Publications
BHOJPUR STUPA NO. 7 Archaeological, Epigraphic, Relic-Deposit, Historical, Museum, and Evidence-Critical Research HIRR-2026-0029
A critical reassessment of the 19th-century excavation records for Bhojpur Stupa No. 7 reveals that the celebrated rock-crystal stupa reliquary, previously attributed to this monument, actually belongs to Bhojpur Stupa No. 2. This correction is based on a meticulous analysis of Alexander Cunningham's original chapter structure, page sequence, and descriptions, which clearly separate the two stupas. The study confirms that Stupa No. 7 contained a central shaft, a displaced relic chamber, signs of disturbance, and two inscribed earthenware vases with readings 'Patito' and 'Upahitakasa,' suggesting ancient relic-related deposits and commemorative associations. However, it does not support claims of an intact crystal reliquary or the presence of calcined bone fragments attributed to the historical Buddha. The research also reviews later treatments by F.C. Maisey, British Library records, and modern collection histories, distinguishing archaeological provenience from museum custody and legal title.
Buddhist stups: a historical monument of Indian Tourism
Buddhist stupas, such as those at Sanchi, serve as profound architectural and spiritual symbols that transcend their original function as burial mounds. These structures have evolved over centuries to represent the path to spiritual awakening, blending religious significance with cultural heritage. The study highlights how stupas, initially discovered in colonial India by travelers and archaeologists, have become pivotal landmarks for tourism, pilgrimage, and cultural exchange. Employing interdisciplinary methods—including archaeological, art-historical, and historical analyses—the research examines the transformation of stupas from simple burial mounds to complex, dome-shaped shrines adorned with intricate details. The Great Stupa at Sanchi, in particular, exemplifies early Indian craftsmanship and the spread of Buddhist philosophy under royal patronage. This work underscores the stupa's enduring significance as a global symbol of religious and cultural heritage, offering insights into its historical value and architectural beauty.
Important Buddhist places and Indian Buddhism
Archaeological evidence at UNESCO World Heritage Site Sanchi challenges traditional textual interpretations of Indian Buddhism, revealing that Buddhist monuments were part of a broader multi-religious context and reflecting diverse social practices. This study critiques the limitations of text-centered approaches, which often reflect later sectarian influences and preserve altered versions compiled centuries after the Buddha's lifetime. Unlike written sources, archaeological epigraphs provide more direct insights into actual religious practices across different groups. The research argues that integrating both textual and material evidence is crucial for accurately reconstructing Indian Buddhism's history.
Relic Worship in Buddhism and Its influence on Design, Symbolism and Spatial Organization of Buddhist Architecture
Relic worship, central to Buddhism since the Buddha's death around 483 BCE, was not merely a practice but a driving force behind the development of Buddhist architecture. Emperor Ashoka's dissemination of relics in the 3rd century BCE marked a pivotal moment, propagating Buddhism and shaping its architectural forms. This study reveals that relic worship influenced the design, symbolism, and spatial organization of Buddhist monuments across four key sites: Sanchi, Amaravati, Ajanta, and Borobudur. These sites represent distinct stages in Buddhist architectural evolution, from ritual circumambulation at Sanchi to the integration of relics into monastic routines at Ajanta and the symbolic elevation seen in Borobudur's multi-level structure. The research demonstrates that relics remained the religious focus, evolving to reflect local cultural and artistic preferences while maintaining a unifying role in devotion, symbolism, and spatial organization.
Women in the Sunga Age: Between Brahmanical Revival and Buddhist Influence
During the Sunga Age (c. 185–73 BCE), women navigated a complex social landscape shaped by competing Brahmanical and Buddhist influences, retaining visible roles despite patriarchal constraints. Archaeological evidence from Sanchi and Bharhut reveals women as active participants in religious life, depicted as donors, worshippers, and central figures in art, contrasting with Brahmanical texts that emphasized domestic subordination. This study highlights the tension between Brahmanical revival and Buddhist institutions, which offered greater spiritual mobility for women. By analyzing textual, legal, and archaeological sources, it illuminates how tradition and transition coexisted, defining women's status during this pivotal period in Indian civilization.
Are travellers' destination visit intentions influenced by social media An information adoption theory perspective
Social media significantly influences travelers' intentions to visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with information usefulness emerging as the strongest predictor. A study of 220 respondents found that argument quality, attitude, and tie strength—measures of how effectively social media presents information—positively impact perceived usefulness, which in turn drives destination visit intentions. The research applied the Information Adoption Model to analyze data from travelers visiting the Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi and the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (both in Madhya Pradesh, India) using structural equation modeling. Notably, source credibility did not significantly affect outcomes. This work highlights social media's role as a critical tool for pre-visit information gathering, offering insights into how digital platforms shape travel behavior.
Do Travellers' Destination Visit Intentions Influence by Social Media An Information Adoption Theory Perspective
A significant positive correlation was found between the usefulness of social media information and travellers' intentions to visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites, specifically Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi. The study, employing the Information Adoption Model with additional constructs like argument quality, attitude, and tie strength, revealed that these factors significantly influence perceived information usefulness. Source credibility, however, did not prove significant. Using structural equation modelling (SEM) with partial least squares (PLS) analysis on a sample of 220 respondents from Madhya Pradesh, the research highlights how social media adoption shapes destination visit intentions, offering insights for heritage site management and tourism marketing strategies.
The Development of Early Historic Urbanism in South Asia
Early Historic urbanism in South Asia, spanning from the 6th century BCE to the 3rd century CE, is characterized by complex polities, architectural advancements, and technological innovations. This phase of urban development, distinct from the earlier Mature Harappan phase, emerged from gradual socio-economic transformations during the Neolithic-Chalcolithic and Iron Age periods. The study identifies three phases: the 6th century BCE emergence of Janapadas with mixed monarchical and non-monarchical governance; the 300–100 BCE period marked by Mauryan expansion, trade proliferation, and Brahmi script usage; and the 100 BCE to 300 CE phase under Kushanas, Satavahanas, and other dynasties, featuring extensive construction, maritime trade, and Buddhist patronage. Technological advancements, such as iron use, coinage, and script development, along with long-distance trade, facilitated the rise of institutional religions like Buddhism and Jainism, contributing to social complexity and cultural flourishing.
The Early Buddhist Artisans
A groundbreaking analysis reveals the pivotal role of Emperor Asoka in the establishment of early Buddhist monuments, linking him to significant sites such as Sanchi and Bharhut in Central India, as well as Amaravati, Bhattiprolu, Totlakonda, and Kanaganahalli in the Lower Deccan. The study leverages Prakrit inscriptions to categorize artisans into two primary roles: those who planned and supervised monument construction and those who executed the physical work. These artisans are further identified in three functional capacities: as planners and designers, donors, or relatives/teachers. This research sheds light on the organizational structure and societal involvement in early Buddhist architectural endeavors, providing a nuanced understanding of the period's craftsmanship and patronage.
The Sacred Asian Gate Tradition in Europe (Symbolic Crossings from the Mundane to the Sacred)
A groundbreaking analysis reveals that the hieroglyphic traditions adorning the Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, particularly the Bharhut stupa toraṇa, trace their origins to an ancient Indus Script cipher system used in Meluhha (3rd millennium BCE). This system employed rebus-metonymy-layered ciphers to convey symbolic messages related to moral conduct, religious merit, and artisan guilds. The study demonstrates a continuity from the Begram ivory plaque (ca. 3rd century BCE) to the Sanchi Stupa, suggesting that the same artisans or their lineage created both artifacts. While Kharoshthi and Brahmi scripts were used for names, these hieroglyphs persisted as powerful messaging tools, signifying substantive adhyatmika (spiritual) and metalwork-related content. This finding validates the Indus Script technique's longevity and its role in transmitting complex cultural and religious symbolism across centuries.
Breathing Life into Monuments of Death
A groundbreaking analysis reveals that the stupas at Sanchi and their associated relic cults represent complex architectural manifestations of the 'Buddha body,' with their potency amplified by intersecting Indic religio-cosmogonic symbologies. The study demonstrates that stupa construction was not only a ritual practice but also played a pivotal role in early forms of land ownership and tenure, challenging existing theories on monasticism, urbanization, and courtly urban ideology. By integrating landscape patterns, monastery settlement data, and lesser-known datasets like monastic rock-shelters—previously linked to hunter-gatherer populations—the research paints a nuanced picture of the social environment that nurtured early Buddhist communities in central India.
On the alignment of Sanchi monuments
Astronomical alignments in the Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi reveal that stupas are oriented towards the sunset direction on the summer solstice, coinciding with the day of the zenithal sun due to the site's proximity to the Tropic of Cancer. This alignment, observed through satellite imagery and Google Earth analysis, suggests a deliberate architectural planning akin to that found in the Sigiriya complex in Sri Lanka. The study highlights the significance of solar orientations in ancient Buddhist monument design, offering insights into the sophisticated understanding of celestial events by early architects.
Buddhist Landscapes in Central India: Sanchi Hill and Archaeologies of Religious and Social Change, c. Third Century B.C. to Fifth Century A.D. by Julia Shaw (review)
Julia Shaw's groundbreaking study, 'Buddhist Landscapes in Central India: Sanchi Hill and Archaeologies of Religious and Social Change,' challenges conventional approaches to studying ancient South Asian religions by shifting focus from monumental sites like the UNESCO-listed Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi to the broader landscape surrounding it. Through her Sanchi Survey Project (SSP), Shaw mapped 720 sq km, uncovering 35 Buddhist sites, dams, and settlements that provide a more comprehensive understanding of religious and social dynamics from the third century B.C.E. to the fifth century C.E. Her interdisciplinary approach, combining landscape archaeology, art history, and religious studies, reveals how Sanchi functioned within its regional context over a millennium, offering new insights into the evolution of Buddhism in Central India.
The Production and Reproduction of a Monument: The Many Lives of the SanchiStupa
The Sanchi Stupa complex, once a disused ruin and target of ravage, has transformed into one of the best-preserved ancient structures, reflecting its dynamic historical journey. This study uncovers how colonial-era practices—such as imaging, replication, documentation, and archaeological conservation—shaped its preservation, culminating in the 'Marshall era.' It also explores the shifting politics of control and resacralization, highlighting tensions between secular and sacred, archaeological and devotional consecrations during Sanchi's transition from a colonial to a national monument. The research traces these processes through historical narratives, institutional documentation, and photographic records, offering insights into the complex afterlives of this UNESCO World Heritage Site in postcolonial and contemporary contexts.
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