Calliope articles from January 2000

Calliope archives from January 2000

Time Line.
January 1, 2000... B.C. 269 Ashoka defeats his brothers and become emperor. 261 Ashoka attacks Kalinga. 255 Ashoka converts to Buddhism sometime around 255 B.C. 232 Ashoka dies. THE WORLD OF ASHOKA

The Road to the Throne.(Ashoka, emperor of the Mauryan empire: ancient India)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Emperor Ashoka ruled the Mauryan Empire in India for 37 years. He was the third ruler of the dynasty founded by his grandfather, Chandragupta Maurya, in 322 B.C. At the time, Indian rulers and warriors were expected to be vira, heroic warriors,...

THE MAURYAN DYNASTY.(Chandragupta founds the Mauryan Empire in ancient India)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... By 326 B.C., Alexander of Macedonia had conquered most of the land between Macedonia and northwest India. He thought that if he took control of India, he would rule the world. Then came news of a country beyond India -- China. Alexander's...

HIS SACRED MAJESTY'S REMORSE.(Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Empire in ancient India)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... With increasing strength, make war; when you have a clear advantage over a neighbor, march against him. So wrote Kautilya, chief minister to Emperor Chandragupta, in his handbook on royal politics entitled Arthasastra. Indeed, the advice...

A Vow to Conquer by Dhamma.(Emperor Ashoka of ancient India feels the influence of Buddhism)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... After the Kalinga campaign and his conversion to Buddhism, Ashoka changed his approach to ruling. He became one of the first leaders in history to add an ethical and moral dimension to governing. Instead of using his army to take control of new...

THE EDICTS OF ASHOKA.
January 1, 2000... During his reign, Emperor Ashoka issued numerous edicts. These he had carved on stone pillars and on the sides of large rocks throughout India. The edicts contain mainly moral advice. Historians have used, and continue to use, these statements...

The Language of the Edicts.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Ashoka's edicts were written in Prakrt. This was not the official language of the administration, but the one that the common people throughout the empire could easily understand. In the centuries that followed Ashoka's rule, the language...

MAKE YOUR OWN EDICT.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... YOU NEED * empty paper towel roll * scissors * piece of firm cardboard, 8 1/2 by 11 inches * tape * plain sheet of paper * pen or fine marker The English word "edict" traces its origin to two Latin words, the...

Ashoka's Lion Capital at Sarnath.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... The finest and most famous of Ashoka's inscribed pillars was erected at Sarnath in northern India in about 250 B.C. This 50-foot-tall pillar was topped with a beautiful seven-foot sculpture of four lions, back to back, facing outward. This lion...

HINDUISM & BUDDHISM: A SHARED HERITAGE.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Hinduism is an ancient faith dating back more than 5,000 years. Buddhism arose from Hinduism about 2,500 years ago as a reform movement, and has developed from a relatively simple faith to a more complex one. Each religion has influenced the...

The Stupa.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Before the Buddha died, he reportedly instructed his followers to bury his remains under a large mound of earth called a dagaba or "stupa." In ancient Asia, it was customary to honor departed monarchs in this manner. The stupa is the most...

SANCHI.(Buddhist relic)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... For hundreds of years, no one paid any attention to the overgrown ruins on Sanchi Hill in central India. Rediscovery of the ancient site came in 1818, when a British general and his men set up camp in the area. They found an enormous stupa...

Fun With Words.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... WORD ORIGINS Dungaree Today the word "jeans" is used far more frequently than "dungarees" to refer to pants made of coarse blue denim. The name "dungarees" comes from dungri, the Hindi word for the material and also, according to...

After Ashoka.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Legend says that, as Ashoka grew older, he found it more and more difficult to control the vast Mauryan Empire. Legend also tells of Ashoka's continuing devotion to Buddhism, and his family's efforts to limit his donations. Ashoka's grandson,...

THE CHALLENGE OF ASHOKA.(non-violent resistance)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Today we might ask, "Is it possible to govern ourselves and deal with other nations without resorting to war and violence?" Ashoka, perhaps more than any other leader in history, challenges us to think of alternatives to force. It is not...

Honor Your Siblings.(India's Raksha Bandhan, the Thread Festival)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... In India, there is a special celebration to honor brothers and sisters. It is called Raksha Bandhan, the Thread Festival, and it takes place in July or August according to the Hindu lunar calendar. On that day, sisters put a little bracelet...

Honor Your Sibling with Raki.(making the traditional raki bracelets used in India)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... YOU NEED: * several pieces of colored yarns or threads about 16 inches long (Indians like bright colors like yellow, red, blue, purple, and green.) * pompons or other dangling decorations (optional) 1 Read the article "Honor Your...

The Lion and the Hare.(ancient story from 'The Panchatantra' in India)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Long before the reign of the emperor Ashoka, many animal families inhabited a beautiful forest in northern India. For many years they lived in peace -- until a huge, haughty lion appeared. Every afternoon the lion set out to select an innocent...

The Clock.(Poem)
January 1, 2000... The Clock Look at the clock's soft hands Slowly moving around, Telling the time of the day For everyone to hear. Listen while it talks to us Telling us it's time to end the days. ...

The Promise.(Brief Article)(Poem)
January 1, 2000... Yellow is the sunrise that promises a new day, With daffodils, dandelions, and bees. Yellow is a caution light, candle light, and flashlight Yellow is freshly baked bread, Popcorn, lemons, and bananas....

India.(personal report from India)
January 1, 2000... India -- the place of mystery and fantasy -- is the place to be. The people there celebrate ceremonies like you have never seen. The girl that dances the odissi or an ancient classical dance follows the music like it is her chant of spirit....

ASHOKA ON THE INTERNET.(Web sites with information about Emperor Ashoka of ancient India)
January 1, 2000... To begin your study of Ashoka, his life, his edicts, and the times in which he lived, click on this site: http://members.home.net/asoka/asoka.html If you are want to learn more about Ashoka's philosophy, edicts, and governing policies,...

BOOKS.(Bibliography)
January 1, 2000... The Adventures of Young Krishna, the Blue God of India by Diksha Dalal-Clayton (New York: Oxford University Press, 1991) begins with the dramatic story of his birth and ends with a tale of the grain that fed hundreds. Wonderful pen-and-ink...

RESOURCES.(Asia Society services)
January 1, 2000... Asia Society offers art exhibitions and performances, films, lectures, seminars and conferences, publications, and materials and programs for students and teachers. For more information call 1-800-ASK-ASIA, or visit its Web site at:...

COBBLESTONE RESOURCES.
January 1, 2000... Materials that complement this theme's topic, "Ashoka, India's Philosopher King," and are available from Cobblestone Publishing include: CALLIOPE "Lost Cities" (May/June 1991), "The Treasures of Mohenjo-Daro," pages 4-7, "The Streets of...