The Great Stupa of Sanchi

Recently, India's External Affairs Minister visited the replica of the east gate of Sanchi’s great stupa located in the Humbouldt Forum Museum, Berlin.

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Key Facts

• The Sanchi Stupa is a Buddhist monument in the Sanchi village of Madhya Pradesh.
• It was commissioned in the 3rd century BCE by Emperor Ashoka to enshrine the relics of Buddha and symbolise the Buddhist faith.
• It is a Buddhist commemorative monument consisting of sacred relics of the Buddha and other saints.
• It was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989.
• A railing and four gateways surround the stupa, each decorated with intricate carvings and sculptures depicting stories from the life of Buddha. 
• The main body of the Sanchi stupa symbolises the cosmic mountain in Buddhist cosmology.
  • It is topped by a ‘harmika’ to hold the triple umbrella, or ‘chhatraveli’, which represents the three jewels of Buddhism – the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.