The "Ashoka Stambh" is housed in:

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 3:
The "Ashoka Stambh" in the context of Indian art and history invariably refers to the iconic *Lion Capital of Ashoka*. This extraordinary masterpiece of Mauryan sculpture was originally erected atop a monolithic pillar at Sarnath, the sacred location near Varanasi where Lord Buddha gave his first sermon. As a matter of museum policy, when priceless and unique archaeological findings are discovered, they are often housed in a dedicated "site museum" built directly adjacent to the excavation site to preserve them in their original historical and geographical context. Therefore, the original, four-lion Lion Capital of Ashoka, which is now the National Emblem of India, is the principal artifact displayed in the Archaeological Museum at Sarnath, where it was discovered in 1904-1905.

The incorrect option is 1:
The National Museum in New Delhi is undoubtedly the premier cultural institution in India, housing a massive and comprehensive collection of artifacts spanning over five millennia of Indian history. While it does contain numerous sculptures from the Mauryan period and is an essential resource for Indian art, the original Lion Capital is not part of its permanent collection. The museum in New Delhi, like others, generally features replicas or fragments of the Mauryan pillars, but the original capital is maintained at Sarnath to honour its historical significance and place of discovery.

The incorrect option is 2:
Patna Museum, situated in Patna (ancient Pataliputra, the Mauryan capital), is a very important museum, particularly for artifacts found in the Magadha region of Bihar. It is famous for housing a different but equally significant Mauryan masterpiece, the *Didarganj Yakshi* figure. While the Mauryan dynasty originated and was centered in this region, the specific Ashoka Pillar and its Lion Capital were commissioned by Emperor Ashoka at Sarnath, a separate pilgrimage site, making the Patna Museum geographically and historically incorrect for this particular find.

The incorrect option is 4:
The Archaeological Museum in Mathura is a vital hub for the study of the indigenous Mathura school of art, which flourished during the Kushana and Gupta periods. This museum's collection is renowned for its early representations of the Buddha and Jain Tirthankaras in human form. Despite being a major center of ancient Indian art and housing other Ashokan-era fragments and later Buddhist art, the original Lion Capital in question was not excavated from Mathura, nor was a duplicate pillar capital of this kind preserved there.