In which of the following relief sculpture inscriptions is ‘Ranyo Ashoka’ (King Ashoka) mentioned along with the stone portrait of Ashoka?
- Kanganahalli
- Sanchi
- Shahbazgarhi
- Sohgaura
Explanation
Option (a) is correct
- Ashoka has been depicted at other places, most notably at Sanchi and Amaravati, but the uniqueness of the Kanaganahalli (near Sannati of Kalaburagi district, Karnataka) image is that it is the only inscribed portrait of the Emperor encountered so far. The Emperor, wearing a turban and large earrings, is accompanied by his Queen. Also seen are a parasol holder and two other ladies bearing fly-whisks.
- Any doubt about the identity of this royal figure is dismissed by the inscription, in Brahmi, on the border above Raya Asoko. In this inscription, as in the rock edict at Maski (Raichur), the Emperor is mentioned by his name, unlike elsewhere, where he is referred to as ‘Devanampiya Piyadasi’ (‘Beloved of the Gods’).
Image Credit: The Hindu
Option (b) is incorrect
- Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh is a site for the numerous stupas. The place is related to Buddhism but not directly to the life of Buddha. It is more related to Ashoka than to Buddha. Ashoka built the first stupa and put up many pillars here. The Great Stupa at Sanchi has been the focal point of the Buddhist faith in the region since it was built by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC. It was enlarged in subsequent centuries.
Option (c) is incorrect
- Shahbazgarhi is a historic site located in the Mardan district of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. The Major Rock Edicts of Ashoka, dating to the 3rd century BCE, were carved on two rocks on a hill at this site. These edicts were inscribed in the Kharoshthi script, written from right to left and influenced by the Achaemenids. The inscriptions highlight key aspects of Ashoka’s Dhamma.
Option (d) is incorrect
- It is located in Gorakhpur District of Uttar Pradesh. The earliest known copper-plate, known as the Sohgaura copper-plate, is a Maurya record that mentions famine relief efforts. It is one of the very few pre-Ashoka Brahmi inscriptions in India.
