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Haryana set to ‘revolutionize’ history

IT appears the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government in Haryana is ‘revolutionizing’ history.

Haryana set to ‘revolutionize’ history

Beads and copper rings have been discovered at Kunal, Fatehabad.



Sushil Manav in Chandigarh

IT appears the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government in Haryana is ‘revolutionizing’ history. The latest is: the government wants to rename Indus Valley Civilization as Sarasvati Valley Civilization. The mythical Sarasvati, the government claims, has been revived, though critics have strongly questioned any such work.

There’s more. A senior minister recently said the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the US’s NASA will join excavation exercise at Kunal in Fatehabad, where pre-Harappan remains are said to have been unearthed. The two space agencies will join in from October with satellite imagery of the excavated site. The remarks by Rambilas Sharma, who holds the charge of education, archeology and museum, came as a surprise. But the bigger surprise is that the minister’s own department is unaware.

“I have read the minister’s statement. I can’t say anything about NASA, but the minister must be in touch with ISRO since he has said it,” says Sumita Mishra, principal secretary in the department of archeology and museum. “As far as our department is concerned, we have not contacted any of these two agencies so far, nor have any of these agencies contacted us,” she said.

Excavation, govt claims

The ISRO has been associated with Khattar government’s ‘Revive Sarasvati’ project also. The government claims researches conducted by various agencies, including ISRO’s, have suggested the course of the river that flowed during the Vedic period (1500-500 BCE) through Haryana. An ISRO report reportedly measured the mapped course of the river as 4-10 km wide. The river is thought to have passed through Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

In March this year, the Haryana Sarasvati Heritage Development Board, which Khattar heads, already decided to rename the Indus Valley Civilization. Binani Bhattacharyya, deputy director in the archaeology and museum department, says there are clear evidences of parallel flows of the Indus and Sarasvati. Sites discovered so far are located between these rivers, she says.

“Many palaeolithic (thousands of years ago) channels have been observed through satellite imagery. These channels can be tributaries of the Sarasvati, Rishadvati or the Ghaggar,” she said.

Sumita Mishra cites an article ‘Origin of early Harappan cultures in the Sarasvati Valley: Recent archaeological evidence and radiometric dates’ written by KN Dikshit. She says there is already a debate whether the name Indus Valley Civilization is a misnomer. 

“Apart from the social or religious aspects, the recent excavations at Kunal indicate the oldest civilization that might go as far back as 1000 to 2000 years from the other Harappan or pre-Harappan sites explored so far,” Mishra says. Dikshit’s article mentions that there are only three radiometric dates assigning the Kunal site between BCE 3016-2577. Mishra says once the antiquity is proved, the Kunal excavations have the potential of changing the narratives of the Indus Valley Civilization.

What’s at Kunal

Archaeologists have found a dwelling pit, hearths and a pot in Kunal excavation. Other finds include beads, including a gold bead, a few copper rings, terracotta bangles and mud pots. Organic material, including charcoal samples, bones and soil from the hearth and pot, is awaiting lab test results. The dwelling pit was found at 2.9-metre depth. Two hearths have been found at different levels.

“The antiquity of the finds will be tested through radio carbon dating and soil samples etc. The bones samples will reveal about the food habits of those who lived at Kunal at that time,” says Binani. 

She said Haryana has the unique distinction of being house to the largest and oldest civilizations - Rakhi Garhi in Hisar is the largest one, spread over about 250 hectares, while Kunal is the oldest.

However, in Kunal not many people know what exactly is happening. “The mound where the government has been carrying out excavations intermittently since 1985 was encroached on. It was only before the first excavations that the encroachments were removed,” says Gurdeep Singh, a villager. He says nothing in terms of development has happened. “The only positive is that whenever excavations begin, dozens of labourers from the village get employment for some months,” he said.

He says the villagers met Rambilas Sharma on his recent visit and requested him to ensure power supply. “But nothing has happened despite his assurance,” said Gurdeep.

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