Sanchi Buddhist Stone Carving Heritage of Madhya Pradesh

Sanchi in Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh is home to the Great Stupa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, whose elaborately carved gateways (toranas) are among the finest examples of 2nd century BCE stone carving in India. The naturalistic panels depict scenes from the life of the Buddha and the Jataka tales in a flowing, three-dimensional narrative style. Sanchi stone carvers have revived this ancient tradition producing stone replicas of the Sanchi yakshi bracket figure, the Dhamma chakra, and decorative panels for government buildings, Buddhist pilgrimage sites, and export collectors. The carvers use sandstone from local quarries in the same stone used for the original stupa. The Madhya Pradesh government and Archaeological Survey of India support craft revival at Sanchi. Contemporary Sanchi stone carvers are part of the larger sandstone craft cluster of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.