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Visit Indian Travel Sites
Goa,
Kerala,
Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh,
Delhi,
Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh,
Himachal Pradesh,
Assam,
Sikkim,
Karnataka,
Madhya Pradesh,
Jammu & Kashmir
Gujarat
Puducherry
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Delhi Travel Sites
Delhi The Story The Mughal Delhi, The Modern Delhi, Ashoka Pillar, Ghoonidarwaza
Places to see: Asoka Pillar, Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk, Raj Ghat, Purana Qila, Humayun's tomb, India Gate, Birla House (Gandhi Smriti), Indira Gandhi Museum, Teen Murthi, Qutab Minar, Chhattarpur temple, Kalka Mandir, Bahaii temple, ISCON temple, Jantar Mantar, Hanuman Mandir, Connaught Place
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Ashoka Pillar
The pyramidal structure in three storeys, seen in what is
known today as Firozshah Kotla, near Delhi Gate, was built
by Firozshah Tughlaq, to instal the Ashokan column, seen
on top. There are two Ashoka pillars in Delhi. This stone
pillar of Ashoka (273-236 BC) was transported from Topra,
in Ambala district (now in Haryana), on Firozshah Tughlaq's
orders. The other pillar, brought from Meerut, is seen
installed near Bara Hindu Rao Hospital ,at the Ridge,
near Delhi University.
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Ashoka Pillar near Delhi Gate
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In order to bring this pillar to Delhi, silk cotton was wrapped around it and it was then lowered on top a soft bed, encased in reed
and raw skins and placed on a 42-wheel carriage. Two hundred
men pulled the carriage with strong ropes to the Yamuna
bank, the column was transferred to large boats and carried
down to Firozabad and then to Kushak. After completion
of each storey, the pillar was raised on to it, till it
reached the top. Once installed, ornamental friezes in
black and white stones were placed around the capital
and over it was raised a guided copper cupola (kalash).
The Ashoka edict is in Brahmi script containing ten commandments
of Buddha. In later centuries, minor records of pilgrims
and travellers were inscribed on it. A Sanskrit engraving
records the conquests of Chauhan king Visala (1163 AD).
-RM Nair
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