Question 32 from UPSC CSE 2022 - Ancient History

Question

Consider the following pairs: Site of Ashoka's major rock edicts - Location in the State of
1. Dhauli - Odisha
2. Erragudi - Andhra Pradesh
3. Jaugada - Madhya Pradesh
4. Kalsi - Karnataka
How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. Only two pairs

Strategy: - Identify each Ashokan major rock edict site presented.
- Recall or verify the factual state location for each site.
- Determine which site-location pairs are correctly matched based on accurate recall.

Key Info: Ashoka's major rock edicts, issued in the 3rd century BCE, are found at various sites across the Indian subcontinent. Significant sites and their correct locations include:

- Dhauli: Located in the Puri district of Odisha (formerly Orissa), known for the rock edicts and a prominent Buddhist peace pagoda (Shanti Stupa).
- Erragudi: Situated in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, it is an important site with major rock edicts inscribed by Ashoka.
- Jaugada: Found in the Ganjam district of Odisha, Jaugada features Ashoka's edicts but is not in Madhya Pradesh.
- Kalsi: Located near Dehradun, in Uttarakhand, Kalsi contains one of the best-preserved Ashokan rock edicts and is not in Karnataka.

Other prominent major edict sites include Girnar (Gujarat), Shahbazgarhi and Mansehra (Pakistan), and Sannati (Karnataka, hosts different sets of inscriptions). Ashokan edicts are among the earliest decipherable written records in Indian history, inscribed in Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts, and provide insights into Mauryan administration, society, and Ashoka's adoption of Dhamma.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: Only one pair

IASCODEX · Answer

Option C: Only three pairs

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: All four pairs

Consider the following pairs: Site of Ashoka's major rock edicts - Location in the State of Dhauli - Odisha Erragudi - Andhra Pradesh Jaugada - Madhya Pradesh Kalsi - Karnataka How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

Consider the following pairs: Site of Ashoka's major rock edicts - Location in the State of

Dhauli - Odisha

Erragudi - Andhra Pradesh

Jaugada - Madhya Pradesh

Kalsi - Karnataka
How many pairs given above are correctly matched?