Maskiis a town and anarchaeological sitein theRaichur districtof the state ofKarnataka,India.[1]It lies on the bank of the Maski river which is a tributary of theTungabhadra.Maski derives its name from Mahasangha or Masangi. The site came into prominence with the discovery of aminor rock edictofEmperor Ashokaby C. Beadon in 1915.[2]It was the first edict ofEmperor Ashokathat contained the nameAshokain it instead of the earlier edicts that referred him asDevanampiye piyadasi.[3][4]This edict was important to conclude that many edicts found earlier in the Indian sub-continent in the name ofDevanampiye piyadasi,all belonged toEmperor Ashoka.[3]The edict is etched on a rock-face ofDurgada-gudda,one of thegneissicoutcrops that are present in the site.
Maski | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 A view of Maski city skyline from Mallikarjuna temple hill | |
  Maski Location in Karnataka, India  Maski Maski (Karnataka) | |
| Coordinates:15°58′N76°39′E/ 15.96°N 76.65°E | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Karnataka |
| District | Raichur |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Kannada |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30(IST) |
| PIN | 584124 |
| Vehicle registration | KA 36 |
| Website | www |
Maski is also the place on the Raichur Doab which was also under the hegemony of the imperialCholaempire and it was here thatRajendra Chola IdefeatedJayasimha II,theWestern Chalukyaruler in battle in 1019-1020 AD.[5]
Excavation history
editMaski was studied initially byRobert Bruce Footein 1870 and 1888. In 1915, C. Beadon, a mining engineer, discovered Ashoka's rock edict here. In 1935–37, the archaeological department ofHyderabad stateexplored this region and in 1954,Amalananda Ghoshexcavated this place on behalf of theArchaeological Survey of India.[1]
Minor Rock Edict of Ashoka
editThe Maski version ofMinor Rock EdictNo.1 was historically especially important in that it confirmed the association of the title "Devanampriya" ( "Beloved-of-the-Gods" ) withAshoka:[6][7]
[A proclamation] ofBeloved of the GodsAsoka.
Two and a half years [and somewhat more] (have passed) since I am aBuddha-Shakya.
[A year and] somewhat more (has passed) [since] I have visited theSamghaand have shown zeal.
Those gods who formerly had been unmingled (with men) inJambudvipa,have how become mingled (with them).
This object can be reached even by a lowly (person) who is devoted to morality.
One must not think thus, — (viz.) that only an exalted (person) may reach this.
Both the lowly and the exalted must be told: "If you act thus, this matter (will be) prosperous and of long duration, and will thus progress to one and a half.— MaskiMinor Rock Edictof Ashoka.[8]
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Location of the Edict -
Entrance -
TheMinor Rock Edictof Maski confirmed the association of the title "Devanampriya" withAshoka -
Transcription of the inscription of Emperor Ashoka on the rock edict at Maski -
The nameAshokainBrahmi script,MaskiMinor Rock Edict,c.259 BCE -
The word "Buddha" in the Maski inscription.Brahmi script
Other findings
editThe excavations indicated that the region was occupied across four different cultural periods; Period I:Neolithic-Chalcolithic,Period II:Megalithic,Period III: Early historical and Period IV:Medieval.In Period I,microlithsand blades made ofagate,chert,carnelianandopalare found.[1]Ornamental beads ofagate,coral,shelland other materials are also found. Dull-grey ware and painted-buff ware pottery are found, some of which were painted with linear patterns. Animal remains of cattle, buffalo, sheep and goat are also found.[1]Period II saw the introduction ofironand five different forms of burials were discovered. Lances,ferrules,daggers and arrowheads were found, apart from beads ofgoldandterracottaobjects.[1]The pottery of Period II consisted of the megalithic red-and-black ware, all-black ware and red-slipped ware, some of which had graffiti on them. Coins were discovered in the Period III which also saw the use of Russet-coated painted ware. The earliest specimens of Indianglasswere also discovered at Maski.[9]Acylinder sealhas also been found here.[10]
Transport
editMaski is well connected by road. It lies on Bangalore-Gulbarga road. Maski ia around 425 km from Bangalore, 80 km from Raichur and 24 km from Sindhanur. Maski can be reached byKSRTCbuses from all Major towns and cities in Karnataka. Raichur Junction, 80 km away, is the nearest railway station and Gangavathi Approximate driving distance between Gangavathi and Maski is 74 km or 46 miles.
Image gallery
edit-
Devanampriya Ashoka government first grade college and post graduation study centre, Maski -
Maski sunset view -
Maski Mallikarjun Temple -
Maski at night -
Maski in monsoon -
Maski canal view at night -
Maski panoramic view
See also
editReferences
edit- ^abcdeAmalananda Ghosh (1990), p282
- ^V. R. Ramachandra Dikshitar (1993), p41
- ^abO. C. Handa (1994), p197
- ^Vincent Arthur Smith (1998), p5
- ^(2003), K.A.Nilakanta Sastri, p. 166
- ^The Cambridge Shorter History of India.CUP Archive. p. 42.
- ^Gupta, Subhadra Sen (2009).Ashoka.Penguin UK. p. 13.ISBN9788184758078.
- ^Inscriptions of Asoka. New Edition by E. Hultzsch(in Sanskrit). 1925. pp. 174–175.
- ^Manfred G. Raschke (1978), p1029
- ^E. C. L. During Caspers (1975), p64
- Ghosh, Amalananda (1990) [1990].An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology.BRILL.ISBN90-04-09262-5.
- Smith, Vincent Arthur (1998) [1998].Aśoka: The Buddhist Emperor of India.Asian Educational Services.ISBN81-206-1303-1.
- Handa, O. C. (1994) [1994].Buddhist Art and Antiquities of Himachal Pradesh.Indus Publishing.ISBN81-85182-99-X.
- Dikshitar, Ramachandra V. R. (1993) [1993].The Mauryan Polity.Motilal Banarsidass Publications.ISBN81-208-1023-6.
- Raschke, Manfred G. (1978) [1978]. "New Studies in Roman Commerce with the East". In Hildegard Temporini, Wolfgang Haase (ed.).Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt. Geschichte und Kultur Roms.Walter de Gruyter.ISBN3-11-007175-4.
- Caspers, During E. C. L. (1979) [1979]. "Statuary in the round from Dilmun". In Johanna Engelberta, Lohuizen-De Leeuw (ed.).South Asian Archaeology 1975: Papers from the Third International.BRILL.ISBN90-04-05996-2.