[Y-Indology] Asoka statues found in Orissa

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Dear Members,

This is with reference to Mr naga ganesan's posting on findings in Orissa.

I thought further info on the subject may be useful.

Langudi Hills are located near other known Budhhist sites such as Laligiri,

Udayagiri and Ratnagiri. Together these adjacent hillocks with rare Buddhist

stupas, inscriptions, images and Viharas turn out to be the largest

Budddhist complex of the region. We in the Department of Tourism &Culture

Government of Orissa are planning a broad based workshop on Langudi Hills

findings soon. Institute of Maritime ans South East asian Studies under

Department of Culture is piloting this study and exacavations done so far

reveals the importance of the site and potential for detailed excavation. We

have taken up with ASI for ensuring detailed excavation at the earliest. I

have visited tthe site and seen the images and other excavated materials.

 

R.Balakrishnan

 

 

>naga_ganesan

>INDOLOGY

>INDOLOGY

>[Y-Indology] Asoka statues found in Orissa

>Fri, 09 Nov 2001 20:35:18 -0000

>

>

>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.

>

>

 

 

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