The shaft of the Lion Pillar is formed of a single block of polished sand stone, 32 feet 9.5 inches in height, with a diameter of 35.5 inches at base and 26.2. inches at the top. The capital 6 feet 10 inches in height, is bell-shaped, with a circular abacus supporting the statue of a lion facing the north. The abacus is ornamented with a row of Brahmani Geese pecking their food. The Lion has been injured in the mouth, and the column itself bears the round mark of a cannon shot just below the capital, which has itself been slightly dislodged by the shock. Cunningham mentions “One has not far to seek for the name of the probable author of this mischief. By the people the outrage is ascribed to the Musulmans, and on the pillar itself, in beautifully cut Persian characters, is inscribed the name of Mahi-ud-din Muhammad Aurangzib Padshah Alamgir Ghazi, Sanh 1071. The date corresponds with AD 1660-61, which was the fourth year of the reign of the bigoted Aurangzib, and the record may probably have been inscribed by some zealous follower in Mir Jumla’s army, which was then on its return from Bengal, after the death of the Emperor’s brother Shuja.


The pillar is inscribed with the edicts of Ashoka. The pillar has been visited by numerous travelers. There are a few unimportant inscriptions in modern Nagari, the oldest being dated in Samvat 1566, chait badi 10, equivalent to AD 1509. One of them, without date refers to some petty royal family, Nripa Narayana Suta, Nripa Amar Singha. At the time of Cunningham the only English inscription was in the name of Rn. Burrow, 1792. During Cunningham’s visit the pillar had become an object of worship as a phallus or lingam, and the erection of the pilar was ascribed to Raja Bhim, one of the Pandavas.

To be continued....