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RAS question

Ashoka's Kalinga War was fought in:

Correct answer: (B) 261 BCE.

Ashoka's Kalinga War was fought in 261 BCE, after which he adopted Buddhism and upheld the values of peace and non-violence.

  1. (A)

    500 CE

  2. (B)

    261 BCE

  3. (C)

    100 BCE

  4. (D)

    326 BCE

Explanation

The Kalinga War is dated to 261 BCE. NCERT, India: Unity in Cultural Diversity places the conquest of Kalinga in that year and links it directly with Ashoka's later adoption of Buddhism and his emphasis on peace and non-violence. This is why the date is not just a chronology fact: it marks the turning point in Ashoka's reign. The war caused immense suffering, with 100,000 killed, 150,000 deported and many more dying afterwards, and Ashoka's 13th Rock Edict records his remorse. Kalinga is associated with modern Odisha, where Ashoka's rock edicts at Dhauli and Jaugada are part of the historical context.

Why the other options are wrong

  • (A) 500 CE is far too late, because the Kalinga conquest is specifically dated to 261 BCE and belongs to Ashoka's Mauryan period, not the Common Era.
  • (C) 100 BCE is later than the recorded 261 BCE conquest and therefore misses the turning point associated with Ashoka's remorse and adoption of Buddhism.
  • (D) 326 BCE is earlier than Ashoka's 261 BCE conquest of Kalinga; the required date is 261 BCE.

Concept

This tests the chronology of the Mauryan Empire and the historical significance of Ashoka's Kalinga War. It recurs in RAS because the event links political expansion, inscriptions, Buddhism and statecraft in ancient India.

Source

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