The Ashoka Pillar, which does not seem very interesting at first glance; It is located in the garden of the famous Kul al-Islam Mosque in Delhi, India. This column, which is 7 meters long and 6 tons in weight, consists of 98 percent iron. This column, which has not rusted for centuries, is counted among the objects out of date. It is not known by whom and for what purpose this iron column of 1600 years old Delhi was built. The column, which has been the subject of research for many years; some claim that it was made by aliens, others claim that it was done by Indian ironsmiths. The rust-free Ashoka Column is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Ashoka Pillar takes its name from Asoka or Ashoka, the third ruler of the Maurya Empire who once ruled in ancient India. It is estimated that the column was built in the early period of the Gupta Empire. In India, other columns like this stand alone column are found. But the other pillars are structurally different from the Ashoka Pillar. Unlike other pillars, most of which are starting to deteriorate, the Pillar of Ashoka has a like-new appearance that hasn’t been damaged or rusted for centuries. The Ashoka Pillar has been around for more than 1600 years; It is exposed to Indian Monsoon rains, winds and temperatures. This iron mass, which has been exposed to external conditions for centuries, must have turned into a pile of rust and rotted a long time ago. However, the column, which is made of pure iron, has almost defying corrosion since the time it was built.
Why the Ashoka Pillar Doesn’t Rust
Erich Von Daniken, on the Ashoka Pillar, in his book “Chariots of the Gods”, which he wrote in 1969, interpreted the non-corrosion of the iron column as a technology beyond its age. Also, Daniken claimed that this column was built by alien visitors. There were also those who attributed the interesting feature of the column to mysterious extraterrestrial materials. But the inscriptions on the column, its features and the way it was made, point to Indian ironworkers. The column is a striking example of the knowledge and ingenuity of the ancient people.
As a result of the researches made by R. Balasubramaniam from India Kanpur Institute of Technology; It was revealed that it consists of 99.72 percent iron, 0.08 percent carbon, 0.046 percent silicon, 0.032 percent nitrogen, 0.114 percent copper and 0.114 percent phosphorus. The findings about the column helped to unravel some of its secrets centuries later. Iron under normal conditions; When exposed to oxygen and water, it enters a chemical process known as corrosion and begins to deteriorate. The oxidation that occurs in this process causes the formation of rust, which continues until the metal is eroded and completely deteriorated.
According to Balasubramaniam’s statement, the reason why the column does not rust is the protective membrane on it. The iron oxides in the structure of iron, the high level of phosphorus in the metal and the climatic conditions of the geography form this membrane. This layer, which makes up 1 out of 20 of the iron, prevents the iron from rusting. Phosphorus is the main factor that protects the column from oxidation. Phosphorus plays an important role in the formation of the membrane, which forms a barrier between the metal and rust on the outside of the column. A small part of the membrane was scraped from the column for the purpose of experimentation, and then it was observed that rust started to form on this scraped part. After a short while, the rust underwent a chemical change and turned into a membrane layer.
History of the Ashoka Pillar
The Quww al-Islam Mosque, where the column is located in the garden, is the first Turkish-Islamic work of India. The mosque was built in 1192 by the Delhi Sultanate, founded by Turkish principalities from Central Asia. The mosque, which is in ruins today, is the only thing that gives the impression that the column is old. The column, which is older than the mosque, was brought to the region later. It is not known by whom and for what purpose the column, which is thought to have been built in Madhya Pradesh, was brought to the mosque hundreds of years ago. It is thought that the column was built between the 3rd and 4th century AD, due to the Sanskrit inscriptions carved on it. But there are also those who take the date of the column back to 900 BC, that is, another thousand years.
Although it is not known exactly by whom it was made, Chandra is mentioned in the writings on it. For this reason, the thesis that the column was built by the Gupta Emperor 2nd Chandragupta Vikramaditya, who lived in the 4th century, is strengthened. Gupta Empire; It was the most powerful Indian empire of the time, existing from the 3rd to the end of the 6th century. The Empire, which ruled a large part of India, took Indian civilization to a very advanced level. For this reason, the imperial period is referred to as the golden age of India.
Ashoka Pillar; It is estimated that it was built by Emperor Chandragupta as a flagpole or as part of a huge sundial. There are also speculations that the pillar was designed to attract lightning or somehow interact with space. Since 1997, the column has been surrounded by fences for protection. But the protective layer of the column has been damaged, thanks to the People who believe it will bring luck. Thousands of visitors who try to grasp the back with their hands by leaning on the column cause the property of this wonderful work to deteriorate.
