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The pillars of Ashoka are a series of monolithic columns dispersed throughout the Indian subcontinent, erected—or at least inscribed with edicts—by the 3rd Mauryan Emperor Ashoka the Great, who reigned from c. 268 to 232 BC. [2] Ashoka used the expression Dhaṃma thaṃbhā (Dharma stambha), i.e. "pillars of the Dharma" to describe his own ...
Finding history: the locational geography of Ashokan inscriptions in the Indian subcontinent Figure 1. Location of known Ashokan edicts in the Indian subcontinent (numbers denote living-rock edicts; letters denote in situ pillar edicts): 1) Ahraura; 2) Bairat; 3) Brahmagiri; 4) Delhi; 5) Dhauli; 6) Erragudi; 7) Gavimath; 8) Girnar;
Since the 17th century, 150 Ashokan edicts have been found carved into the face of rocks and cave walls as well as the pillars, all of which served to mark his kingdom, which stretched across northern India and south to below the central Deccan plateau and in areas now known as Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
The HYDE 3.1-derived map of Ashokan edicts identifies several areas for systematic research: the upper Indus Valley; the Himalayan foothills adjacent to the Ashokan capital city; the Narmada River Valley; and the Godavari River Valley.
Scholars have often argued that Ashokan pillars marked the site of the Buddhist stupa or shrines which can clearly be seen at Sanchi, Sarnath, and other pillar inscriptions sites. The fragments at Bairat also highlight this clearly.
21 kwi 2022 · Despite the possible influences from contemporaneous traditions in Persia, Mesopotamia and Greece, the Ashokan pillar is structurally distinct: they are designed as monoliths, while the Persian pillars are built in segments; Persian pillars have fluted bodies, while the Ashokan pillars have a polished, smooth body.
The most famous is the Ashoka Pillar located at Sarnath, where it is believed Buddha first taught and which has an inscription about religious harmony. The Ashoka Pillar has a rich history dating back to the 3rd century BC during the reign of Emperor Ashoka in northern India.
