Ashoka Chakra in Yamunanagar village India’s biggest

Shiv Kumar Sharma

Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, March 15

A ‘Dharma Chakra’ (popularly known as Ashoka Chakra) made of mild steel installed in Yamunanagar’s Topra Kalan village has been recognised as India’s biggest by the Limca Book of Records 2020.

The chakra has a diameter of 30 ft, 24 spokes and weighs around 6 tonnes. The non-armature structure took 240 days to construct and was built by NGO Buddhist Forum last year to present a glimpse into Emperor Asoka’s era in Haryana. The chakra has been painted golden, like the majority of Buddha idols, as it is considered a highly spiritual colour.

The initiative to revive lost Buddhist legacy has been taken up by brothers Sidhartha Gauri, Buddhist Forum general secretary and filmmaker, and Dr Satyadeep Neil Gauri, a dentist in Australia. Sidhartha Gauri said that with the help of the Topra Kalan gram panchayat, they had planned to set up an Ashoka Edict Park in the Mauryan-era village. The Ashoka Chakra is part of that park.

He said after Buddha’s visit to this part, Emperor Asoka erected a monolithic pillar of sandstone in Topra Kalan village.

“Presently, Topra village is established over the ancient mound and Mauryan era pottery pieces can be easily spotted here,” said Gauri. He said around 2,300 years ago, the Asoka Chakra was called Dharma Chakra. It was first used as a representation of Buddha and his teachings.

Topra Kalan Sarpanch Munish Kumar said it was a proud moment for the village. Darshan Lal Jain, a Padma Bhushan Awardee and president of the Buddhist Forum, said, “Till some years back, Topra Kalan was a non-descript village, but construction of this Ashoka Chakra and the Limca Book of Records’ recognition will help put it on the heritage map.”

Village steeped in history

• Emperor Asoka had installed a pillar in Topra Kalan village about 2,300 years ago, but in the 14 century Feroz Shah Tughlaq took it to Delhi
• It stands at the Old Fort at Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi and is the only pillar having seven Ashokan edicts on it
• Later on, some minor edicts were added by Anagpal, King of Delhi in the 10th century

Engineering feat

30 ft diameter

24 spokes

6 tonne weight

240 days building time