INDIA ~ Sanchi Stupa - Madhya Pradesh - UNESCO ~

... Nice view of the The Great Stupa at Sanchi a Buddhist complex... one of the oldest stone structures in India... this stupa is the focal point of the entire site dominating the skyline along with other smaller sized stupas... sacred because it holds the enshrined relics of the Buddha and stands as a testament to his teachings... it is surrounded by intricately carved gateways (toranas) that depict scenes from the life of the Buddha and Jataka tales... the Sanchi Stupa is a must-visit destination, which is offering a glimpse into India’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage which is there for centuries... it has stayed a place of pilgrimage till today...Thanks Prakashandra!【ツ】

History tells that when emperor Ashoka the last emperor in the Mauryan dynasty once embraced Buddhism he built his first "stupa" (also called stupa no. 1) at Sanchi (in the 3rd century bce) and later several more including ruins of about 50 monuments, among them are three large stupas, temples, a monastery and monolithic pillars. Some centuries later, when Buddhism was slowly absorbed into Hinduism, the site was forgotten and not rediscovered until 1818 by the British army. 

The Great Stupa and Sanchi’s other Buddhist monuments were declared a WHS site by UNESCO in 1989.

Stamps:

Definitives - Makers of India January

(Issued 2016)

Atal Bihari Vajpayee 2r  Definitive Stamp

(Issued 2021)

The 50th Anniversary of Himachal Pradesh Statehood

(Issued 25-01-2021)