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<strong>It&rsquo;s an ancient structure that remained unnoticed and unexamined for probably several hundreds of years in a region which today is called Meerut but now its discovery has sparked a hope of gaining fresh insight into a crucial part of ancient Indian history dating back to Ashoka the Great and the Mauryan empire.</strong></p>
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According to a report in the Times of India, even though a part of the remains has been destroyed due to construction of a power plant, it has been closely examined by the Meerut circle of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The circle which was created just last year, has identified the remains as a brick platform which belongs to the Mauryan period and thus dates back to more than 2,000 years.</p>
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Importantly, this platform could hold the vital clue for the &ldquo;lost&rdquo; Ashoka Pillar site from the 3rd Century BCE.</p>
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<strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/culture-news/year-old-stone-age-cave-paintings-found-near-delhi-bring-alive-ancient-civilisation-105878.html">20,000-year-old Stone Age cave paintings found near Delhi bring alive ancient civilisation</a></strong></p>
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Sharing details of this find, Meerut circle superintending archaeologist Brajsundar Gadnayak said: <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/2000-yr-old-meerut-find-may-lead-to-lost-ashoka-pillar-site/articleshow/86572563.cms">&ldquo;A large part of the structure is in the form</a> of a 30m by 35m platform at Vikas Puri . The ancient site is undoubtedly one from the Mauryan period because the bricks are typical of the era.&rdquo;</p>
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The bricks used to make the platform are in a distinct dimension and are unique to the Mauryan period. Their size is 42cm x 26cm x 8cm.</p>
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Gadnayak sharing more details told TOI: &ldquo;We have also found pottery and ceramics belonging to those times.&rdquo;</p>
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An ancient canal route that most likely connects to the Kali river too has been discovered.</p>
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<strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/culture-news/study-suggests-that-ancient-dravidian-language-was-used-in-indus-valley-109190.html">Study suggests that ancient Dravidian language was used in Indus Valley</a></strong></p>
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What adds more significance to this find is that it has renewed hope among the historians that this could lead to a pillar that was installed by Emperor Ashoka around 3rd Century BCE, who was the third Emperor of the Mauryan dynasty.</p>
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Throwing light on this, historian Dr KK Sharma said: &ldquo;The Gazetteer (of 1904) mentions the reinstallation of Meerut&rsquo;s pillar at the Delhi Ridge but we have not been able to find the original site here.&rdquo;</p>
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The Meerut Gazetteer mentioned by him states: &ldquo;The earliest historical connection which can be made with the (Meerut) district is the erection of an Asoka pillar near Meerut &hellip; On the ridge at Dehli (Delhi) now stands a pillar which, according to Shams-i-Siraj, was removed from near the town of Meerut and set up in the Kushak Shikar or hunting palace. The site occupied by the pillar has not been identified.&rdquo;</p>
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<strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/culture-news/rare-th-century-ad-sculptures-discovered-in-tiruppur-tamil-nadu-116510.html">Rare 5th Century AD Sculptures Discovered In Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu</a></strong></p>
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Known as the Delhi-Meerut pillar it was brought to Delhi from Meerut by Firoz Shah and erected at a location in the northern ridge of Delhi, close to his hunting palace, between the Chauburji-Masjid and Hindu Rao Hospital. It was damaged in an explosion during the rule of Farrukshiar (1713&ndash;19) and later five broken pieces were shifted to the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Calcutta. Brought back in 1866 it was re-erected in 1887.</p>
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