Jaugada Ashokan Rock Edicts

Jaugada Ashokan Rock Edicts is an archaeological site in Jaugada village, Ganjam District, Odisha, located on a hill within the remains of an ancient fortified settlement. It preserves Major Rock Edicts of Mauryan Emperor Ashoka from the 3rd century BCE, inscribed on granite rocks. Notable for including the two separate Kalinga Edicts, the site offers insight into Ashoka's Dhamma policy after the Kalinga War and is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Visitors can expect to see ancient rock inscriptions carved on granite boulders on a low hill inside the ruined earthen fortifications of Jaugada Fort. The site consists of three main inscribed rocks protected by shelters, with Brahmi script edicts, information boards explaining the translations, and surrounding fort walls, moat traces and rural landscape. The area is open and quiet, with steps and rocky paths leading to the edicts and views over agricultural fields.

The edicts were inscribed under Mauryan Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE following the Kalinga War. Jaugada was a provincial capital of the Kalinga region under Mauryan administration. The site contains 14 Major Rock Edicts and the two Separate Kalinga Edicts that outline Ashoka's principles of Dhamma, non-violence, welfare administration and moral governance. The surrounding fort with earthen walls dates to the same period and illustrates Mauryan urban planning.

The edicts represent early propagation of Dhamma and Buddhist ethical values including tolerance, compassion and righteous administration. The Brahmi inscriptions are among the earliest written records in India and are significant for understanding ancient Indian script, language and governance. The site is revered as a cultural and educational landmark illustrating Odisha's ancient heritage.