Ashoka Pillar

The Allahabad pillar is an Ashoka Stambha, one of the pillars of Ashoka, an emperor of the Maurya dynasty who reigned in the 3rd century BCE. While it's far one of the few extant pillars that carry his edicts, it is mainly outstanding for containing later inscriptions attributed to the Gupta emperor, Samudragupta. Also engraved on the stone are inscriptions by the Mughal emperor, Jahangir, from the 17th century. At a few factor of time, the pillar become moved from its unique vicinity and mounted within Akbar's Allahabad Fort in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh.

As the fort is now occupied by means of the Indian Army, the public are handiest allowed restricted get right of entry to the premises and special permission is required to view the pillar. The Allahabad Pillar is a single shaft of polished sandstone standing 35 toes excessive. It has a decrease diameter of 35 inches and an upper diameter of 26 inches. The customary lotiform bell-formed capital visible within the different Ashoka Pillars is lost as is whichever statue installed it. However the abacus, embellished with the aid of a graceful scroll of trade lotus and honeysuckle, that the statue ought to have rested upon, turned into determined nearby. Cunningham believed that the capital should were installed by way of a single lion. The abacus is almost equal to the only discovered at the pillar at Sankasya suggesting proximate erection dates.