Ancient Dharmachakra with 32 spokes unearthed in Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh archeology department has discovered a Dharmachakra along with few Buddhist relics on Wednesday at Kothapalli village of Thondangi mandal in East Godavari district. 

Though the popular Indian flag’s Dharmachakra bears 24 spokes, this Dharmachakra was found with 32 spokes. This is third of the kind, earlier being found at Kanaganahalli-Sannati in Karnataka and Lumbini in Nepal. Few senior officials visited the spot on Wednesday and said the Brahmi script found at A. Kothapalli site will be referred to experts for decipherment

"The Dharmachakra was not separately carved in the rock. It forms part of a rock panel with 32 spokes. We can describe it as a spoked wheel. We have also found four stone stupas of varying sizes. All these relics date back to the pre-Satavahana to Satavahana period. They were probably carved out between the 2nd century CE and the 4th century CE. We are analysing the script," said AP archaeology director GV Ramakrishna Rao.

Historical records show that the Dharmachakra in the middle of the Ashoka's Lion Capital apparently had 32 spokes. However, the four small Dharmachakras below the Lion Capital contained 24 spokes. The 32 spokes symbolically depict the qualities or attributes of an ideal human being.