrella structure representing that surrounds the sacred
the Three Jewels of Buddhism – the axis to support the chattra. burial site.
Buddha, the dharma (doctrine), and
the sangha (community).
ANDA

Dome-shaped solid-
MEDHI core structure that
Circular terrace which covers the remains of
supports the anda. the Buddha.

PARIKRAMA PATH ACTIVITY:
ANDA STORY
Pathway around the
‘Anda’ means egg in
anda for parikrama or
circumambulation. Sanskrit. Why did the stupa
have this shape? Explain in your own
words.

TORANAS ACTIVITY: TORANA

These are gateways TALES
placed on the four
Here is a picture of the North
cardinal directions in
Gate pillar. With the help of the
which Buddhism spread. The
given keywords, fi nd out the story
South Gate, the main entry of
being depicted here.
the stupa, was built fi rst. There
are numerous tales from the KEYWORDS: Monkey, Buddha,
Jatakas found on these pillars. Honey

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