New Books Network Nayanjot Lahiri, "Searching for Ashoka: Questing for a Buddhist King from India to Thailand" (SUNY Press, 2023)
Nov 29, 2025
Nayanjot Lahiri, a history professor and archaeologist from Ashoka University, delves into the fascinating legacy of Emperor Ashoka. She discusses his unique moral transformation and the way he communicated with his subjects. Lahiri explores how Ashoka's identity evolved, with his Buddhist persona outlasting his administrative role. The podcast blends travelogue and scholarship, highlighting themes of memory and the reinvention of historical figures. Lahiri also shares insights into her upcoming project on forests and archaeology, showcasing her passion for accessible scholarship.
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Ashoka's Afterlife Is Culturally Remade
- Ashoka's memory emerged from journeys across India and beyond, revealing local reinventions of his persona.
- Nayanjot Lahiri argues memory reshapes him to suit different cultural, political, and moral aims.
A Ruler Defined By Public Moral Messaging
- Ashoka is unusual because he publicized moral governance rather than glorifying conquest.
- He left inscriptions across South Asia that promote compassion, welfare, and novel administrative norms.
Kalinga As Ashoka's Moral Turning Point
- The Kalinga slaughter functioned as Ashoka's watershed, turning military success into moral failure in his own narrative.
- That trauma motivated his new governance ideals emphasizing nonviolence and welfare.
