A <i>stupa</i> is a Buddhist commemorative monument, usually in the form of a hemispherical solid dome, usually housing relics associated with the life of Gautam Buddha. The Sanchi Stupa, about 45 kilometers north-east of Bhopal, is one of the oldest and best-preserved stupas in India. Supposed to have been first erected in the 2nd century BCE, it was repaired and restored by several kings and rulers who patronized Buddhism (notably by the Satavahana kings who added the balustrade and the four elaborate gateways or <i>toranas</i>), while it fell into neglect and disrepair at other times. There are scores of stupas near Sanchi, from a few hundred meters away to ten to fifteen kilometers away.

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