The path to Sanchi is enclosed by a railing with gates at each of the four directions. The gateways are incredibly ornamented by sculptures depicting the proliferation of Lord Buddha and his pre-incarnations entitled ‘Bodhisattva’
Dibyaswarupa Mohanty
During vacations the unavoidable urge to take a break from monotonous routine life surpasses every other wish and worry. Thousands of people planning a vacation within the boundaries of our country are thinking about hill stations and will probably end up as pilgrims at some religious shrine. But if you feel following the crowd is too mainstream, brace yourself to unfold the secret of relics and soak in the sun in the heart of India.
Madhya Pradesh, the heart of Incredible India, pillars on the rare concoction of religion, history, culture and picturesque places. Famous for its wide avenues of breathtaking beauty from towering monuments to conservation of endangered species, MP has it all. It’s impossible to describe the whole in a limited space. Let us discover two of the lesser known tourist spots of the state – Sanchi and Bhimbethka.
Sanchi
An extensive network of easy driving roads connects Bhopal to Sanchi, 46 km away from the city. Sanchi is home to the amalgamation of religions and is an architectural marvel that has survived through the ages. Towering upon the beliefs of Akbar, the great relics of Buddhism since 3rd century BC are awe-inspiring. A fine tomb enduring a large number of Bramhi inscriptions is the 2nd largest stupa of India trailing Amravati (Maharashtra).
While taking the 46 km road trip to Sanchi from Bhopal the most northern circle of latitude, The Tropic of Cancer has to be crossed. To highlight its entity a board has been set up by the MP government along the measured latitude calculated to be passing through the place. The path to Sanchi is enclosed by a railing with gates at each of the four directions. The gateways are incredibly ornamented by sculptures depicting the proliferation of Lord Buddha and his pre-incarnations entitled ‘Bodhisattva’.
Interestingly, this stupa features Lord Buddha with the help of enigmatic symbols such as footprints, thrones, etc. while the huge peepul tree in front called the ‘Bodhidhruma’ emphasises female momentousness.
Scenic beauty of Sanchi is something that will you mesmerise you throughout. Although the stupa stands as the centre of attraction, its ambiance instills a lasting feeling of peace and serenity.
Remnants of partial obliteration due to various causes such as half-destroyed rock structures can be marked in the periphery of the marvel adding to its wonder. Also, you will come across pillars, tombs, and sanctums within the boundaries.
The best time to visit Sanchi is from November to February. This chiselled marvel offers its tranquility to flow through the year round attracting thousands of inquisitive and harmony-seeking tourists.
Bhimbethka
About 45 km from the main city of Bhopal, this unbelievable historical spectacle imparts ample evidence supporting the evolution of the human race.
Believed to have been home to the Homo erectus man from the lower Paleolithic to the late Mesolithic age, this cluster of natural rock shelter situated inside the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary bestows the earliest trace of humans inhabiting the Indian subcontinent.
Bhimbethka gets its name from the pious Mahabharata character Bhima. It means the sitting place of Bhima. It is believed that the five Pandavas along with Kunti and Draupadi had resided in Bhimbethka during their period of exile.
Declared as a World Heritage site by Unesco in 2003, the place baits travellers by its cave paintings illustrating the lives of the pre-historic cave-dwellers and episodes in their lives like hunting, fighting, animal riding, social gatherings, etc. and also the provides the evidence of dance and music in their lives. Even the portrayals of popular religions and ritual symbols along with that of various deities and animals such as horse, antelope, bison, elephant, tiger can be unmistakably marked. However, it’s not only the opus that amazes the crowd, it’s also the colours of the paintings – red, yellow, green, white.
Some of the illustrations here are 30,000 years old and stand as the reticent portrays of an amazing era of brilliance of the Homo erectus man, who knew the art of extracting permanent colours off natural substances which have lived through catastrophes yet been firm enough to outsmart the so-called permanent colours.
The recent excavation of a seven-feet human skeleton from Bhimbethka has strengthened evidence of human existence on the land since several thousand years. Another spot of attraction is naturally stupefying – the structured rock tortoise that stands as a silent spectator through the ages.
This place is a tourist spot because of the sedimentary rocks astoundingly naturally shaped to provide shelter living through catastrophes. Its glorious and distinctive silhouette continues to silently reverberate the prowess of men who inhabited the land 100,000 years ago.
Well, this was just a small sample of what Madhya Pradesh secretly nourishes. But certainly, seeing is believing. So, this holiday season plan a trip to the heart of India to live in its serenity, get intoxicated by its tranquility, find peace in its sanctity and feast upon its endearing beauty.