Ahmedabad, 19 July 2014

DeshGujarat today confirmed today that Ashoka rock inscription at Girnar foothill in Junagadh has not suffered damage due to collapse of slab and wall of a structure covering it.

According to Archaeology Director of Gujarat State Shri Y.S.Rawat, the state government had sought report from the Archaeological Survey of India(ASI) over this incident. The ASI responded immediately by sending latest photographs and details.

Shri Rawat said, “the structure was built by the Britishers using bricks and lime mortar, and not steel. On the other hand the inscription has been carved over a granite stone. As bricks and lime mortar are softer compared to granite stone, there has been no serious damage to either stone or inscription”.

Rawat said the new structure has to be built with proper design in hand to prevent any eventual damage to inscription in future.

It should be mentioned that the structure over Ashoka inscription was built in year 1901. That means the structure was 113 years old. The structure has recently developed cracks and local newspapers had carried reports alerting the ASI. In response to this, local ASI office had sent photographs and report to their head office seeking fresh repair work.

Slab and wall of building collapsed following heavy rain in jungle located next to the building.

A granite stone carries 14 directives of Maurya King Ashoka. It is the biggest piece of inscriptions of Ashoka (256 BC).

According to local historian Parimal Rupani this is second incident when inscription has suffered damage. In the past during Junagadh Nawab Bahadurkhan 2nd’s rule, part of inscription was broken away during the construction of road connecting Bhavnath. Pieces of that stone are kept at Sakkarbaug museum even today.

The old building

Ashoka Inscription on rock at the foot of Girnar Hill, near Junagadh, photo by D. H. Sykes, 1869

Rock inscribed with the edicts of an Emperor, in Kathiawar, Western India,” from the Illustrated London News, 1872

In recent years

From an old book

3rd and 5th rock edicts