The Ashoka Lion Capital , Emblem of the Republic

The Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath is over 2,200 years old. Carved from a single piece of polished sandstone by the craftsmen of the Mauryan Empire, it once sat atop a pillar erected at the very spot where the Buddha gave his first sermon. Today, abstracted and adapted, the Lion Capital is the national emblem of the Republic of India. It appears on every currency note, every government document and every official seal. The four lions facing the four directions, standing upon a wheel that is the Dhamma, carry within them the story of an entire civilisation. This sculpture brings that symbol home. For those who want to keep the republic's founding philosophy near. For schools, offices and civic spaces. For every Indian home that takes pride in the depth of its heritage.