Asoka statues found in Orissa

[Guest guest]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1646000/16469

07.stm

 

Archaeologists in eastern India have

discovered two rare statues of Asoka, one of

India's best loved warrior kings.

 

The sandstone relics -

dating back to the

third century BC - were

unearthed in Langudi

Hill, a historical site in

the Jajpur district of

Orissa state, about 85

kilometres from the

state capital,

Bhubaneswar.

 

The discovery, which

may shed light on what

the king actually looked

like, follows the recent release of a Bollywood

epic on Asoka's life.

 

'Auspicious hands'

 

One of the two finds is the first individual

statue of Asoka bearing an inscription ever to

be discovered in India.

 

Dr DR Pradhan, secretary of the state-run

Institute of Maritime and South East Asian

studies, told the BBC the ancient inscription

translates as: "The statue was unveiled by the

auspicious hands of Asoka".

 

Dr Pradhan said the

second statue,

depicting the king with

two of his queens, bore

the simple inscription:

"The King Asoka".

 

The statues are two of

the earliest examples

of sculpture ever found

in Orissa, which was

invaded by Asoka in

the third century BC,

when it was called Kalinga.

 

Asoka is believed to have been so horrified by

the loss of life in that war that he renounced

violence and vowed to spread the message of

peace far and wide.

 

Archaeologists describe Langudi Hill as home to

eastern India's oldest Asokan stupa - tombs

constructed by Buddhists over the remains of

Lord Buddha and his leading disciples.

 

The hill, which the institute has been

excavating for many years, has since been

recognised as one of the country's most

important Buddhist sites.

[Guest guest]

Dear Tiru. Balakrishnan, I.A.S.,

 

Greetings.

 

Can you please send the Asoka statue photos

either thru' the web?, [if not, sending to me is an option].

 

Kind regards,

N. Ganesan