The last time anyone seriously tried finding ancient historical evidence to prove that Mahabharat and the events described in the epic are true was in 1950. Back then, an excavation was carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India, under the supervision of famous archaeologist Dr B B Lal. Now, 70 years later, the Archaeological Survey of India is back to work. A project which should have been done and dusted by now, sadly, had to wait for a Prime Minister like Narendra Modi to come and order the completion of. So, 70 years later, excavations are beginning in Uttar Pradesh’s Hastinapur once again.
An ASI team started excavation at a notified area in Hastinapur called ‘Ulta Khera’ a week ago. Why is the ASI pursuing a campaign to dig up the past of Hastinapur now, you might ask? You see, Hastinapur has been selected by the Modi government to be developed as an ‘iconic site’. The centre’s scheme proposes to set up an Indian Institute of Heritage and Conservation (IIHC), under the ministry of culture, and develop five archaeological sites as ‘iconic sites’ with on-site museums.
Historian KK Sharma said, “It’s an appreciable step taken by the union government…being a teacher of history, I can say that such excavations on sites like Hastinapur provide an opportunity to peep into the rich history of the area through the authentic findings.”
Significance of Hastinapur
Hastinapur is a city in the Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh. It is said to have been described in the Mahabharat and Puranas as the capital of the Kuru Kingdom. In fact, archaeologists excavating a site in Hastinapur had found artefacts that bear strong cultural resemblance to the descriptions provided in the Mahabharat.
There are several places in western UP connected to the Mahabharat age. There is also a water reservoir or Draupadi Kund near this city. Additionally, there exists a banyan tree, which according to legend, was planted by Bheem himself. A well is also revered in Hastinapur as the bathing site of the Pandavas.
Interestingly, a horse-driven chariot was discovered from this site along with 9 skeletons and swords. ASI has claimed that these relics are of the Mahabharat age. The Jain community too reveres this city as several Tirthankars were born in Hastinapur.
Will Mahabharat Now be Called a Myth?
More than thirty-five sites in India have yielded enough archaeological evidence to be identified as ancient sites described in the Mahabharat. Copper and iron utensils, seals with pictures, gold and silver ornaments, terracotta figurines and painted grey ware pottery have been found in these sites. Scientific dating of these artefacts corresponds to the period described in the Mahabharat.
Here’s an example. The famed ancient city of Dwarka, until recently, was considered non-existent and a figment of the imagination of Hindus. However, when the National Institute of Ocean Technology was conducting a study on paleo river channels in the Gulf of Khambhat, unusual square and rectangular features in the sea bed were discovered through sonar imaging.
In 2001, Murli Manohar Joshi, the then Human Resource and Technology Development Minister announced that an ancient city’s ruins off the coast of Gujarat were found. According to the Mahabharat, Dwarka city was drowned due to a great flood. So, Indians called Dwarka a ‘mythological city’ while it was sleeping underwater for thousands of years, as stated by the Mahabharat. Similarly, Indians are calling the Mahabharat a myth, while evidence of the events of that period remains underground.
Yet, with the ASI beginning excavations in Hastinapur, India’s ancient history is about to be brought back to life. What has been considered a fictional myth for so long will now be established as a definitive historical occurrence.
