Sanchi - The end of suffering

Suffering, sadness, struggle and heartburn may arise from any quarter. They don’t tell us in advance that they are coming. There is no preparedness we can ever have for them.

For an Emperor fighting his battle of Kalinga, Ashoka would have never imagined that he would undergo such a change of heart, when he saw the battle field strewn with the renascence of bloody bodies. It was a moment of awakening that gave rise to his conversion to Buddhism and the building of Sanchi, which today is a world heritage site.

Sanchi, known as Kakanaya, Kakanava, Kakanadabota and Bota Sri Parvata in ancient times, has Buddhist art and architecture right from the early Mauryan period (circa 3^rd century BC) to 12^th century AD.

Emperor Ashoka (circa 273 -236 BC) created a few of the monuments here, like Mahastupa, the monolithic pillar with the characteristic polish and a monastery atop the hill at the insistence of his queen who was from Vidisha. During the Sunga times, many edifices were raised in the surrounding hills as well. In the 1^st century B.C, the Andhra-Satavahanas, who had extended their sway over the eastern Malwa, built elaborately the gateways to the stupas. From 2^nd to 4^th century AD, Sanchi and Vidisha were under the Kushanas and Kshatrapas and subsequently passed on to the Guptas. From 14^th century onwards Sanchi remained forgotten till in 1818, General Taylor rediscovered the site.

It is a few great Englishmen, Captain Johnson (1822), General A. Cunningham and Captain F C Maisay (1851), Major Cole (1881) and Sir John Marshall (1912 – 1919) who explored and excavated and conserved the monuments. Thanks to these few brave and dedicated men, we as Indians see and rejoice in what might be called - a symbol of the end of suffering for Emperor Ashoka and his turning to Buddhism.

This post will never be complete without reference to what Buddha said with regard to suffering:

The Four Noble Truths

1. Life means suffering.

2. The origin of suffering is attachment.

3. The cessation of suffering is attainable.

4. The path to the cessation of suffering.

View more pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.co.in/juliadutta/SanchiWorldHeritageSite#

Note: All pictures from my web album may be used without my permission but I request you to please credit me for them, as well as quote my blog: juliadutta.blogspot.com

Getting there:

Sanchi is in Raisen district 45kms northeast of Bhopal. Vidisha which was the capital of ancient Akara region is about 10km northeast of Sanchi

Single auto: Rs 100 from Vidisha but you can get off at Sanchi station and walk right out and take an Autorickshaw at Rs 30 to the Stupa.
You can reach Vidisha from Bhopal by train ( Rs 33 for general compartment which I strongly dissuade travelers. Book your ticket in advance with reservation to avoid being crushed by fellow homo-sapiens.

Return the same way or even by bus Rs 25

Entry: Indians: Rs 10; non-Indians: Rs 100

Where to stay:

MP Tourism Gateway Cafeteria Tel: 07482-266743, 266906 Tariff: Rs 200 per bed per person. Rs 400 for full room. The beds are bunks, one below and one on top. The rooms have an attached bath. Meals, veg and non-veg are available on request and can range from Rs 50 – 300

Maha Bodhi Society of Srilanka Tel 07482-266699, 266739 Website: www.sanchi.co.in Tariff: Rs 100 – 1500.

India - The Good Earth

The colours, vibrancy, moods and diversity of India makes me love her with passionate obsession of a lover whose very life depends on the fervent expression of his love to his beloved, in many ways, physically, emotionally spiritually. As if he were lost and totally given to the passion burning in his heart and soul, his groins and his brain.

India is this and much more to me.

I often wonder, why I choose to be born in India and not in England? Why in India and not in Tibet? For all these countries, have, also been my home in some life or the other. I know it in my veins and when the words arise from my being, I know, I am not only an Indian but many countries in one.

Yet, it gives me pride to say, I am Indian. And my thirst is quenched, when her earth is drenched with the torrential rain of the monsoon. These waters from the sky have another message of love for me. Like gallons of pouring emotions forever falling over parched and hungry body of desire. That is why perhaps they say, it never rains, but it pours.

So let it rain over my longing to have been on this part of the earth. This land of diversity, its peoples and its cultures, its many languages and religions which come together in a medley of all that I can ever want. And so it has been my tryst with life in India this time, a dash of joy, laughter in the air, and a bath in the same river of spirituality which has wed with the zest for life as well.

Zorba, the Buddha, a better way to mean what I stand for today – deeply entrenched in the many colours, vibrancy, moods and diversity of India and at the same time, totally detached to it too, in a spiritual way.

And now I know why I chose India to be my home.

I love the contrast, the black and white, the colour and the lack of it, the materialistic and the spiritual, the complete opposites, all in one place. It’s so enchanting, so captivating, so engrossing, this, my India.

Like a woman’s bosom, the more you nestle against it, the more she sucks you in.

More pictures: http://picasaweb.google.co.in/juliadutta/NovemberInShimla#