Describe the contribution of cholas to …

During the Mauryan period, significant progress was made in the fields of craft, architecture, sculpture, stone polishing, engineering and jewellery making, etc.

1. Craft and Architecture: The grand palaces built by the Mauryan emperors struck foreign travellers with amazement. As most of these structures were built of wood so none of their fine specimens has survived to this day.
2. Sculpture: The greatest stride was made by the art of chiselling stone columns, the beautiful icons and caves. Asokan pillars are the best specimen of Mauryan art. Their pillars are 50-60 feet high weighing about 50 tons. It is amazing how such huge pillars were carved from a single rock. In spite of their huge size, these pillars have a capitol head carved with the unique figures of birds and animals. The four-headed iron capital at Sarnath, which has been adopted as the official seal or national emblem of India, is the living example of Mauryan art.
3. The art of polishing: The art of polishing hard-rock was so advanced during the Mauryan period that even today we are far behind in this field. The cave walls near Gaya are so well polished that they shine like a mirror. The Asokan pillar in Firozshah Kotla at Delhi was mistaken by an English Bishop Heber, as made of metals. It was all because of its mirror-like shine.
4. Engineering Skill and Technology: Huge rocks were cut, preserved and chiselled into pillars that were as high as 50 feet and as heavy as 50 tons. These huge rocks were cut probably from the Chunar Hills and from here they were carried to distant destinations. It was a marvellous feat to transport such huge rocks to such distances. It can be easily imagined from the fact that in 1356 A.D., King Firoz Tughlak desired to carry on Asokan pillar from Topara in Ambala to Delhi.
5. Jewellery: The art of jewellery was also advanced. Some ornaments of Asokan period (250 B.C.) have been found during the excavation at Taxila. They testify the skill of the Mauryan craftsmen and goldsmiths.