Rampurva

Rampurva: The site is situated in west Champaran district of Bihar. This site features two pillars of Asoka. Mr. Carlleyle found the northern pillar buried in a morass, with some three feet only protruding above the surface. The southern column was standing to a height of some 6' above the ground. Its upper portion, including most of the shaft and the capital, was missing. Mr. Carlleyle did not search for them, but exposed the upper 40 of the northern pillar carrying the trench around it to a depth of more than 8. At this point his work was stopped by the percolation of water. A year or two later, Mr. Garrick was deputed by General Cunningham to procure a photograph of the capital which crowned the northern pillar, and this he proceeded to disconnect from the shaft and remove to a distance of about 37' away. The task would seem to have been a somewhat difficult one, if we may judge by the innumerable small chips, etc., and it is much to be deplored that it was ever undertaken. Mr. Garrick also did some digging around the columns and drove shallow pits into the centres of the two mounds situated near the southern pillar, but they yielded no antiquities of any interest. Mr. Garrick prepared impressions of that side of the pillar which could then be reached. Buhler's transcipts of them show that it contained portions of the irst four edicts. No attempt was made either by Mr. Garrick or Mr. Carlleyle to rescue the pillars from the morass which had overwhelmed them, and it was not until several appeals had been made by Dr. Theo. Bloch to the Government of Bengal that any steps were taken towards their preservation. The estimate then framed amounted to Rs. 9,000. This estimate was considered too heavy, and misgivings had also arisen in the meantime about the identity of the remains at Rampurvā as parts of one pillar or two distinct ones. Mr. A. H. Longhurst, who inspected the site in the winter of 1906-7 in order to settle the above questions, submitted his report to the Government in April, 1907. He rightly concluded that portions of two separate columns existed and suggested that if his conclusions were proved to be correct by a thorough examination of the pillars, they might be re-erected on a suitable spot close by. The Director General accordingly made arrangements for the excavation of the site and deputed me to conduct the work.