Mahasthan Record Revisited
A small record consisting of six to seven lines that has been published by eminent epigraphists several times, would require a fresh interpretation was almost beyond imagination. It was by chance that the Indian Museum displayed the Mahasthan stone plaque, and after seeing this record, several questions arose which demanded a fresh interpretation, and this enquiry finally culminated into this slim monograph.
The book attempts a re-reading of this inscription and also provides a fresh interpretation. It tries to situate this record in a broader canvas by interrogating the record along with several other evidences. This finally leads us to look at the Mauryan Empire from a regional perspective.
Susmita Basu Majumdar, Professor, Department of Ancient Indian History and Culture, University of Calcutta, specializes in early Indian epigraphy and numismatics. Her research interests also include history of medicine and surgery and history of early Indian religion, especially Ājivikism and Śaivism. Her publications include: The Mauryas in Karnataka (Kolkata, 2016) and Money and Money Matters in Pre-modern South Asia (co-edited with S.K. Bose, New Delhi, 2019).