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It is indeed interesting to note how legends were created to justify the existence of the pillar once its Buddhist connection was virtually forgotten, and was connected with the legendary Pandavas, who were believed to have traversed the length and breadth of India. As learnt from various texts like the Tarikh-i-Feroz-Shahi (Shams-i-Siraj Afif) and others, the rule of Asoka and the construction of pillars and stupas by him for the promotion of the Dhamma was erased out of the public memory with the passage of time.
However, many of the strong edifices built in his time did survive and offered to the modern generation an unique challenge about their origins since the anscient Brahmi script had also become outdated and failed to be deciphered despite serious efforts by the Brahmins in the times of Feroz Shah Tughlaq, who arranged for the transport of one of the Asokan Pillars discovered near Topara to the newly built palace, now seen near the ITO junction in New Delhi.
Stephenson also referred to the local story that the place near the base of the pillar was dug for treasure, many years before, by a Bengali gentleman, who perished in the attempt. Similarly an Englishman had come and dug down to discover the base of the pillar but he too lost his life, and thus the pillar was locally believed to be haunted.
To be continued...