Here are some of the things Ashoka did:
1) United India through war
2) Renounced Violence
3) Spread Buddhism
The symbols used by modern India:
Ashoka Chakra (wheel) is on the Indian flag
The wheel symbolizes unity
Ashoka Pillar (Lion Capital) is the national symbol
We then discussed the Ashokan edicts that he put up throughout the country. Here are a few examples (paraphrased):
1) No animals are to be killed in sacrifice.
2) Respect for father and mother is good.
3) To do good is difficult.
4) All religions should be respected.
Finally students were asked to make their own edicts. Students came up with many different ideas expressing the same kind of high-minded ideals that Ashoka wrote down so many years ago.
As I was glancing through this post, I stopped to think about the following: Is Ashoka Chakra truly a symbol of unity? During the course of my class's third unit, I point out that the Ashoka Chakra illustrates "Gandhi's Spinning Wheel," a representation of India’s desire for economic self reliance from foreign regimes. The three colors of the Indian flag, as initially proposed by Gandhi, aimed to recognize both the religious diversity and cohesiveness of India. Overall, I am curious as to how the wheel symbolized unity in a pre-colonial context. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. K,
ReplyDeleteGood question. A parent actually commented that it symbolizes unity and I did not fact-check that. On the final version of the flag it is the Ashoka Chakra, not Ghandi's spinning wheel that made the cut. I think it was chosen (along with the Ashoka Capital) as symbols of a unified India. To Ashoka it was a symbol of righteousness or what he called Dhamma (Dharma).
Mr. N.
Thanks for the clarification, I'll definitely expand on this in my lecture for that day.
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