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Indian. Heritage explorer. Traveller and occasional storyteller. Conversations about the Olive Green, Test Cricket and History.

Apr 13, 2019, 8 tweets

Inspired by the Persepolis pic, sharing a few 'pillars' seen in India. This set is of the Heliodorus pillar, a stone column in #Vidisha, MP. Could have been part of a Vishnu temple that was once at this site. Indo-Greek, dated to 113 BCE, rediscovered by Cunningham, 1877.

This pillar is a virtual witness of Indian History - bearing inscriptions of Ashoka, Samudragupta and Jahangir. Originally Ashokan, was moved from Kaushambhi to its present day location inside the fort at #Prayagraj to commemorate Jahangir's accession.

#ExploreUP: Kaushambhi is one of India's finest excavated sites. It still retains one Ashokan pillar which stands amidst green fields.

The Iron Pillar outside the Lat-ki-Masjid, #Dhar. Created with indigenous technology that ensures it stays rust-proof even today, similar to the Qutab iron pillar. While the mosque was built in 1405, usage of temple material within indicates that the lat was part of a temple.

Another pillar - one of twin pillars erected to commemorate the victory of King Yashovarman over a Huna army sent by Mihirkula. 532 CE. One pillar has collapsed. The pillar and the standing figures were found in a field and protected. Sondhni vil, #Mandsaur dist, MP.

Speaking of pillars, a more contemporary one: Votive columns have long been a part of Indian architectural traditions. Perhaps it was in line with that spirit that the Gov-General's House (now our Rashtrapati Bhavan) too has one, in the form of what is called the Jaipur Column.

The pillar journey goes south, to the Sri Nambi Narayana Swamy temple, Kere Thonnur, near Srirangapatnam, #Mandya dist, #Karnatakatrail. A stately column rises in front of the temple, which is believed to have been consecrated by the #Vaishnava Seer Ramanujacharya.

Talking of pillars, the Vijaymandirgarh fort, #Bayana, #Rajasthan has two rising columns. This pillar - popularly called Bhimlat - stands 20 odd ft high. An inscription on it speaks of a sacrifice being done here by a Vishnu Vardhan, a possible Gupta vassal, in 372/3 CE.

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