SSC
The Ashokan pillar at Rampurva (Bihar) was topped with the sculpture of a:
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Answer: Option A ā Bull
Detailed Solution
One of the two Ashokan pillars at Rampurva, in the West Champaran district of Bihar, was topped with a beautifully carved bull (the "Rampurva bull").
About the Rampurva bull:
- It is a humped bull (zebu) carved in polished sandstone, standing on an abacus decorated with floral designs (honeysuckle and rosette motifs).
- It is considered one of the finest examples of Mauryan sculpture, showing a high degree of realism and skill.
- Some scholars see Persian and Greek influences in its abacus decoration, combined with Indian realism in the animal figure.
- It was discovered in 1907-08 during excavations by Daya Ram Sahni.
- It was later moved to New Delhi, and is now displayed in Rashtrapati Bhavan (at the entrance of the Durbar Hall area).
- In 2024, there were reports that it might be returned to Bihar, but it remains a prized piece of Mauryan art.
The two Rampurva pillars:
Rampurva has two Ashokan pillars:
- One with the bull capital.
- One with a lion capital (now in the Indian Museum, Kolkata), which bears inscriptions of Ashoka's pillar edicts.
Animal capitals of Ashokan pillars:
- Sarnath: four lions back to back (the National Emblem of India), with a wheel and four animals (elephant, bull, horse and lion) on the abacus.
- Sanchi: four lions.
- Lauriya Nandangarh and Vaishali: a single lion.
- Sankissa (Uttar Pradesh): an elephant.
- Rampurva: a bull and a lion.
Meaning of the animals:
- The bull, elephant, horse and lion are associated with the Buddha's life and with the four directions.
- The bull is also linked with the birth of the Buddha.
Mauryan art:
NCERT describes the Mauryan pillars as showing the skill of sculptors, with polished surfaces and lifelike animals.
Why not the other options?
- āThe lion is found on several pillars, including the second pillar at Rampurva.
- āThe elephant is found at Sankissa.
- āThe horse is shown on the abacus of the Sarnath capital, but not as a crowning figure on any surviving pillar.
Quick tip
Remember: Rampurva = bull capital (now in Rashtrapati Bhavan) and a lion capital; Sarnath = four lions; Sankissa = elephant; Vaishali and Lauriya Nandangarh = single lion.
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Mahajanapadas & Mauryan Empire ā Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Mahajanapadas & Mauryan Empire, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the sixteen Mahajanapadas, the rise of Magadha under the Haryanka, Shishunaga and Nanda dynasties, Alexander's invasion, and the Mauryan Empire under Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara and Ashoka, including Mauryan administration, Ashoka's dhamma and his edicts. Questions often ask about the capital of a Mahajanapada, the founder of a dynasty, or details of Ashoka's rule, such as the Kalinga war and his rock and pillar edicts. Key sources include Kautilya's Arthashastra and Megasthenes' Indica. James Prinsep first deciphered Ashoka's Brahmi inscriptions in 1837. Practise the Mahajanapadas and Mauryan Empire questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.