Discuss the role of the begums of Bhopal in preserving the stupa at Sanchi.
The begums of Bhopal played a crucial role in preserving the stupa at Sanchi. Shahjehan Begum and her successor Sultan Jehan Begum provided significant financial support for the preservation of this ancient site.
They funded the construction of a museum at Sanchi and a guesthouse where John Marshall lived and wrote his important volumes on Sanchi. Sultan Jehan Begum also funded the publication of these volumes, which John Marshall dedicated to her in recognition of her contribution.
The begums protected the site from being dismantled and taken away. When the French sought Shahjehan Begum's permission to take away the eastern gateway—the best preserved one—to display in a museum in France, and some Englishmen wanted to do the same, the begums ensured the original remained at the site. Both the French and English were satisfied with carefully prepared plaster-cast copies.
Thus, the survival of the stupa complex is largely due to the wise decisions of the begums of Bhopal, who protected it from railway contractors, builders, and those seeking to carry away finds to European museums.
Explanation
The textbook highlights the significant contribution of the begums of Bhopal—Shahjehan Begum and Sultan Jehan Begum—in preserving Sanchi. They provided financial support for preservation, funded the museum and guesthouse, funded publication of Marshall's volumes, and crucially, refused permission to Europeans who wanted to take away the eastern gateway to museums in Europe. Instead, plaster-cast copies were provided, ensuring the original remained in India.