Detail the central features on a stupa and a temple, focusing on the Great Stupa at Sanchi

What will be an ideal response?

Stupas and temples are Hindu holy structures often located at monastic complexes called viharas. All are built around an imaginary vertical element called the axis mundi, or "axis of the world." The axis mundi joins the earth with the cosmos, and by extension, the human and celestial realms. Major stupas are surrounded by railings that create a circular sacred path along which people walk. The railing gates, called toranas, are aligned with the cardinal points. The northern-style temple has a superstructure called a sikhara, crowned by a fruit form called an amalaka. A series of halls called mandapas leads to an inner sanctuary, the garbhargriha, which contains a sacred image. In the southern-style temple, the sikhara is the whole uppermost part of the superstructure.

The Great Stupa at Sanchi was built over a period of 400 years and is located on a hilltop site in central India. Pilgrims have used the stupa for centuries as a site of meditation. Most stupas mark sites associated with the Buddha or important disciples, and most have relics buried at their core. However, the Great Stupa has no such historical association; most likely the spot was selected because it is quiet and peaceful, conducive to meditation. The sculptural decorations tell stories of the life of the Buddha. One of the four gateways tells the story of one of the Buddha's previous lives, when he was king of the monkeys. The dome shape of the stupa represents the Mountain of the World, and the path symbolizes the path of life. A fence keeps pilgrims from seeing out, thus limiting distractions to meditation. At the top of the structure is a three-fold umbrella representing the Buddha, his teachings, and the community of Buddhists.