Wednesday, December 27, 2006

that was what i call it a day.......

Reaching Sanchi, the famous Buddhist Stupa of the great Ashoka and one of the most frequented wonders, an ancient seat of Buddhist culture and learning, at the first stroke of dusk were dented by a bad dusty road on way. I set out on my adventure (rather a pilgrimage… eh!) regardless; a day prior to this LOSAR, for the day being an auspicious one. The dust was gushing alongside the road I was riding. Some 1 hour of my bike ride zigzagged amidst the most spectacular views. The most photographed place perhaps in the whole of that region, I was told, was mysteriously abandoned for 600 years and was over run with vegetation.
The very first sight of this magnificent landscape totally captivated me with its clay and stone architecture, and spotlessly cleans surroundings. Built over carefully chiseled stone blocks, I can still find the specimens of almost all kinds of Buddhist architectural forms, Stupas, temples, and the ruins of the ancient monastery near the Stupa clearly shows a testimony to the marvelous engineering skills of the early Maryuan period to 12th Century A.D.
I wonder how much more commanding the place must have been when it was at its golden peak. Clearly, I feel the mystery about this place, still many remains unknown continues to charm thousands of tourists who set foot on the sacred land. My longtime desire of visiting personally to see this wonder of the once secluded buddhist days thus became a reality and after riding back an hour from Sanchi to Bhopal the same evening was, myself… satisfied, waiting for a good LOSAR eve party with my friends there…..cheers!!