Following is a narrative on Sanchi stupa. Listen to it carefully and answer the questions that follow. You can listen to the recorded narrative or ask your teacher, sibling or friend to read it aloud. The fascinating and world famous Sanchi stupa is located on a hilltop in Sanchi town, Madhya Pradesh, India. It is one of the most important Buddhist monuments that portrays Buddhist art and sculpture. Starting from the third century BC through the twelfth century AD, it attracts the attention of thousands of visitors round the year including national and foreign tourists, archaeologists, and historians among others. This stupa is the oldest stone structure in India that was built during the Mauryan period. Originally commissioned in the third century BCE by Emperor Ashoka, this huge hemispherical dome consists of a central chamber. In this chamber, the relics of Lord Buddha are placed. The original construction work of this stupa was supervised by Ashoka. His wife, Devi, was the daughter of a merchant of nearby village, Vidisha. Sanchi was also her birthplace as well as the venue of her and Ashoka’s wedding. Later, four ornamental gateways or toranas facing four directions and a balustrade surrounding the stupa were added in the first century BCE. The Great stupa at Sanchi is one of the oldest stone structures in India and counted among the best conserved ancient stupas of Central India. It has been enlisted as an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1989. The sculptures on the ornamental gateways or toranas consist of decorative illustrations of events encompassing the life of Lord Buddha. These events are explained in the Jataka tales. The tree used here symbolises Lord Buddha. The most striking features regarding the stupa is that Lord Buddha has been depicted symbolically by figures like thrones, wheels, and footprints among others. (a) Which Buddhist monument is referred to here and what does it portray? (b) Who are the people who visit this Stupa throughout the year? (c) In which period the Stupa was built, and who commissioned it? (d) Where is the central chamber in the Stupa? What is kept inside it? (e) What structures were added to the huge hemisphere in first century BCE? (f) The toranas are decorated with: (Tick the right answer (a) stone ornaments ( ) (b) events of Lord Buddha’s life ( ) (c) Lord Buddha’s relics ( ) (d) symbolic depiction of Lord Buddha as throne, wheel, footprints, etc. ( )
Answers
Answer:
It is one of the most ancient and famous Buddhist monuments in India. The Stupa has several chambers, which contains the relics of Buddha. The Sanchi Stupa was constructed in the honour of Lord Buddha by Emperor Ashoka in 3rd century BC. ... The national emblem of India was derived from the Ashoka Pillar of Sanchi Stupa.
The original structure built by Ashoka was not made of stone; it was a simple hemispherical monument made using bricks. Many historians presume that the Great Stupa was destroyed in the 2nd century BCE during the reign of Emperor Pushyamitra Shunga.
Explanation:
(a) World famous Sanchi Stupa, which is one of the most important Buddhist monuments that portrays Buddhist art and sculpture.
(b) Thousands of visitors round the year including national and foreign tourists, archaeologists and historians among others were attracted by Sanchi Stupa.
(c) During the Mauryan period , Sanchi Stupa was built an it was commissioned by Emperor Ashoka in the third century BCE.
(d) The central chamber is present in the huge hemispherical dome of Sanchi Stupa in which the relics of Lord Buddha are placed.
(e) The structures added to Sanchi Stupa in the first century BCE are four ornamental gateways or Toranas facing four directions and a balustrade surrounding the Stupa.
(f) - (b) Events of Lord Buddha's life.