Which of the following statements about the Ashokan pillars is/are not correct ?
- The 14th century Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi makes reference to the Ashokan pillars.
- The writer Shams Siraj Afif gives an account of the Ashokan pillars known as Delhi-Topra and Delhi-Meerut.
- There are instances of the Ashokan pillars or their fragments being worshipped as Shiv Lingas.
- The Ashokan pillars were produced in gold, iron and bronze.
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
1 only
2 only
2, 3 and 4 only
4 only
Answer is Wrong!
Answer is Right!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2018
Statement 1 is correct. Medieval texts, including accounts from the Sultanate period like the Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi, do indeed mention Ashokan pillars, particularly in the context of Firuz Shah Tughlaq’s efforts to relocate them.
Statement 2 is correct. Shams Siraj Afif, the author whose work is included in the Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi, provides accounts of Firuz Shah Tughlaq moving two Ashokan pillars from Topra and Meerut to Delhi. These are historically known as the Delhi-Topra and Delhi-Meerut pillars.
Statement 3 is correct. There are historical and anecdotal accounts of ancient pillars or their fragments being found in various locations and, over time, being incorporated into local religious practices, sometimes identified with or worshipped as Shiv Lingas.
Statement 4 is incorrect. Ashokan pillars were characteristically monolithic structures carved from polished sandstone, typically sourced from quarries like Chunar. They were not made of gold, iron, or bronze.