Sanchi Stupa 3

Sanchi Stupa 3 is an ancient Buddhist stupa located on Sanchi Hill in Sanchi, Raisen District, Madhya Pradesh, within the UNESCO World Heritage Sanchi Mahastupa complex. Smaller than the Great Stupa (Stupa No. 1), it is notable for its hemispherical dome, single ornate gateway (torana), and relic chamber that once enshrined remains of the Buddha's chief disciples Sariputra and Mahamoggallana. Dating to the Sunga period (2nd century BCE), it exemplifies early Buddhist architecture and sculpture.

Visitors can expect a compact, well-preserved hemispherical stupa set on a raised platform on the northeastern side of the main Sanchi complex, near Temple 17 and the Great Stupa. The structure features a solid dome (anda), stone railing, and a single elaborately carved gateway depicting Buddhist motifs and Jataka tales. The hilltop setting offers open views of the surrounding complex and landscape. Visitors explore on foot via paved pathways within the larger archaeological park, often with guided tours and museum visit.

Stupa No. 3 is dated to the Sunga period (2nd century BCE) with its gateway added in the 1st century CE. It was built to enshrine relics of Sariputra and Mahamoggallana, the two chief disciples of the Buddha. Relic caskets inscribed with their names were discovered during excavations in 1851. The stupa forms part of the Sanchi group of Buddhist monuments whose origins trace to Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE and which was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989.

An important Buddhist pilgrimage and archaeological site, Stupa 3 represents early Buddhist art and architecture and the tradition of relic worship. Its gateway carvings illustrate Jataka tales and Buddhist symbolism, contributing to understanding of Buddhist heritage in central India. Together with the Great Stupa and other monuments, it is a major centre for study of Buddhist culture and heritage tourism.