India, Republic, 1977 AD., Bombay mint, 25 Paise, KM 49.2.
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India, Republic, Mumbai (Bombay) mint, 1977 AD.,
25 Paise (19 mm / 2,54 g), 2,50 g theoretical mint weight, copper-nickel, type minted 1972-90, mintage 270.520.000 (all var.), medal alignment ↑↑ , reeded edge,
Obv.: à¤à¤¾à¤°à¤¤ - INDIA , country name in Hindi and English flanking Asoka lion pedestal, 9mm between outward lions' nose tips, 15mm across field.
Rev.: वैसे - PAISE / 25 / 1977 / ♦ , denomination in Hindi and English above value number, year and mintmark "diamond", half wreath below.
KM 49.2 .
The Lion capital of Ashoka is a sculpture of four "Indian lions" standing back to back. It was originally placed atop the Aśoka pillar at Sarnath, now in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India by Emperor Ashoka circa 250 BC. The pillar, sometimes called the Aśoka Column is still in its original location, but the Lion Capital is now in the Sarnath Museum. This Lion Capital of Ashoka from Sarnath has been adopted as the National Emblem of India and the wheel "Ashoka Chakra" from its base was placed onto the center of the National Flag of India.
The capital contains four lions (Indian / Asiatic Lions), standing back to back, mounted on an abacus, with a frieze carrying sculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull, and a lion, separated by intervening spoked chariot-wheels over a bell-shaped lotus. Carved out of a single block of polished sandstone, the capital was believed to be crowned by a 'Wheel of Dharma' (Dharmachakra popularly known in India as the "Ashoka Chakra"), which has now been lost. There is a similar intact Ashoka pillar in Thailand with a similar four lion capital intact and crowned with Ashoka Chakra / Dharmachakra.
Ashok Maurya or Ashoka (DevanÄgarÄ«: अशोक, ca. 304–232 BC), popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent from ca. 269 BC to 232 BC. One of India's greatest emperors, Ashoka reigned over most of present-day India after a number of military conquests. His empire stretched from present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan in the west, to the present-day Bangladesh and the Indian state of Assam in the east, and as far south as northern Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. He conquered the kingdom named Kalinga, which no one in his dynasty had conquered starting from Chandragupta Maurya. His reign was headquartered in Magadha (present-day Bihar, India). He embraced Buddhism from the prevalent Hindu tradition after witnessing the mass deaths of the war of Kalinga, which he himself had waged out of a desire for conquest. He was later dedicated to the propagation of Buddhism across Asia and established monuments marking several significant sites in the life of Gautama Buddha. Ashoka was a devotee of ahimsa (nonviolence), love, truth, tolerance and vegetarianism. Ashoka is remembered in history as a philanthropic administrator. In the history of India, Ashoka is referred to as Samraat Chakravartin Ashoka - the Emperor of Emperors Ashoka.
His name "aÅ›oka" means "painless, without sorrow" in Sanskrit (the a privativum and Å›oka "pain, distress"). In his edicts, he is referred to as DevÄnÄmpriya (Pali DevÄnaṃpiya or "The Beloved Of The Gods"), and PriyadarÅ›in (Pali PiyadasÄ« or "He who regards everyone with affection").
Along with the Edicts of Ashoka, his legend is related in the later 2nd century AÅ›okÄvadÄna ("Narrative of Asoka") and DivyÄvadÄna ("Divine narrative"), and in the Sri Lankan text Mahavamsa ("Great Chronicle").
Ashoka played a critical role in helping make Buddhism a world religion. As the peace-loving ruler of one of the world's largest, richest and most powerful multi-ethnic states, he is considered an exemplary ruler, who tried to put into practice a secular state ethic of non-violence. The emblem of the modern Republic of India is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka.
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