Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
Ashokan inscriptions in north-western part of the Mauryan Empire near Peshawar were in:
Solution & Analysis
Answer: D
Concept
Ashoka used various local scripts and languages to ensure his message was accessible to different regional populations of his vast empire.Explanation
The rock edicts at Shahbazgarhi and Mansehra (near Peshawar) are written in the Kharoshthi script, which was derived from Aramaic and written from right to left.Logical Breakup
Kharoshthi (D): The dominant script for Northwest India (Gandhara region) during the Mauryan era.
Brahmi (A): Used for the rest of the empire (North, South, Central, East).
Aramaic/Greek (B): Used in the extreme western regions like Kandahar (Afghanistan).