Heritage of Madhya Pradesh: Sanchi, Khajuraho, Bhimbetka, Forts and More
If you can name the dynasty, the century and the district for each major monument in Madhya Pradesh, art-and-culture questions become some of the easiest marks in the paper. The state has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites and a long list of forts, caves and temples that questions keep returning to. This guide groups them so they are easy to remember, and ends with a revision table and ten practice questions. The three UNESCO World Heritage Sites 1. Sanchi (Raisen district), inscribed 1989 Sanchi is a hilltop group of Buddhist monuments, and its Great Stupa is among the oldest stone structures in India. The core of the Great Stupa goes back to the Mauryan period and is traditionally linked with Emperor Ashoka in the third century BCE. The four ornate gateways ( toranas ) were added later, in the first century BCE and the early centuries CE, during the Satavahana period. They carry carvings of Jataka stories and scenes from the Buddha’s life, which is why Sanchi is a favourite ...