When is Ashoka's Birth Anniversary?
Ashoka's Birth Anniversary is a regional public holiday observed in Bihar, India. The official date for the holiday is April 14th, but it can be moved to different days.
The day commemorates the birth date of a famous Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty.
April 14th coincides with the birthday of Dr Ambedkar and Tamil New Year, which means this day is usually already a public holiday in Bihar and many other parts of India.
History of Ashoka's Birth Anniversary
Ashoka the Great, was the third ruler of the Maurya Dynasty, who ruled from circa 268 to 232 BCE.
At its height, Ashoka's empire covered almost the entire area of present-day India and stretched from Afghanistan to Bangladesh.
Ashoka was born about 304 BCE. Due to this great age in antiquity, there is no definitive detail on what his birth date was, what he looked like or even what caste he belonged to.
Nonetheless, Ashoka remains among the most influential and enduring figures of India's great history and culture. His legacy to the world was ensuring the status of Buddhism as one of the great religions of the world. Without his adoption of the religion after the Kalinga War, Buddhism may have remained a religion local to northern India.
His influence permeates many aspects of Indian life. For instance, the Emblem of India is an adaptation of the Ashoka Lion Capital that is now preserved in Sarnath Museum in Uttar Pradesh.
And famously, the Ashoka Chakra (Ashoka Wheel), a 24-spoke wheel on its base, features in the centre of the national flag of India.
The highest peacetime gallantry award given to members of the Indian Armed Forces is known as the Ashoka Chakra.
Despite the great age and heritage of Ashoka, this is a modern holiday. It was first observed in Bihar in 2015.
