The highly polished monolithic Ashokan Pillars were carved out of single pieces of a buff-coloured

Q. The highly polished monolithic Ashokan Pillars were carved out of single pieces of a buff-coloured sandstone, usually mined from the quarries of

(a) Chunar near Mirzapur

(b) Lauriya in Nandangarh

(c) Sarnath near Varanasi

(d) Udayagiri near Bhubaneshwar

Ans: (a) Chunar near Mirzapur

 Explanation: The highly polished monolithic Ashokan Pillars were carved out of single pieces of buff-colored sandstone, usually mined from the quarries of (a) Chunar near Mirzapur. Chunar, located near Mirzapur in present-day Uttar Pradesh, was known for its high-quality sandstone that was used extensively in ancient Indian architecture, including the construction of Ashokan Pillars. The sandstone from Chunar was prized for its durability and smooth texture, which made it suitable for carving and polishing into pillars.