Buddhist Pilgrimage : Gujarat
In the 3rd century7 BC, Mauryan emperor Ashoka, after years of successful
conquest, was sickened by the slaughter of innocents by his army
at Kalinga. He embraced Buddhism and converted to the path of peace
and non-violence preached by Buddha.
36 of his inscriptions
have been found all over his erstwhile empire in the subcontinent,
with one of his major set fedictsinscribed on a basalt rock near
Uparkot fort. Junagadh. Over the next six centuries, Buddhist caves
were hewn into rocks by the Mauryans, the Kshatrapas and other dynasties,
writh the major complexes being in Uparkot fort, and the Khapra
Kodia and Baba Pyara complexes in the hills around Junagadh city.
Finds from these caves can be seen at the Junagadh museum nclucling
terra cottas, inscriptions and coins.
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