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A site remembering the rule of Ashoka – the Great, and other ancient traditions which remain mysterious till date
The rule of Ashoka – the Great (3rd century BC) can still be felt while travelling in different parts of India, including the territories in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The great ruler, impressed with the noble teachings of the Buddha, made it his duty to preach it amongst the common people. The methods in those times must have been mainly by sending missions to different territories, as was sent to Sri Lanka, where Mahendra and Sanghamitra are believed to have travelled. But the imprints that have survived are immortalized on stone. There are to be found several edicts, some major and other minor across the length and breadth of the country. I happened to visit a minor edict perched on the top of a prominent hill near the ancient Highway (now the GT Road in Sasaram), and another in Odisha while travelling to Gopalpur-on-sea from Bhubaneshwar. He had also built several stupas containing the relics of the Buddha. Along with them he also built several monolithic pillars with the characteristic Mauryan era Polish, which looks fresh even to this day. The national emblem of India is taken from one such pillar found at Sarnath, near Varanasi, where the Buddha made his first preaching at Deer Park to the five disciples who had left him in Gaya and set the wheel of law into motion.
The Ashokan Pillar at Lauriya Nandangarh in West Champaran district is sure to catch the eye if one is travelling on the road to Valmikinagar from Bettiah. It is located exactly on the junction where one road leads to Narkatiyaganj or Ramnagar while the other leads to Bagaha and Valmikinagar. The Pillar is located prominently on the modern route which seems to be the same as the ancient route to Nepal from North Bihar.
To be continued....