Question

Why do you think different rulers chose to record their inscriptions on the same stone instead of a new one? Discuss your answers with your classmates.

Answer 1

Different rulers chose to record their inscriptions on the same stone instead of a new one to claim a direct historical connection with powerful past rulers and legitimize their own authority. By placing their names next to famous ancestors, they showed the public that they were continuing a great legacy. For example, the Junagadh Rock Inscription near Gimar (Gujarat) bears inscriptions from Emperor Ashoka (Mauryan), Rudradaman I (Saka), and Skandagupta (Gupta). When Rudradaman recorded how he repaired the Sudarshana Lake dam, which was originally built under the Mauryas, he used the exact same rock to proudly display his administrative success, public welfare efforts, and political dominance in the region.