Topra Kalan

17/09/2024

Topra village is a part of the larger locality

known as Topra Kalan. The village is a historical testament of Mauryan King Ashoka's legacy. During the reign of Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE, Topra was a thriving trade center and a crucial junction connecting the north, south, east, and west of India. Ashoka's most significant Pillar Edict was erected here, symbolizing his commitment to spreading Dharma. In the 14th century, the Delhi Sultanate ruler Feroz Shah Tughlaq uprooted the pillar from Topra and transported it to his capital, Delhi. This feat of transportation, depicted in the Sirat i-Firuz Shahi, highlighted the Sultanate's architectural ambitions. The pillar's inscriptions, primarily in Brahmi

script, were deciphered by James Prinsep in 1837. This breakthrough provided invaluable insights into Ashoka's era and his philosophy of governance.

02/04/2024

06/01/2024

Topra Ashokan Edicts Archeological Park and Museum

30/06/2023

Dharam chakra description of Ashok Satambh Park at Topra Kalan

07/10/2016

07/10/2016

Khattar announces Rs100 cr to develop Saraswati, Topra Kalan:The Tribune

To make Yamunanagar district a tourist hub, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today announced Rs 100 crore for the development of the Saraswati River and Topra Kalan village, known for Emperor Ashoka’s Pillar (Ashokan Column) worldwide, during his public meeting in Radaur.
Giving wings to the dream project of social worker and founder of The Buddhist Forum, Sidhartha Gauri, Khattar announced Rs 50 crore for Topra Kalan village where seven Ashoka Pillars, eight Rock Edicts and other ancient structures of Moaurian Time will be constructed. Gauri has been struggling for this project for four years.
The Chief Minister also announced Rs 50 crore for the development of the Saraswati River. This river has been flowing underground and the government has made a plan for its excavation to bring water on ground and to develop its area as a tourist spot.
The other major announcement made in the public meeting, organised by Radaur MLA Shyam Singh Rana, was that Yamunanagar-Kurukshetra road falling in Yamuanagar district area from Alipura village would be four-laned at a cost of Rs 80 crore.
Accepting other demands made by MLA Shyam Singh, the Chief Minister approved Rs 18.5 crore for 27 roads and announced allocation of Rs 10 crore for other 23 roads.
He also directed the officers to carry out development works, amounting to Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 2 crore, in 12 villages of Radaur Assembly segment, falling in the area of Municipal Corporation, Yamunanagar.
However, on the demand to upgrade Radaur as Sub-Division, Khattar said the state government had constituted a committee comprising three ministers. It would examine such issues in the entire state.
Khattar said chief secretaries of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh would meet soon to find a solution to the problem posed by the under-construction embankment along the bank of the Yamuna river in Tabbar village in UP.
“If UP agrees to construct a dam, Haryana too would do so and if UP takes any other step to deal with the problem, Haryana would also work in that direction,” he said.
He further said action would be taken according to the agreement entered into between the two states on the issue. The embankment would push the river water towards 34 villages of Yamunanagar district in rainy season and cause massive loss to life and property as there is no embankment on Haryana side.
Besides setting up of a 66 KV sub-station at Jamalpur village, he also announced the upgrade of the 30-bed Radaur Civic Health Centre to 50-bed and Rs 5 crore for providing sewerage facilities in Radaur.
He assured the farmers that each grain of their wheat crop would be procured by the five state agencies. Committees comprising 10 volunteers would be formed for all-round development of villages under Tarun Village Yojana, the CM added.

24/07/2015

17/12/2013

Topra Kalan, a village in Haryana ( Jagadhri ) , wants back its heritage property - the Ashoka pillar inside the Ferozshah Kotla complex that was brought to Delhi about 650 years ago.

Of the several Ashoka pillars - built during the reign of King Ashok (273 - 236 BC) along with buildings, stupas and monasteries for spreading Buddhism - one was built at Topra, once a thriving hub of Buddism in the area.

The information boards at the Ferozshah Kotla put up by the Archaeologial Survey of India (ASI) give a detailed description about how and when the pillar was brought to Delhi from Topra, a village 200 kilometres from the national capital.

During his rule over the Sultanate of Delhi, Ferozshah Tughlaq (1309-1388) brought it to Delhi and installed it inside his citadel, now known as the ruins of Kotla Ferozshah. It has been in Delhi since then.

With a dual aim of attracting tourist from world over and spreading the message of Buddha, the villagers are planning a park, wherein they want to re-install the Ashoka pillar after bringing it back from Delhi. The villagers plan replica of other Ashoka pillars for the proposed landscaped garden.

The gram panchayat of the village Topra Kalan in Yamuna Nagar district has recently passed a resolution to this effect and also expressed willingness to donate two acres of village land for the park. They have also formed a registered society for the purpose.

The resolution - HT has a copy - signed by sarpanch mentions that the authorities be requested to return the Ashoka pillar to the village.

Sidhartha Gauri from The Buddhist Forum: Voice of Dhamma, a religious NGO working in the area, said, "If India can ask back Kohinoor, why can't Topra claim its own property? We plan to write a request letter to the ASI soon."

However, ASI spokesperson BR Mani said, "The ASI act does not permit any such transfer of archaeological monuments because it has become a part of history where it is now situated for last 600 years."

They can always go ahead with a replica (of the pillar)

Ashoka Pillar is also know as Ashoka Topra Kalan Pillar