Did you know that the national emblem of India has been taken from the Ashoka pillar at Sarnath, and that the Ashoka chakra on the Indian flag was Ashoka’s symbol for the wheel of Dharma?
Ashoka spread the teachings of Buddha and his own messages by engraving them on stone pillars throughout his kingdom. Since he wanted his words to be everlasting, he chose a medium that would never rust or decay.
The Ashoka pillars, as they are now called, were over forty feet high and extremely heavy. They are found from Afghanistan in the north to Karnataka in the south. The messages on these pillars were written in Pali, a simple form of Sanskrit, which the common people spoke during Ashoka’s time.
Picture Credit : Google