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The Mauryan Empire, which controlled ancient India before the Christian era, is one of the world’s earliest known empires. It is also renowned as one of India’s few empires that produced some of the country’s greatest rulers who strived for its upliftment and progress. Various historical monuments from the Mauryan Empire kings demonstrate their ambition and commitment to the country. With their capital at Pataliputra, modern-day Bihar, they attempted to expand their empire in the northwestern portions of the country, eventually reigning over more than half of the country during King Ashoka’s reign.
Sanchi Stupa
History:
Ashoka, the founder of the Maurya dynasty, one of the world’s greatest kings, placed the basic foundation of Sanchi Stupa. He ordered the construction of stupas to transport Lord Buddha’s human bones in the third century BCE. The central chamber of this gigantic hemispherical dome, which stands 54 feet tall, contains Buddha’s relics.
The current Sanchi Stupa is a hemispherical building with a double diameter. Queen Devi, Ashoka’s wife, and Vidisha, their daughter, oversaw the monument’s construction. A pillar made up of sandstone bearing the writings of Ashoka’s Schism Edict and intricate spiral Brahmi letters depicting conch shells known as ‘Shankhalipi’ can also be seen. The lower section of the Sanchi Stupa design remains on the ground, while a Chattra canopy covers the upper part.
In 185 BCE, Pushyamitra Shunga, Mauryan Empire’s commander, assassinated Brihadratha Maurya, the last Mauryan Empire king, and formed the Shunga Dynasty. The Stupa is thought to have been demolished during the Shunga Dynasty’s reign in the second century BCE. Agnimitra, his son, later renovated it.
During the rule of the Shunga Dynasty, the Stupa was roughly doubled in size from its original dimensions. The real brick Stupa was covered by a flattened dome of stone slabs. Three shield structures are overlaid on the dome, symbolising Dharma’s ‘Wheel of Law.’ The dome’s seat is a tall, spherical drum that can be accessed through a double stairway.
Architecture:
The architecture of Sanchi Stupa is admired across the globe. This location is also surrounded by some of Bhopal’s most fascinating sights. The main characteristics of Sanchi Stupa are listed below:
- The domed structure green Anda represents the heap of soil that covered the remains of Lord Buddha.
- The oldest Stupas housed the Buddha’s genuine relics, kept in a relic chamber called taberna, buried deep within the anda.
- With time, the semicircular mound has taken on the symbolic meaning of the gods’ mountain home in the globe’s centre.
- The mound of soil is surrounded by a square railing, indicating a consecrated burial area.
- The Chattra was removed from the weather-protecting umbrella built over the mound.
- The centre pillar that carries the umbrella was designed to reflect the pivot of the universe as the symbolic value of Anda grew over time.
Where is Sanchi Stupa?
The Sanchi Stupa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site 46 kilometres northeast of Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, is a key monument in charting the evolution of Indian architecture beginning with the Maurya dynasty. The Great Stupa in Sanchi, with its four decorative torans or entrances, attracts people from all over the globe who spend many hours marvelling at this Buddhist architectural wonder and the beauty of its statues. Because Sanchi is only a short distance from Bhopal, most people prefer to rent a cab to get to the Stupa complex because it is the quickest and most convenient method to get from the state capital.
Dhamek Stupa:
History:
Upon Lord Buddha’s enlightenment, his mortal remains were dispersed and buried under eight mounds. The embers and urn were buried under two more mounds for ten such monuments containing Lord Buddha’s relics. Although it was difficult to locate the original ten mounds containing Lord Buddha’s relics due to a lack of appropriate information about such ancient monuments, the Stupas at Sanchi and Sarnath are elaborative and aesthetic extensions of two such ancient mounds.
Architecture:
- This huge Stupa is shaped like a cylinder and is constructed of red bricks and stone, with the lower portion covered in artistically attractive carved stones.
- The Stupa’s foundation is thought to be from the Ashokan dynasty. The construction is encased in sandstone until it reaches a height of 11.2 m, with niches facing eight directions that may have formerly held images.
- Fine flower carvings adorn the stone facing beneath the niches, demonstrating a high level of stone artistry from the Gupta Dynasty.
Conclusion
The old palace at Pataliputra, present Kumhrar in Patna, was the grandest monument of this time, built during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya. Excavations have uncovered the ruins of the palace, which was supposed to be a collection of buildings, the most notable of which was an enormous pillared hall built on a high substratum of wood. There are 80 columns, each roughly 7 metres tall. According to Megasthenes’ eyewitness description, the palace was made mostly of wood. It was thought to outshine the palaces of Susa and Ecbatana in terms of splendour and beauty, with gilded pillars ornamented with golden vines and silver birds.
