Kos Minar
The Kos Minars (translated: Mile Pillars) are
Most of the Kos Minars are present in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab by the roadsides, railway tracks, paddy fields and in many towns and villages.[1]
Kos Minars were described as a "marvel of India" by early European travellers such as Sir Thomas Roe and have been labeled as an integral part of India's ''national communication system" by Archaeological Survey of India.[2]
Characteristics
A
Kos Minars are solid round pillars, around 30 feet (9.1 m) in height, on a masonry platform built with bricks and plastered over with lime. They are not identical. As milestones, they were an important part of communication and travel.
History
Maurya period
In the third century BC, emperor Ashoka improved existing routes linking his capital city Pataliputra to Dhaka in the east and Kabul via Peshawar in the west and further to Balkh. These routes had landmarks in the form of mud pillars, trees or even wells to guide commuters.[4]
Sur period
The 16th-century
Mughal period
Deterioration and preservation
As the British introduced
Photo Gallery
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Mughalpura, Lahore, Pakistan
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Manhala, Lahore, Pakistan
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Taxla, Pakistan (old G.T.Road)
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Delhi Zoo, India
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Jalandhar, India
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Dakkhni, Jalandhur, India
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UP, India
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Tarawri, Karnal, India
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Karnal, India
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Haryana, India
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Ambala, Haryana, India
See also
- List of Monuments of National Importance in Haryana, contains over a dozen Kos Minars in Haryana
References
- ^ Gopinath, P. Krishna (12 June 2020). "Kos minars: Pillars of the past". @businessline. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- ^ a b c "Sher Shah Suri's kos minars once meant to show way to travellers stand lost today - Times of India". The Times of India. 27 January 2018. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
- ^ Arthashastra, Chanakya, 4th century BCE, pp151
- ^ a b c Arvind Chauhan (2 March 2019). "These were the 'Google Maps' of 16th century, now they're lost in time". The Times of India.
- ^ Kos Minar Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine University of Alberta.
- ^ Khandekar, Nivedita (27 October 2012). "A milestone on the highway". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 23 September 2013. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
- ^ "Kos Minar". Haryana Tourism Corporation. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
- Tribune India. 10 September 2006. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- Tribune India. Jalandhar. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
There are presently seven Kos Minars in the district and all were declared as monuments of national importance.
- ^ "'Monumental' treasure house". The Times of India. 12 July 2009. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ^ Singh, Dilbag (9 November 2016). "Conservation work of 'Kos Minars' in Jalandhar starts". Hindustan Times. Nurmahal. Retrieved 27 May 2023.