Archaeology & Museum Department identifies 78 sites for protected status

Haryana’s Archaeology and Museum Department has identified 78 ancient sites which are being notified as protected sites of historical importance.

The Deputy Director, Banani Bhattacharya, informed The Tribune during her visit to Hisar today that the department had already got the notification of 44 new sites issued where excavations would be done in future. The notification process for eight other sites is also in the final stage, she said, adding that a similar process for the notification of 26 other sites was also underway. The department has got the permission from the CM for the same, she added.

Bhattacharya said that new facts related to archaeology were expected to come up during excavations at these sites. Till now, the department was preserving only 28 sites, she said.

Bhattacharya, who reached Hisar to attend the ninth session of the two-day Haryana History Congress at Dayanand College, said that such sites had been identified in all districts of the state. “The maximum number of the protected sites are in Mahendragarh district followed by Bhiwani, Hisar, Rohtak and Fatehabad districts,” she added. Bhattacharya said that Rakhigarhi and Agroha sites in Hisar district had already been preserved and added that, “Now, Mughalpura village of Uklana region in Hisar district has been selected for preservation.”

She said that there were immense possibilities of getting historical information at the Mughalpura site. The department will soon construct a museum at the preserved area so that the items found here could be kept safe, she said, adding that everyone would have to work together to save the site and keep the historical items safe.

Bhattacharya said that during the excavations at Rakhigarhi in Hisar, Naurangabad and Mitthal in Bhiwani, Kunal in Fatehabad, Agroha in Hisar, Rukhi in Rohtak district and Banwali in Sirsa, evidences of Harappan culture dating back 6,000-7,000 years had been found by archaeologists. She said that the department was preparing a pamphlet containing complete information about a site. “It will provide all kinds of information to help visitors and tourists during the visit to the site.