[Solved] Ashokan Kharosthi Inscriptions | Shahbazgarhi Site

Which one of the following Ashokan inscription is in 'Kharosthi' script?

[Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2011]

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Correct Option: C

The Ashokan inscription at Shahbazgarhi is written in the Kharosthi script. This script was used primarily in the northwestern part of the Mauryan Empire.

A. Khalsi

B. Girnar

C. Shahbazgarhi

D. Meerut

Analysis & Evidence

Concept

While the majority of Ashokan inscriptions in the heartland are in Brahmi, those found in the northwestern frontier use local scripts like Kharosthi and Greek to reach the local population.

Authentic Source Evidence

Shahbazgarhi and Mansehra (both in modern Pakistan) are the two major sites where Ashoka's Rock Edicts are written in the Kharosthi script (right-to-left).

Analytical Breakdown

Logic 1: Inscriptions in central and eastern India (like Meerut and Khalsi) used Brahmi.

Logic 2: Girnar (Gujarat) also utilized Brahmi, despite being in the west. Shahbazgarhi's use of Kharosthi reflects the linguistic and cultural influence of the Achaemenid Persian Empire in that specific region.

Historical Logic Quest

"Why did Ashoka use Kharoshti in the Northwest but Brahmi elsewhere?"

Kharoshti was the established script of the Gandhara region due to earlier Persian influence, and Ashoka chose scripts that locals could already read.

The Topper's Edge

"The use of multiple scripts in Ashokan edicts is early evidence of 'localized' governance within a centralized empire."

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