In 1861, the British RAJ had an epiphany. To better affirm their control over the Indian population, they felt that they needed to know more about the history and culture of the region. This, combined with the passion of a young army engineer named Alexander Cunningham to map and restore the historical remains of India, led to the establishment of the archaeological service of India (So). Cunningham became his first head.
The way, which has the guardianship of more than 3,600 monuments throughout the country today, had the task of preserving the historical reference points, as well as the study of the history of the Indian subcontinent through archaeological discoveries and excavations. In later years, his role expanded to include the image of India as a main tourist destination with vast historical assets.
However, in recent times, thus has gotten into tense terrain by investigating contentious statements that the old mosques were built on the pre -existing Hindu temples. The most recent is Sambhal, where he is doing surveys in the case of the Shahi vs Harihar mandir mosque. Last month, he presented a report that said he had found evidence of a temple in the Gyanvapi Mosque complex in Varanasi. While the Shahi IdGah mosque survey in Mathura has been suspended by the Supreme Court, the same has been aimed at carrying out surveys and excavations after a request that states that there is a temple under the famous Ajmer Sharif.
As archaeologists, topographs and field experts align to deepen each case, he also raises questions about whether the custodian of monuments has lost its original approach to protecting cultural heritage and being more aligned with the resolution of religious disputes of centuries of age about the pretext of archaeological research.
As the temple mosque disputes increase, archeology becomes a mined field
Most of the officials of Thus declined to comment, saying that it was a sensitive political and legal issue. “The role of like this is to discover the truth. We are not driven by any local or political pressure. Our work is to explore archaeological evidence in the dispute sites and present our findings to the courts. The excavations have always been a mandate of like this and within our designated scope, ” says such an official.
However, some archeology officials who spoke on condition of anonymity emphasized the importance of maintaining their secular image and felt that it would not be involved in religious disputes. Former director of like this Kn dixitWho was recently honored with the Bhushan Padma for his contribution to archeology, was from the point of view that history should never be influenced by politics, a perspective shared by many officials of the organization, previous and current.
Dr. Br PeanutSenior archaeologist, former ADG, thus and currently DG, National Museum, observed that avoiding an ideological and community battle between Hindu and Muslim stakes is a difficult task. “Ultimately, you can not please both parties in dispute, and this is where the role of like this becomes crucial. This is a government agency and any verdict issued by them in a site in dispute becomes the official mandate. Therefore, one must be careful to ensure that the powers of thus are not badly used at the request of any faction, ” he says.
Man said that the Ayodhya case established a precedent. “The Ayodhya case should have been treated as an exception, but now all courts are asking that it make similar archaeological excavations in other religious sites in dispute. Resolving religious disputes was never the mandate of like this, but when the courts give instructions to carry out surveys in these sites, so you have to continue, ” he says.
Alok Tripathi Silchar, who directed a topograph team to examine whether Gyanvapi’s mosque was built on the remains of a demolished temple, it was also clear. “The survey has been conducted in accordance with judicial orders. There can be no other interpretation and we do not comment on legal issues, ” he says.
Within like this, there are different points of view on the controversial excavations in the current political climate. The most popular vision is that archaeological excavations anywhere (religious or not) will produce new findings that can be an asset for the nation. The opposite opinion is that almost all Indian structures have history layers associated with it and excavations must take it into account. “At one time, the country was a major Hindu civilization. Then, the Islamic rulers began to invade the Indian subcontinent and brought their own beliefs, philosophy and teachings.
There was a general destruction of temples throughout the country and built their own structures about them. This has been widely documented in many cases. But at the end of the day, all those relics, regardless of when they were built, are part of Indian history. So what chapter in history do we want to preserve, “as an official asks.
Several archaeologists and historians also ask why they no longer prioritize excavations in historically rich places such as Rakhigarhi or other sites of the Civilizations of Harappan and the Indo Valley. Conservation work is also suffering, they say, with the Ministry of Culture in itself last year that more than 50 monuments had disappeared. “The approach now seems to be mainly to dig Islamic structures sites to demonstrate the existence of temples. Where does it end? There are documented evidence that the Qutub Minar World Heritage site was built on the ruins of 27 temples. Are we ready to visit the story again here too? ”, An expert asks. In fact, cultural appropriation began in the Indian subcontinent long before the arrival of Islam or Hinduism. “India had a rich Buddhist history before the arrival of the Hindu kings. Some believe that notable sites such as the Jagannath temple in Puri were built on Buddhists and Jainist sites. There may be archaeological evidence, but can we continue to dig all historical structures to find what the above? At some point, we need to accept history as it is today, ” says a historian, requesting anonymity.
Historian Swapna Liddle He said the problem were not surveys, but the reasons behind them. “The purpose of archaeological excavation or any type of scientific research is to promote our knowledge and understand the site and history. It is always done with an open mind. But it becomes problematic when these investigations are carried out with a preconceived notion. If we are not open about our motivations, then what are we doing? ”, Asks Liddle. She gave the example of Delhi’s Purana Qila Monument, which is believed widely is the original site of ancient Indraprastha. “There is an incessant need to demonstrate that it is there, although there is no concrete evidence unearthed after decades of excavations. How long will we continue digging? ”, Says Liddle.
Reacting to archaeological surveys at the Mosque in dispute sites, the conservation agk Mason questioned what purpose served. “According to my understanding, these recent surveys ordered by the Court are influencing the verdict of Ayodhya of the Supreme Court, which clearly declared that it can no longer disturb any existing place of cult. But what has been happening lately is to establish a dangerous precedent, ”he says. The recent SC order may have put a temporary pause in new supplications for excavations, but it is not known what the future could dig up.