1.9: Great Stupa at Sanchi
- Page ID
- 359655
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Artist: Commissioned by Emperor Ashoka
Medium: Stone, brick, and plaster
Art Historical Time Period: Maurya and later dynasties (original c. 250 BCE, expanded later
The Great Stupa at Sanchi is one of the most important Buddhist monuments in India. A stupa is a hemispherical mound used as a place of meditation and a reliquary that holds sacred relics. The Sanchi stupa is believed to enshrine the relics of the Buddha himself. It was commissioned by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE as part of his promotion of Buddhism throughout his empire.
The stupa’s design is deeply symbolic. The circular shape represents the universe and the cycle of life, death, and rebirth (samsara). The central pillar at the top symbolizes the axis of the world. Four gateways (toranas), each facing a cardinal direction, are elaborately carved with scenes from the life of the Buddha and Jataka tales — stories of his previous lives. Worshippers walk clockwise around the stupa in a ritual called circumambulation to meditate and accumulate merit.
The Great Stupa is significant because it merges architecture, symbolism, and storytelling. It played a major role in shaping Buddhist art and influenced stupa designs across Asia. Its carvings are among the earliest examples of narrative relief sculpture in Indian art.
Vocabulary
- Stupa – A mound-like structure used for Buddhist worship and relics.
- Circumambulation – Walking around a sacred object or structure as a form of devotion.
Student Authors
- Natalia Jimenez ’24 and Victor Sanchez ’25
References and Image Attribution
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