To whom did John Marshall dedicate his important volumes on Sanchi?

Sultan Jehan

During the 19th century, Europeans displayed great interest in the stupa at Sanchi. Particularly, the French expressed a desire to take away the eastern gateway, which was exceptionally well-preserved, to showcase it in a museum in France. Similarly, some English individuals entertained the idea of taking it as well. However, instead of removing the original gateway, both the French and the English settled for meticulously crafted plaster-cast replicas. The stupa's preservation received significant support from the rulers of Bhopal, namely Shahjehan Begum and her successor Sultan Jehan Begum, who generously funded efforts to maintain the ancient site. It is no surprise, then, that John Marshall dedicated his notable volumes on Sanchi to Sultan Jehan, acknowledging her contributions to the conservation of this historical treasure. As a result, the original gateway remained in its rightful place, serving as an integral part of the Bhopal state's heritage.