Amidst the tens of thousands of names of monarchs that crowd the columns of history, their majesties and graciousnesses and serenities and royal highnesses and the like, the name of Ashoka shines, and shines almost alone , a star. From the Volga to Japan his name is still honoured. China,Tibet ,and even India , though it has left his doctrine , preserve the tradition of his greatness. More living men cherish his memory today than have ever heard the names of Constantine or Charlemagne.This is high praise indeed. But it is deserved, and for an Indian it is an especial pleasure to think of this period of India’s history. Chandragupta died nearly 300 years before the Christian era began. He was succeeded by his son Bindusara , who seems to have had a quiet reign of twenty-five years. He kept up contacts with the Greek world and ambassadors came to his court from Ptolemy of Egypt , and Antiochus , who was the son of Seleucus of western Asia. There was trade with the outside world and , it is said , the Egyptians used to dye their cloth with indigo from India. It is also stated that they wrapped their mummies in Indian muslins. Some old remains have been discovered in Bihar which seem to show that some kind of glass was made there even before Mauryan period.It will interest you to know that Megasthenes , the greek ambassador who came to the court of Chandragupta , writes about the Indian love of finery and beauty, and specially notes the use of the shoe to add to one’s height. So high heels are not entirely a modern invention.