The Ashoka Lion Capital or the Sarnath lion capital is the national symbol of India. Ashoka built the Sarnath pillar to commemorate the site of the first preaching of Lord Buddha, where he taught the Dharma to five monks.
Tag: Maurya Empire
Myth Of The Venomous Visha Kanyas Of Ancient India
The Visha Kanyas were supposedly poisonous young women who operated as executioners in ancient India. Any contact with these toxic ladies would mean death.
Top 20 Buddhist Stupas in India
Stupa is a hemispherical structure containing Buddhist relics and place of meditation used by Buddhists monks. In the period between the Mauryas and the Guptas the older stupas were greatly enlarged and beautified. Of these three are noteworthy—those at Bharhut and Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh, and at Amaravati in the lower Krishna valley.
The Great Stupa at Sanchi (Video)
The ‘Great Stupa’ at Sanchi is the oldest stone structure in India and was originally commissioned by the emperor Ashoka the Great in the 3rd century BCE. Its nucleus was a simple hemispherical brick structure built over the relics of the Buddha. It was crowned by the chatra, a parasol-like structure symbolizing high rank, which… Continue reading The Great Stupa at Sanchi (Video)
The Pillars of Ashoka
The Pillars of Ashoka are a series of columns dispersed throughout the northern Indian subcontinent, erected by the Mauryan king Ashoka during his reign in the 3rd century BC.
Spy System of Mauryan Empire
The spy system was an integral part of the Administration of Mauryan Empire. The goals of the secret service was to test the integrity of government officials, spy on cartels and population for conspiracy, to monitor hostile kingdoms, to destabilize enemy states, to get rid of troublesome powerful people who could not be challenged openly.
Kumbhalgarh – The Great Wall of India
Long overshadowed by its lengthier neighbor to the east, this is the second largest continuous wall on the planet. Some call it by the name of the fort it surrounds – Kumbhalgarh. Others simply refer to it as The Great Wall of India. Yet bewilderingly, it is still little known outside its own region.
Scientists discover 121 possible sites for Ashoka rock edicts
A team of researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles aided by a computer model, has identified 121 possible sites for Ashoka rock edicts, many of which are in the Deccan Plateau. Currently, 39 Ashokan edicts are known. There are pillar edicts and rock edicts and these edicts are located at sites ranging from… Continue reading Scientists discover 121 possible sites for Ashoka rock edicts
Bhaja Caves – Rock Cut Buddhist Temples
Bhaja Caves is a group of 22 rock-cut Buddhist caves located in Pune District in Maharashtra, India. The rock-cut caves are situated 120 m above the mountain with beautiful architecture, sculptures, and painting. These Buddhist shrines are believed to date back to as far back as the 2nd century BC, when the Theravadin (a branch of Buddhism that adheres to Pali scriptures and… Continue reading Bhaja Caves – Rock Cut Buddhist Temples
Vaishali – World’s First Republic
Although it is widely believed that the idea of democracy and a constitution were created in democratic Athens, around 506 BCE, India saw the emergence of city republics around 6th BCE where the concept of an elected ruler had taken root. Vaishali, considered to be World’s First Republic and currently an Archaeological site, is situated… Continue reading Vaishali – World’s First Republic
