Excursions of Bhopal

Description:
There are many places those can be visited nearby Bhopal. The most important amongst them are Sanchi, Bhimbetka, and Bhojpur.

Sanchi:
Located on the foot of a hill-- Sanchi is just 46 kms Bhopal. Famous for its Stupas, Sanchi has some of the oldest Stupas in India and is placed high on the Buddhist pilgrimage list. The place not only signifies and asserts the importance of Buddhism and the spread of the religion but is also a proof of the faith with which the Emperor Ashok built Stupas to encourage and spread the religion. Thus the place is religiously as well as historically important. One of the many Lion pillars that Emperor Ashok built all around the country is seen here.
Though Hinduism was prominent in this part of the country, Buddhism made a base here. The Stupas and Pillars were constructed, but all went in to oblivion with the religious decline.
The structures in Sanchi are organized and have the best engineering skills involved in the building. Another striking thing about the Stupas here Lord Buddha is represented in forms of the wheel and foot prints instead of the idols and images. The carvings on the Stupas are beautiful and intricate.
Built in the 2nd century B.C. the Stupas are believed to have caskets with sacred ashes of the disciples of the Lord. The difference between the other Stupas and the one in Sanchi are its beautiful arched gateways with scenes from the life of Buddha and also that of Emperor Ashok carved on them.
The Arches or the four marvelously carved gateways were constructed much later by the Andhra Kings. These exquisitely carved Torans, as they are popularly known, are the highlights of the structure of this Stupa. The carvings on these Torans depict the life scenes of Emperor Ashoka and also that of Lord Buddha.
The Museum maintained by the archaeological survey of India, houses many items which were discovered during the excavation of Sanchi area. Most prized possession of the museum is the lion crown from Ashoka pillar. The museum also has collection of utensils and other items used by the monks who lived here.

Bhojpur:
Hardly 28 kms from the main city of Bhopal stands the actual city, founded the by the Paramar King and named after him, Bhojpur. Bhojpur today is famous for its ancient unfinished Shiva temple, which is known as the Somnath of the East. This temple and its architecture date back to the 13th century and still remains mysteriously unfinished. The most attractive feature of the temple other than its architecture is its massive Lingam that stands about 2.3 meter tall. The cyclopean dam built nearby is also a major attraction for the tourists who visit Bhojpur.

Bhimbetka:
46 kms down south of Bhopal are the rocky terrains surrounded by the northern fringe of the Vindhya mountain ranges is Bhimbetka, famous for the cave paintings of the pre historic era. The cliffs which have over 600 rocky shelters belong to the Neolithic age It is an archaeological treasure cove with over 500 caves those have very precise paintings depicting the day to day life of the people then. The paintings are done mainly using red and white colour with occasional use of green and yellow. The scenes painted depict everyday life of our ancestors who lived eons ago. The scenes of hunting, dancing, riding, household scenes along with animal figures such as Lions, Tigers, Bison, Elephants, Crocodiles are shown in the paintings. Some paintings also depict popular religious rituals as well.

Udayagiri caves:
Hardly three kms further to Sanchi stand the Udayagiri caves. These rock cut caves find an inscription dating back to 4th and 5th century A.D. during the time of Chandragupta Maurya. He rock cut images carry the distinctive features of the Gupta dynasty. Most of these caves are dedicated to Hindu Gods other than two which are dedicated to Jain religion. The caves have massive structures of Lord Vishnu in his Boar inc

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