Unveiling ancient legacy of Yamunanagar, Mauryan traces & rise of Ashoka Edict

Nestled in Haryana and on the border of Uttar Pradesh, Yamunanagar district is emerging as a beacon of India's ancient Buddhist heritage, with its villages of Topra Kalan, Sugh and Chaneti revealing a past that stretches back to over 2,300 years.

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These sites, long revered for their historical and spiritual significance, are now at the forefront of a transformative effort to preserve and promote the region's Mauryan-era legacy. Leading this change is the development of the Ashoka Edict Park at Topra Kalan village, a project poised to cement Yamunanagar's place as a premier destination for Buddhist heritage tourism in North India.

At the heart of Topra Kalan's historical legacy lies its connection to Emperor Ashoka, the Mauryan ruler, whose reign marked a golden era for the Buddhist propagation. Over 2,300 years ago, Ashoka erected a monolithic pillar in the village, inscribed with edicts that championed dharma - principles of ethical governance, compassion and non-violence. The pillar, a testament to Ashoka's transformative journey from conqueror to peacemaker, was later relocated to Delhi's Firoz Shah Kotla by the 14th-Century ruler Firoz Shah Tughlaq.

The Haryana Government is honouring the legacy through the creation of the Ashoka Edict Park, a 27-acre sanctuary dedicated to preserving the region's Buddhist heritage. Its centrepiece is a towering 30-ft iron Ashoka Chakra, the tallest of its kind in India, which earned a place in the Limca Book of Records in 2019. The chakra, a symbol of dharma, stands as a proud reminder of Topra Kalan's ancient prominence.

Adding to the excitement surrounding Topra Kalan is a ground breaking archaeological discovery. In January 2025, a team from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur's Department of Earth Sciences, led by Prof Javed N Malik, alongside Mitthu Dhali and Monika Kumaiya, conducted a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey in the village. The survey, which explored three distinct locations, uncovered compelling evidence of an ancient civilisation buried beneath the surface. Brick structures and cross-sectional formations, detected up to five metres deep near a village pond, suggest the presence of a thriving settlement that could date back to the Mauryan era. These findings sparked renewed interest in Topra Kalan's historical significance.

Sidhartha Gauri, co-convener, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), describes the GPR findings as a turning point. "The survey reinforces Topra Kalan's role as a vibrant cultural and religious centre during the Mauryan period," Gauri explains.

Beyond Topra Kalan, Yamunanagar's other historical gems - Sugh and Chaneti - further enrich the district's tapestry. The ancient mound at Sugh, dating to the early centuries of the Common Era, hints at a bustling settlement that once thrived along trade routes. Meanwhile, the Chaneti Buddhist Stupa, with its distinctive hemispherical dome, stands as a testament to the spread of Buddhism in the region.

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