The local populace today seems to be totally disconnected with the rich history of the region in the ancient times. There in no one around who can read the Brahmi script in which the message is engraved upon the pillar. No one can tell you the story of why the pillar was erected there in the first place. No one has any clues about the series of mud stupas, which seem to be heaps of soil left unattended by time. The road also happens to encroach upon some of them, and they have been touched by the pressure of the present market place around.

If it was not for the documents of the British era that I could lay my hands upon, even I could not find much about the history of the pillar. I could see that after the initial edict of Ashoka, several more engravings were made in the different eras of history. The British times have also left their mark on the stone as I could see the names of some British and Indian officers including the Sub-Inspector of Lauria engraved on the ancient pillar. There is some damage to the lion capital, which seems to be the work of some official of the army of Aurangzeb, which had camped near the pillar in those times of history.

To be continued....