Question

The Lion Capital of Ashoka was on a pillar in _______.
1. Kannauj
2. Gautam Buddha Nagar
3. Sambhal
4. Sarnath

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 4 : Sarnath

The correct answer is Sarnath.

• The Lion Capital was originally a part of the pillar constructed by Ashoka, the great emperor of the Mauryan dynasty who created the largest empire of ancient India.
• The Lion Capital discovered more than a hundred years ago at Sarnath, near Varanasi, is generally referred to as Sarnath Lion Capital.
• It is one of the finest examples of sculpture from the Mauryan period and was built by Ashoka in commemoration of ‘Dhammachakrapravartana’ or the first sermon of Buddha.
• The capital has four Asiatic lions seated back to back and their facial muscularity is very strong.
• Abacus (drum on the bell base) has the depiction of a chakra (wheel) in all four directions and a bull, a horse, an elephant and a lion between every chakra.
• Each chakra has 24 spokes in it.
• The capital was adopted as the National Emblem of India after independence without the crowning wheel and the lotus base.

•  Originally, the capital had five components:
  • The shaft (now broken into many parts).
  • A lotus base bell.
  • A drum on the base bell with 4 animals proceeding clockwise (abacus).
  • Figures of 4 lions.
  • The crowning part, a large wheel (this is also broken and displayed at the museum).