The Vav Factor: Sevasi Vav, Vadodra by Ramyani Sengupta

SA Travel Diaries : Ashokan Inscription, Kalsi by Gauri Singh

The site of Ashoka's Inscription at Kalsi

Kalsi is a valley town surrounded by lesser Himalayan mountains from 3 sides and Doon plains on one side, on the confluence of River Yamuna and Tons. It lies about 60 kms from capital city of Dehradun on the road to Chakrata via Herbertpur on the highway of Jaunsar region, Dehradun district of state Uttarakhand. The valley is the first plain town when one descends from the Himalayas and is therefore also an economic hub of the Jaunsar-Bawar Tribal Region. Situated at an altitude of 780 meter above the sea level and on the banks of 2 rivers, the place experiences a moderate climate in summers and has scenic surroundings. The alluvial soil drained down by the rivers makes this place one of the most fertile region in the surrounding Pachwa-Doon plains.

The place is especially known for The Rock Edict of the great Mauryan emperor Ashoka and is one of the most outstanding epigraphical evidences of Buddhist ethical culture during his reign period. It was first discovered by British forest authorities in 1860. It was so encrusted when found, that no inscription was visible and it could only be revealed after cleaning. The edict is a huge pear shaped white granite rock, 10 ft in height and length and 8 feet wide. It is protected under a dome and is surrounded by small gardens.

Kalsi, as history narrates, was the capital town of a kingdom named Srughna about which the famous chinese traveler of  Hiuen-Tsang has written at length in his accounts. The place was probably an important halting station at the junction of the main highway which linked Ashokan capital-town of the Magadhan empire at Patliputra with northwestern provinces. His rock inscription here may therefore have been indicative of the fact that this place might have been important halting place for the travellers in that age.

The inscription at Kalsi was probably inscribed in the 14th renal year of the emperor, i.e. 255 B.C and is one of the 14 rock edicts of Emperor Ashoka. Since all the 14 edicts are found at eight widely separated sites scattered throughout his empire, it is considered that these edicts marked boundary of his territory and were located on the highways leading to the neighbouring countries.

The Kalsi inscription, like the rest, praises the ethical message of Buddhism without directly making any mention of Buddha or his teachings. Ashoka, here, is mentioned by his title as Devanampiya Piyadassi Laja in the Magadhan Pali in which the letter ‘R’ is substituted by ‘I’. The fact that this edict belonged to the Mauryan monarch Ashoka was known only from the Maski edict in which his identity is conclusively vested as devanampiya ashoka. The characters of the inscriptions are in Ashokan Brahmi and the language used is Prakrit in which local words of Magadhan Prakrit have also crept in.

The Inscription on the Rock

A major portion of the inscription is engraved on the Southern face of the white granite rock. It seems, due to the downward enlargement of the letters, the area turned to be too small to accomodate the whole text. On the eastern face, there is an outline figure of an elephant with the word gajatame inscribed between the legs probably to signify the regal status of the elephant. It is said to have relevance with the  episode of - Buddha descending from the Tushita heaven in the form of a white elephant, i.e.  gajatame.

The texts inscribed on the chunk of rock have been translated by the language experts in english and hindi and explained on a seperate pillar for the visitors to understand.

The inscription in brief prescribes that; no animal should be slaughtered or sacrificed, medical aid for men and animals should be provided and medicinal herbs grown, wells should be dug and trees grown, a quinquennial circuit should be conducted for the promulgation of the ethical maxims of Buddhism, the country should be regenerated under the royal decree, censors of the sacred law should be appointed, redressal of matters for welfare of the people should be conducted, men should observe self control and self purity, the carnal amusements formerly patronized by the king should be substituted by pious occupations, auspicious rites should be observed, glory that arises from the promulgation of dharma should be held, the law should be propagated, tolerance in matters of religion should be observed.

The edict also records the names of the five Greek kings contemporary of Ashoka - Antiochus Theos II, king of Syria; Ptolemy of Philadelphos, king of Egypt; Magas, king of Cyrenia; Antigonus Gonatos, king of Macedonia and Alexander, king of Epirus. The 14th edict is the summary or epilogue of the foregoing and would seem to show that the whole inscription was engraved from an authentic copy issued under the royal command.

A few relief sculptures found around the site at display

The terrible and inhuman bloodshed in the war of Kalinga had a deep impact on Ashoka. This is what led him to adopt Buddhism and a policy of peace and non violence throughout his empire, The message on the edict reflect Ashoka’s humane approach towards his administration as well as abandonment of warfare. The inscriptions are believed to be a testimony to the fact that what Ashoka preached also practiced.

It is considered to be one of the most important monuments in the field of Indian epigraphy. It is under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).