Practicing Success
Why was 'Suvarnagiri' important for the Ashokan empire? |
It was located along important trade routes. It was a center of cultural and artistic activities. It served as a vital resource for accessing the gold mines of Karnataka. It was a religious pilgrimage site |
It served as a vital resource for accessing the gold mines of Karnataka. |
The correct answer is Option 3 - It served as a vital resource for accessing the gold mines of Karnataka. 'Suvarnagiri' was important for the Ashokan empire as it served as a vital resource for accessing the gold mines of Karnataka. The Mauryan Empire was characterized by five major political centers - the capital Pataliputra and the provincial centers of Taxila, Ujjayini, Tosali, and Suvarnagiri. As evident from the inscriptions of Asoka, the same message was engraved across these regions, spanning from present-day North West Frontier Provinces of Pakistan to Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, and Uttarakhand in India. The question arises - could such a vast empire have functioned under a uniform administrative system? Taxila and Ujjayini were located along significant long-distance trade routes, while Suvarnagiri, named "the golden mountain," likely served as a vital resource for accessing the gold mines of Karnataka. |