Sanchi is well known to all of us as a place associated with Buddhism. It may sound rather surprising but apart from the Buddhist Viharas, Chaityas and Stupas, there is a Gupta Temple in Sanchi that heralds the beginning of Temple Architecture in India. Sanchi thus reflects the religious and architectural heritage of India. There are three layers in the Sanchi hill also referred to as shelves. They are the crowning shelf, intermediate shelf and lower shelf. The Gupta Temple adorns the intermediate layer. Make sure to visit this Gupta temple No.17 which has stood the test of time.
History of Gupta Temple :
The Gupta Temple in Sanchi dates back to the 5th century A.D. The Gupta Age has earned for itself the prestigious epithet of Golden Age. The remarkable progress that India made during the reign of the Guptas is manifest in every field. The architectural field is no exception. They are credited with ushering in a new era in the field of Temple Architecture in India. The Gupta Temple No.17 is emblematic of the resurgence of structural activity in Sanchi. It has made a prominent place for itself in history because it marks the genesis of temple Architecture in India.
Description of Gupta Temple Sanchi:
Sir John Marshall was highly impressed by the Gupta Temple, Sanchi and deemed it as one of the most logically designed structures in Indian Architecture. It incarnated all the precepts that were considered important in the construction of an Indian temple. This elegant temple has a simple flat roofed chamber and a pillared porch at the entrance. Its simplicity is striking and there is a lot of restraint in its embellishment.
How to reach Gupta Temple Sanchi:
Sanchi is well connected to several main centers of Madhya Pradesh through roadways. Buses are a common means of transportation. The nearest airport is at Bhopal. From here you can take a bus or hire a car to reach Sanchi. Railways also connect these two places. For those who are interested in traveling by railways, the railway station at Vidisha is a better option than the railway station at Sanchi because many important trains halt here. Vidisha and Sanchi are separated by a distance of 10 km. So you can easily take a bus or an auto to reach Sanchi once you have arrived at Vidisha from any part of the country.
