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On the Buddha's trail
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The stupas here are a must see even if you don't have religion on your mind, says SMITA TRIPATHI
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STUPEFYING SPLENDOUR The Great Stupa at Sanchi and (below) the stupa at Sarnath
The last week of April saw me travelling to Bhopal and Varanasi for some family commitments. Since I had not been to these cities previously, I welcomed the chance to visit Sanchi, 68 km from Bhopal, and Sarnath, 12 km from Varanasi. I have recently developed an interest in Buddhism and have been reading on the subject. So an opportunity to visit two of the most famous stupas was one I was glad to make use of.
The Buddhist town of Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh is unique since it not only has the most perfect and well preserved stupas, but also offers the visitor a chance to see in one location the genesis, flowering and the decay of Buddhist art and architecture during a period of about 1,500 years (3rd Century BC to 12th Century AD) — almost covering the entire range of Indian Buddhism. This is most surprising since Sanchi is not blessed by any incident in the Buddha's life nor was it the focus of any significant event in the history of Buddhism.
Magnificent structure
Although there are ruins of several stupas on the hill of Sanchi, the most magnificent and well preserved is the Great Stupa, which is a nearly perfect hemispherical dome, topped by a triple `parasol' set within a square railing. The Great Stupa was commissioned by Emperor Asoka in the 3rd Century BC. In the 1st Century BC, it was expanded with stone slabs to almost twice its original size. The dome is set on a high circular drum meant for circumambulation, which can be accessed via a double staircase.
A second stone-paved path at ground level is enclosed by a stone balustrade. This path is accessed from the cardinal directions through four exquisitely carved gateways or `toranas.' These gateways are the finest examples of Buddhist art in India and were erected around 1st Century BC. The scenes carved into the pillars are of episodes from the life of the Buddha integrated with everyday events that are familiar to the onlookers. On these stone carvings the Buddha is never depicted as a human figure. Instead the artists have represented him by certain attributes, such as the horse on which he left his father's home, his footprints, the chakra or the wheel of law and a canopy under the bodhi tree.
It was only much later during the rule of the Guptas, somewhere around 450 AD, that the Buddha was depicted in his human figure. Four stone statues of the Buddha were placed against the walls of the stupa. Of these only one remains in perfect condition.
Pali inscriptions
An interesting thing to note at Sanchi are the names of various people inscribed in Pali on stone slabs. In the case of Sanchi, it was the local population, which donated money towards the embellishment of the stupa. These people then got their names inscribed on the stone slabs, much like modern times where a stone slab is placed in front of a monument detailing the name of the donor. The Asoka pillar which was erected right outside the stupa is now in ruins and the pillar head showing the four lions is housed in the Sanchi museum. The museum itself is a disappointment since hardly any information regarding the various exhibits is provided. However, if you'd like to really know about the monument and are interested in archaeology, visit the circuit house where the complete findings of Sir John Marshal who restored the structure to its present condition between 1912 and 1919 are available in original, complete with his notes, in three large bound volumes.
Although Sanchi is undoubtedly the most well preserved Buddhist site and a must-see for lovers of Buddhist art and architecture, the government doesn't seem to be doing enough to promote it. The site was declared a World Heritage Site in 1998 and receives around 1 lakh Buddhist tourists from across the world annually.
Most of the guides, though fluent in Hindi, speak only a smattering of English, and foreign languages such as Japanese and Korean are non-existent. There are very few signboards informing the visitor about the significance of the stupa and these too are in `shuddh' Hindi. Forget foreigners, even Indians from the southern States will have a problem comprehending the importance of Sanchi or for that matter finding their way around the site.
In sharp contrast to the lack of tourist-friendly facilities at Sanchi, is Sarnath where the official guides speak not only Hindi and English but are also fluent in languages such as Japanese.
Sarnath is a small Buddhist village on the outskirts of Varanasi and is one of the four most important pilgrimage centres for Buddhists. It was at Sarnath that the Buddha gave his first sermon. After the hustle and bustle of Varanasi, Sarnath greets you like a breath of fresh air.
This little village houses around 12,000 foreign nationals and also has the Institute of Higher Buddhist Studies, where 200 young monks practise and study the many aspects of the Buddha's teachings. Also in the vicinity are Burmese, Chinese and Tibetan temples as well as a Tibetan monastery.
Sarnath is dominated by the Dhamekha Stupa. In 1834, Alexander Cunningham bore a shaft from the top centre of the stupa and discovered a stone tablet on which was an inscription with the word Dhamekha, and which mentioned that this was the spot where the Buddha delivered his first sermon. Dhamekha seems to be a distorted form of Dharma Chakra, which means turning the wheel of the Dharma. It is also said that at this spot the five ascetics who left the Buddha in Bodh Gaya used to live in huts. The original stupa was constructed by Asoka sometime in the 3rd Century BC. However, the present stupa was constructed in the 5th Century AD. The present size of the stupa is 31.3 m high and 28.3 m in diameter. The lower portion of the stupa is covered with beautifully carved stones depicting geometric and floral patterns and the figures of humans and birds.
A treasure trove
In 1922, Anagarika Dharmapala, a Sri Lankan Buddhist, laid the foundation of a temple named Mulgandhakuti Vihara at the site where the Buddha meditated. It enshrines relics of the Buddha, which were discovered at Taxila. The interior has frescoes painted by a Japanese artist in 1932-35.
Unlike the museum at Sanchi, the Sarnath Museum is a treasure trove of Buddhist sculptures, inscriptions and pottery. Some of the finest images of the Buddha and panels depicting important episodes from his life made during the Gupta period are on display.
But the most magnificent of the exhibits is the Lion Capital, which was the head of the Asoka Pillar, with four lions facing the four cardinal directions. This is in almost perfect condition with only one lion slightly damaged.
The other exhibit definitely worth a dekko is a beautiful image of a serene Buddha, the smiling lips and half shut eyelids creating an aura of compassion and meditative calm. Six figures kneel at his feet and the decorated halo behind his head has two flying celestial figures among the floral patterns. This is one of the finest examples of the Mathura School of Art.
Sanchi and Sarnath are definitely worth visiting, even if you don't have religion on your mind.
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