LifestyleHindustan Times
HistoriCity: A 2,000 year old revolt in India
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A 2,000-year-old revolt in Taxila was quelled by Prince Ashoka, who later became Emperor Ashoka Maurya.
Emperor Ashoka Maurya founded the first recorded Indian empire, stretching from Cuttack to Taxila and from Kashmir to deep Karnataka.
The revolt was addressed through dialogue, not repression, according to the Ashokavadana.
Ashoka's remorse after the Kalinga war led to his embrace of Buddhism and non-violence, influencing the subcontinent for nearly a millennium.
The revolt in Taxila was partly due to harsh Mauryan centralization, as noted by historian Romila Thapar.
