In which of the following relief sculpture inscriptions is 'Ranyo Asho

In which of the following relief sculpture inscriptions is ‘Ranyo Ashoka’ (King Ashoka) mentioned along with the stone portrait of Ashoka?

[amp_mcq option1=”Kanganahalli” option2=”Sanchi” option3=”Shahbazgarhi” option4=”Sohgaura” correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2019

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The relief sculpture inscription mentioning ‘Ranyo Ashoka’ along with a stone portrait of Ashoka is found at Kanganahalli.

Kanganahalli is an archaeological site in Karnataka, India, known for the discovery of the Mahastupa which contains numerous sculpture panels. One significant panel depicts a king with the inscription “Ranyo Ashoka” (King Ashoka), which is widely accepted as a portrait of Emperor Ashoka. This is one of the very few sites where a label is associated with a portrait of Ashoka.
Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh) has famous Buddhist stupas and pillars associated with Ashoka, but does not contain a portrait labelled ‘Ranyo Ashoka’.
Shahbazgarhi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan) is known for a major rock edict of Ashoka, written in the Kharosthi script, but it does not feature a stone portrait of Ashoka with this specific inscription.
Sohgaura (Uttar Pradesh) is known for a Mauryan copper plate inscription related to famine relief, not a portrait of Ashoka.

The discovery at Kanganahalli was significant because it provided a confirmed visual representation of Ashoka, complementing the textual and epigraphic evidence about his reign and patronage of Buddhism.

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