Lauriya-Areraj Ashoka Pillar

Lauriya-Areraj Ashoka Pillar is an ancient polished sandstone pillar located near the village of Lauriya-Areraj in the state of Bihar, India, and is one of several pillars associated with Emperor Ashoka. The pillar dates to the Mauryan period and carries inscriptions attributed to Ashoka from the 3rd century BCE.

The pillar’s main point of interest is the inscribed edict in Brahmi script giving moral and administrative instructions of Ashoka’s government; the artifact is of archaeological and epigraphic significance. Visitors come to view the standing pillar and its carved inscription rather than large onsite museum displays.

The pillar was erected under Emperor Ashoka during the Maurya Empire and forms part of Ashoka’s program of inscribing edicts across the subcontinent to communicate imperial policies and Buddhist-influenced moral guidance. Over time the pillar has been studied by archaeologists and epigraphists who have documented its script and language.

Geographically the pillar stands in northern Bihar on the Gangetic plain near the local settlement of Lauriya-Areraj; it is accessible from regional roads within Bihar and sits in an agricultural and rural landscape.

• Date and inscription: Erected in the 3rd century BCE by Emperor Ashoka and bears edict inscriptions in the Brahmi script.