The Buddha at Sanchi

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Lettering by Malavika Shenoy


The Buddha is my favourite trope in art and philosophy. If nothing else, the image of Gautama Buddha in repose with heavy-lidded eyes gives me a vast measure of peace. I have seen many statues of Buddha -all of them remarkably beautiful, but none have made as much of an impression on me as the Buddha at Sanchi.

It was my first visit to Madhya Pradesh and also my first experience of the famous M.P sun and its heat waves in summer.  We reached Sanchi at midday -the exact time everything is scorching hot and airless. But I didn’t mind very much because it felt like I had stumbled on treasure. The Stupas at Sanchi are on higher ground from the village and look absolutely stunning in the afternoon sun. I think harsh sunlight brings out the beauty of stone and rock-cut architecture where strong shadows and contrasts create magic wherever light doesn’t reach. A lot of it is not as well-preserved as one would like - Colonial excavations and local vandalism has turned a lot of it into ruins as have the forces of nature. But it does nothing to reduce the charm of the place. And I have read that it is one of the more well-preserved monuments in India. When you walk through the torana and make your way inside the great Stupa, this statue greets you like an old friend, that faint enigmatic smile hovering about the lips. Time or perhaps some irreverent human hand has weathered the statue, eaten away the nose and created gaping chasms but the soul in it is undamaged and unchanged.  

This original artwork is framed for sale. If you would like to take an impression of Sanchi home with you, please contact me for details J

Here's a closer look - 


If you are a history buff or would like to know more about this beautiful structure, here is an interesting essay about its origins -  The Many lives of the Sanchi Stupa by Tapati Guha - Thakurta

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