Sanchi’s draw lies both in it being a centre of Buddhist heritage and a lesson in passionate archaeology

The visit to Sanchi World Heritage Site was exhilarating but exhausting. The assumption that late October would be suitably cooler was not true. In addition, my inherent need to understand each of the stories in the carved panels on the gateways took a toll. As my wife and I sat in our taxi, breathing a sigh of relief upon the AC being switched on, there was a knock on our driver’s window.

A smiling man introduced himself as a guide who wanted to hitch a ride till the ASI museum. With an urge to be kind in the holy land of Buddhism, we agreed. Hearing us discuss Mahayana and Hinayana, he insisted that we visit the museum. We responded with silence. After the three-minute descent from the Sanchi hill, he got off, and said, “Trust me, you will love the museum.” We obliged.

Treasures at the museum

Unlike at the Great Stupa, there was no one in the museum except for two attendants, who promptly switched on the air-conditioning for us. The museum, set up in 1919, has a collection of historically important artefacts, most of which were found during the excavations on the Sanchi hill.

A close-up of the carving on an archway

We stood in silence as we gawked at the magnificent Lion Capital in the centre of the main hall. Although we had seen the remains of the Ashokan pillar near the stupa, we had not imagined the capital to be so beautiful. Incredibly, even though the pillar is dated to the 3rd Century BC, the lustre of the stone is intact. The four lion faces adorn the capital on the top of an abacus, with intricate duck carvings, mounted on an inverted lotus.

Among the many sculptures displayed in the hall, Buddha in meditation, carved in sandstone, is a stand-out because of the beautifully-lined cheever (drape). It gives us a glimpse of the imagination of the artist, and also of the 5th-Century Gupta period, which encouraged such high art. A lesser replica of the Ashoka pillar from the Gupta period is also on display in the museum, in addition to many Bodhisattvas, Nagas, Yakshas and Yakshis.

Sir John Marshall

Rediscovery of Sanchi

The most fascinating part of the museum is a gallery dedicated to the story of the rediscovery and the conservation efforts at Sanchi. Once Buddhism declined in central India by the 13th Century, the monuments in Sanchi were abandoned till they were rediscovered by General Taylor in 1818. Not surprisingly, this led to suspicions of hidden treasure in the Great Stupa, and soon, the site became a hunting ground for treasure seekers. One infographic elaborated on how the Great Stupa was opened top to bottom in 1822, leaving a vast breach, by Captain Johnson. Another one said that the destruction was continued by Alexander Cunningham and Captain Maisey in 1851.

Although in 1881, Major Cole, the then curator of ancient monuments, conducted cleaning of the site, re-erection of fallen gateways and re-filling of the great breach in the Great Stupa, it was only in 1912 that conservation operations were carried out by Sir John Marshall, which lasted till 1919. The name reminded me of the time I had seen his picture in the Archaeological Survey of India regional office in Bengaluru. Marshall was responsible for the Indus Valley excavations at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. But I was not aware of his work in Sanchi.

Sir John Marshall’s house

It was now past 2 pm and our stomachs were growling with hunger, but again, as we were exiting the museum, the enthusiastic attendant suggested that we see Marshall’s house. Fascinated by the conservation story, we walked the few paces to the lovely little bungalow. As we wandered through the rooms of the double-storeyed Gothic-style building, marvelling at the study table and resting chair, we imagined Marshall burning the midnight oil trying to document every finding. We admired the three massive volumes of The Monuments of Sanchi — his seminal work on Sanchi. Aptly, they are placed in protective glass casing. It is admirable that he and his team lived in Sanchi for seven years, enduring the long miserable summers, helping us learn about our heritage.