Brahmi script: Decoding ancient Indian history | James Prinsep - Storytrails
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Brahmi script: Decoding ancient Indian history | James Prinsep

What is the connection between an Englishman and the oldest Indian script in India? This is the story of how the determination of one Englishman to read the Brahmi script added volumes to Indian history. It is through this 2000-year old Indian script that India learnt about the greatest kings of India - Emperor Ashoka.

A 2000-year old Indian script was decoded and a fascinating new chapter was added to Indian History. India learnt about Emperor Ashoka, one of the greatest kings to have ever ruled over the subcontinent. This is the story of an ancient king who carved his edicts on rock faces and stone pillars across India. It is the story of an Englishman named James Prinsep, who was determined to read what these ancient inscriptions said. And this is the story of the decoding of Brahmi – the oldest readable Indian script and the mother script of most modern Indian scripts.

Ashokan Pillar at Feroze Shah Kotla, Delhi, Photo by Dhamijalok, CC by SA 2.0.jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ashoka_Pillar_at_Feroze_Shah_Kotla,_Delhi_02.JPG 

Allahabad_Kausambi_Edict Photo sourced from Eugen …9 March 1857 – 16 January 1927), Public Domain.jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mansehra_9-11_Edict.jpg 

Soghaura copper plate Brahmi inscription 3rd century BCE.jpg

Topra kalan.jfif https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sohgaura_copper_plate_inscription 

Ferozabad_Panorama Photo by Rangan Datta Wiki CC by SA 4.0.jpg https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ferozabad_Panorama.jpg 

Ashoka Pillar at Feroze Shah Kotla, Delhi, 1861. Photo by Samuel Bourne Public Domain.jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Lat_of_Ferozeh_Shah_-Delhi-..jpg 

Ashokan_Pillar_at_Feroz_Shah_Kotla,_New_Delhi Photo by Vu2sga CC by SA 3.0.jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ashokan_Pillar,_Feroz_Shah_Kotla,_Delhi.jpg 

Menander_Alexandria-Kapisa.jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Menander_Alexandria-Kapisa.jpg

Flying_griffin_Sanchi_Stupa_ public domain by its author, ArnoldBetten.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flying_griffin_Sanchi_Stupa_2.jpg 

Brahmi_script_on_Ashoka_Pillar,_Sarnath Photo by ampersandyslexia CC by SA 2.0.jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brahmi_script_on_Ashoka_Pillar,_Sarnath.jpg

Close up Delhi pillar Photo Abhatnagar2 CC by SA 3.0.jpg

Firoz Shah Tughlak PD British Library.jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Firoz_Shah_Taghlak.jpg 

Ashoka’s visit to the Ramagrama stupa Sanchi Stupa 1 Southern gateway https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ashoka%27s_visit_to_the_Ramagrama_stupa_Sanchi_Stupa_1_Southern_gateway.jpg Public domain

Lion_Capital_of_Ashoka https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_Capital_of_Ashoka 

Ashoka_Lauriya_Areraj_inscription By Sachin kumar tiwary (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edicts_of_Ashoka#/media/File:Ashoka_Lauriya_Areraj_inscription.jpg) – This file has been extracted from another file: ARERAJ INSCRIPTIONS.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70710778 

Delhi-Topra_pillar_edicts (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edicts_of_Ashoka#/media/File:Delhi-Topra_pillar_edicts.jpg) By Wikimapia Paul65 – This file has been extracted from another file: Delhi-Topra pillar of Ashoka.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70719289

Topra Kalan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topra_Kalan#/media/File:DPPX_8.JPG) By Abhatnagar2 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28365477

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