MPPSC 2022 Prelims Paper-I · Question 94 of 100

Correct — B, Sanchi. Among the carved stone toranas (gateways) of the Great Stupa at Sanchi, one relief panel depicts Emperor Ashoka's pilgrimage to the Bodhi tree together with his two queens — part of the rich narrative carving of Jataka tales and scenes from Buddhist tradition added on the gateways.

• (a)Bharhut — Bharhut's own stupa railing and gateway are famous for narrative reliefs with early inscribed labels, but the Ashoka-with-two-queens Bodhi-tree scene is a Sanchi carving, not Bharhut's.
• (c)Sonari — A smaller stupa near Sanchi (part of the same Vidisha-area Buddhist complex, with its own relic caskets), but it lacks Sanchi's elaborately carved toranas.
• (d)Satdhara — Another minor stupa site near Sanchi known for relic remains, not for this carved gateway scene.

The Great Stupa at Sanchi began as a brick mound built under Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE to enshrine Buddhist relics. It was later encased in stone and enlarged, and its ornamental toranas (gateways) at the cardinal points — richly carved with Jataka tales and scenes from Buddhist tradition, including Ashoka's own patronage — were added still later by generations of sculptors.

Exams test 'which monument shows scene X' among India's early Buddhist stupa sites (Sanchi, Bharhut, Sonari, Satdhara). The trap is treating all the Vidisha-area stupas as interchangeable when only Sanchi carries this elaborately carved gateway narrative.

• Sanchi's toranas are carved with Jataka tales and scenes from Buddhist tradition, including Ashoka's pilgrimage to the Bodhi tree with his two queens.
• The Sanchi stupa's brick core was built under Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE; the carved stone gateways were added later.
• Sonari and Satdhara are smaller nearby stupa sites in the Vidisha region, without Sanchi's elaborate torana carvings.
• Bharhut, in contrast, is known for its own distinct railing and gateway reliefs with early inscribed labels.

• Confusing Sanchi with Bharhut — both famous for carved Buddhist reliefs, but with different signature scenes
• Treating Sonari/Satdhara as equally elaborate as Sanchi when they are minor satellite stupas

MPPSC often asks 'which gateway/monument depicts scene X' among Sanchi-region Buddhist sites — anchor each site to one signature feature (Sanchi = toranas with Jatakas/Ashoka scenes; Bharhut = railing reliefs with labels).

No directly related past PYQ was found.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  The four richly carved gateways of the Great Stupa at Sanchi are known as:

  • (a)Toranas
  • (b)Vedikas
  • (c)Harmikas
  • (d)Chhatris

  Answer(a) Toranas — the ornamental gateways at the cardinal points of the stupa railing.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  The Great Stupa at Sanchi was originally built (as a brick mound) under which Mauryan emperor?

  • (a)Chandragupta Maurya
  • (b)Bindusara
  • (c)Ashoka
  • (d)Samprati

  Answer(c) Ashoka — the original brick core stupa dates to his reign.