Pen and ink and wash drawing by Frederick Charles Maisey of the relics found in Stupa No.1 at Sonari, dated 1847-1854.

At Sonari, near Sanchi, there is a group of stupas situated on a hilltop. Stupas are Buddhist mounds often enshrining relics.

In 'The Bhilsa Topes' of 1966, Alexander Cunningham described the relics found in stupa No.1, The Great Tope at Sonari is situated in the midst of a square court...A shaft was sunk down the centre of this Tope, and... a large slab was reached, which on being raised disclosed the relic-chamber strewn with fragments of stone boxes. The largest of the relic boxes is a cylinder...covered by a domed lid of the same fine sandstone...Inside this was a smaller stone box...Inside this, again, there was a third stone box or casket...being nearly spherical with a pinnacled top. Lastly, inside this there was a small crystal casket...This little casket must once have enshrined some minute portion of bone, or perhaps a single tooth of the holy Buddha; but...no trace of any relic was discovered."