Mauryan Empire

321 B.C.E.- 185 B.C.E.

Mauryan Empire

NAME ROLL NO.

PIYUSH ZINZALA 14SA162

JEEGAR VARIYA 14SA134

JAY PRAJAPATI 14SA133

YASH BANKER 14SA149

DHAVAL KARKAR 14SA122

CHINTAN BAROT 14SA124

NISHIKESH TATHE 14SA

NAME ROLL NO.

AABHA PARIKH 14SA101

KHUSHALI SACHANIA 14SA140

FARAN HATHIDARA 14SA125

JANKI SUVAGIYA 14SA132

AMI PONKIA 14SA107

KESHA SHETH 14SA137

RAJVI MANIYAR 14SA168

Government Structure

First King – Chandragupta (322 to 298 B.C.E.)

•Established a centralized state, uniting Northern India

•Had state regulated trade that prospered

Second King – Bindusara (296 to 273 B.C.E)

•Extended kingdom to the south

•Third King – Ashoka (273 to 232 B.C.E.)

•Helped by a council of ministers who were the head of different ministries.

•Was concerned with the welfare of his people

Strong government

Like Qin, Han rulers, Chandragupta Maurya established centralized

government to control empire, crush resistance

Relied on brilliant adviser Kautilya, Brahmin, member of the priest caste

Empire divided

Chandragupta divided empire into districts, appointed loyalists to rule them

Organized bureaucracy ran government, spies monitored officials, gathered

information, rooted out threats to state

Arthasastra

Manual for statecraft, thought to be written by Kautilya

Arthasastra called for strict state control

Also called for use of spies, even assassination

Mauryan Rule

• Greatest city, Mauryan

capital: magnificent

palaces, temples, parks

• Government controlled

economy

• Emperor owned land, rent

money from farmers

funded government

Pataliputra

• Greek ambassador visited

Mauryan Empire during

Chandragupta’s reign

• Wrote about his

observations

• Described land of

prosperity

Megasthenes

The Mauryan Empire

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O

O

O

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ASHOKA

KAUTILYA ( OR CHANAKYA )

Buddhism Hinduism Jainism

Trade/Economy

Silver punch mark coin

Migration/Population

Writing System

Social Structure

The Mauryan Empire were the first in India to transition from wood to stone in their architecture and art.

Stupa Pillars

THE DHARMARAJIKA STUPA : This is the earliest of the remains here at Sarnath, built on Mauryan period attributed to the Emperor Ashoka the great. The Dharmarajika Stupa was

expanded and enlarged several times upto 12th century AD. The structure was destroyed by repeated invasions and negligence. What is found today is the result of repeated effort of

reconstruction.

THE CHAUKHANDI STUPA : Chaukhandi is the first monument encountered by the visitors as they enter Sarnath. It is a lofty mound of brick, a structure whose square edifice is surrounded by an octagonal tower. This structure is also said to be raised by Emperor

Ashoka.

THE DHAMEKHA STUPA : King Ashoka also built the Dhamekha Stupa. The present size of the stupa is 31.3 metre high and 28.3 metre in diameter. The lower portion of the stupa is covered completely with beautifully carved stones. The design consists of a broad band of

'Swastika', carved in different geometrical patterns with a finely chiseled lotus garland, running over and below the Swastikas.

THE MULAGANDHA KUTI VIHAR: It is the modern temple erected by the Mahabodhi Society. It has excellent frescoes by Kosetsu Nosu who is famous Japanist painter.Several

Buddhist relics are also excavated here. On Buddha Purnima, the birth ceremony of Buddha, relics of Buddha are taken out in procession.The archaeological museum at Sarnath houses

several Buddhist sculpture and relics,also a rich collection of Buddhist manuscript and writings.

• The 'Great Stupa' at Sanchi is the oldest structure and was originally commissioned by the emperor ashoka the Great in the 3rd century BCE.

• Its nucleus was a hemispherical brick structure built over the relics of the Buddha. It was crowned by the

chatra, a parasol-like structure symbolising high rank

• A pillar of finely polished sandstone was also erected. The old stupa was later covered when it was expanded. The bottom part of the pillar still stands.

• The upper parts of the pillar are placed under a canopy nearby. The pillar has an Ashokan inscription

(Schism Edict) and an inscription in the ornamental Sankha lipi from the Gupta period

General information

Type - Stupa and surrounding buildings Architectural style - Buddhist architecture

Construction started - 3rd century BCE Height - 16.46 m (54.0 ft)

Dimensions Diameter - 36.6 m (120 ft)

THE ASHOKA PILLER: The Ashoka pillar is extremely important because on top of the pillar there used to be a statue of four lions holding up a wheel, which is national sign of India

now. The wheel stands for 'Dharma'. The pillar is broken now and the 'Lion capital of Ashoka' is in display at Sarnath museum, which consists of a canopy representing an

inverted bell-shaped lotus flower, a short cylindrical abacus where alternate four 24-spoked Dharma wheels with four animals (an elephant, a bull, a horse, a lion in this order), and four

lions facing the four cardinal directions.

The Iron Pillar located in Delhi, India, is a 7 m (23 ft) column in the Qutb complex, notable for the rust-resistant composition of the metals used in its construction.

The pillar weighs over 6,000 kg, and is thought to have originally been erected in what is now

Udayagiri by one of the Gupta monarchs in approximately 402 CE, though the precise date and location are a matter of dispute. It was transported to its current location in 1233 CE.

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