Torana

Stupa 3, south face, Sanchi

The 1st century AD torana of Stupa 3 was probably the last of the five gates built at Sanchi. On the front: top architrave, floral design with fertility figures. Middle architrave, worship of a stupa and two Bo trees. Bottom architrave, paradise of Indra. On the back: top architrave, worship of stupa and Bo trees. Middle and bottom architraves, floral design. The top architrave was restored back-to-front; the original backs of all three architraves carried the floral design.

On the pillars, front: a stupa (left), the Wheel of Dharma (right). Below are inhabitants of various heavens. The other faces of the pillars are decorated similarly to Stupa 1, with Bo trees, floral designs, and guardian figures. Pot-bellied dwarves, like those on the West gate of Stupa 1, support the architraves.