|
Heliodorous Pillar
Close to the ruins are the remains of
votive pillars with palm-leaf capitals; the only one
that still stands is the Heliodorous Pillar, also known
as Khamba Baba. A monolithic, free-standing column, the
pillar bears an inscription which states that it was a
Garuda Pillar, raised in honour of Vasudeva by
Heliodorus, a resident of Taxila, who had been sent to
the court of Bhagabhadra as an envoy of the
Indo-Bactrian monarch, Antialkidas. This inscription is
a particularly valuable historical record, revealing
both the relations that existed between the region and
the Greek kingdoms of the Punjab, and the remarkable
fact that a Greek had become a follower of the Hindu god
Vishnu. The inclusion of the name of Antialkidas dates
the erection of the Pillar to approximately 140 BC.
Architecturally, the Pillar, with its
bell capital carrying a figured superstructure,
resembles the Ashoka Pillar, but is much smaller in
size, with more slender proportions. The lower portion
of the shaft is octagonal, the upper sixteen-sided, with
a panel above of thirty-two facets. The carvings have
Buddhist motifs such as a border with geese in pairs as
well as Hellenic ones such as the honeysuckle and the
bead -moulding.
Sonari and Satdhara
There
is a group of eight Stupas at Sonari, 10 km, on one of
which numerous relics are recorded. At Satdhara, 11 km
West of Sanchi, there are two stupas
Andher & Mural Khurd
17 and
12 km respectively. Ruins of ancient stupas can be seen
here.
Vidisha
Vidisha or Besnagar, as it is called in the Pali
scriptures, once the prosperous capital of the Western
dominions of the Sungas, contains some remarkable
antiques that throw light on the considerable
architectural development of the period.
Situated in the fork of the Betwa and Bes rivers,
Vidisha, 10 km from Sanchi, occupies an important place
among the ancient cities of India. In the 6th and 5th
centuries BC, it became an important trade centre and a
bustling city under the Sungas, Nagas, Satvahanas and
Guptas. The Emperor Ashoka was governor of Vidisha and
it finds mention in Kalidasa's immortal Meghdoot.
Deserted after the 6th century AD, it came into
prominence again as Bhilsa during the medieval period
(9th to 12th centuries AD). It later passed on to the
Malwa Sultans, the Mughals, and the Scindias.
The
ruins of a Brahmanical shrine at Vidisha dedicated to
Vishnu reveal that the foundation bricks were cemented
together with lime mortar, the first known example of
the use of cement in India. The ruins are what remain of
possibly the oldest known Brahmanical stone structure,
dated not later than 2nd century BC. Vidisha Museum has
a superb collection of Besnagar's earliest antiques,
dating from the Sunga period. 9th century sculptures and
terracotta objects, representing the art that flourished
under the Parmara patronage, are also well represented
here. Highlights of the collection from Besnagar are the
Surya Chamundi figures, the Yakshi and Ramagupta
inscriptions.
The Lohangi Rock, Gumbaz-ka-Maqbara
and
Bijamandal Mosque,
are also worth a visit.
Udaygiri Caves
13 km from Sanchi and 4 km from
Vidisha are a group of rock-cut cave sanctuaries carved
into a sandstone hill that stands sentinel-like on the
horizon. An inscription in one of these states that it
was produced during the region of Chandragupta II
(382-401 AD), thus dating these caves to 4th-5th century
AD.
The
caves possess all the distinctive features that gave
Gupta art its unique vitality, vigour and richness of
expression; the beautifully moulded capitals, the
treatment of the intercolumniation, the design of the
entrance way and the system of continuing the architrave
as a string-course around the structures.
They
have been numbered probably according to the sequence in
which they were excavated, beginning with Cave 1, which
has a frontage adapted out of a natural ledge of rock,
thus forming both the roof of the cave and its portico.
The row of four pillars bear the 'vase and foliage'
pattern of which the eminent art historian Percy Brown
so eloquently says: "the Gupta capital typifies a
renewal of faith, the water nourishing the plant
trailing from its brim, an allegory which has produced
the vase and flower motif one of the most graceful forms
in Indian architecture".
The
shrines are progressively more spacious and ornate. Cave
No.9 is remarkable for its large ceiling and massive, 8
feet high pillars, its long portico and pillared hall.
Throughout, there is evidence that the master craftsmen
of Besnagar practised their art with skill and artistry
under the Guptas, four centuries later. In Cave No.5, a
massive carving depicts Vishnu in his Varaha avatar,
aloft one tusk. Yet another stupendous sculptures is of
the reclining Vishnu.
Taken
as a whole, this group is a rich representation of the
vitality and strength of Gupta art and architecture.
Gyraspur
41 km
north-east of Sanchi, Gyraspur was a place of
considerable importance in the medieval period. Here in
the ruins called Athkhamba (Eight Pillars) and
Chaukhambe (Four Pillars) are what remain of the
columned halls of two temples belonging to the 9th and
10th centuries AD. The faceted shafts of Athakhambe,
with their extreme delicacy of carving, testify to the
high degree of craftsmanship during the period. Other
monuments of note at Gyraspur are of the early 10th
century: Bajra Math and the Mala Devi Temple, the latter
distinguished by its carved pillars with foliate motifs,
representative of the richest post-Gupta style.
Udaypur
93 km
from Sanchi via vidisha and ganj basoda. The colossal
Neelkanteshwar temple here is an outstanding example of
Parmara art and architecture of the 11th century AD. The
crowning beauty of this temple is its well proportioned
and gracefully designed spire and delicately carved
medallions adorning its sides. Built of fine red
sandstone and standing on a lofty platform, the temple
consists of a garba-griha (shrine room), a sabha mandap
hall) and three pravesha mandaps (entrance porches).
Bijamandal, Sahi Masjid and Mahal, Sher Khan-ki-Masjid
and Pisnari-ke-Mandir are some of the other monuments in
Udaypur.
Rahatgarh
Situated on the Sagar-Bhopal road is Rahatgarh, 82 km
from Sanchi. It has a medieval fort and a picturesque
water fall. |
Chat
