Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c11.7

c11.7

Whether the palace was built by Chandragupta or by Aśoka is a relevant question having great significance for the history of Mauryan art. The evidence is overwhelmingly in favour of Chandragupta as the author of the whole plan as well as its execution. Firstly, the primary exigencies of an empire needed a well-built capital, palace and secretariat. Secondly, the testimony of Greek writers offers incontrovertible proof that the city and the palace existed long before Aśoka for Megasthenes actually saw them and recorded a factual account of the magnificence of the structure. Thirdly, the bottom of the pillars of the hall was engraved with several symbols including a set of three rows of three circles, taurine, triangle-headed standard (*Vaijayanti*) and crescent on Chaitya, the last sign being associated, with great probability, with Chandragupta Maurya, since it is commoaly found on the Punchmarked coins of Mauryan date. This shows that the bright Mauryan polish and the tall column without base were both evolved in the time of Chandragupta. Aśoka himself refers to pre-existing pillars. Patañjali writing only about 125 years after Chandragupta refers to *Chandragupta-Sabhā*, by which name it seems the monument became known to posterity.