Forgotten Indian researcher who revealed an ancient civilization

An Indian archaeologist, whose career was marked by splendor and dispute, made one of the largest historical discoveries in the world. Yet he remains largely forgotten today.

In the early 1900s, Rahaldas Banerji (also painted Banerji) opened Mohenjo -Daro – which means “Mound of the Dead” in Cindy's language – in today's Pakistan. It was the largest city of the thriving civilization of the Indus Valley (Harapan), which extended from northeast Afghanistan to northwestern India during the Bronze Age.

Banerjee, an fearless researcher and talented epigraph, works for the archaeological survey of India (ASI) when the country was under British colonial rule. He spent months traveling to the distant corontinent corners, looking for ancient artifacts, ruins and scripts.

But while his discovery at Mohenjo-Daro was innovative, Banerji's heritage was blurred by disputes. His independent series and challenge of colonial protocols often landed him in difficulty – by downplay his reputation and perhaps even deleting parts of his contribution from global memory.

Interestingly, Banerjee reports on Mohenjo-Daro have never been published by ASI. Archaeologist PC Mishra later accused ASI chief John Marshall of suppressing Banerje's findings and wanted credit for the discovery itself.

“The world knows that Marshall has discovered the ruins of civilization and is taught in institutions. Banerji is a minor footage,” Prof. Mishra to say The Times of India.

In her book, Finding forgotten cities: How was the Indus civilization discoveredThe historian Najor from Lahiri writes that Banerji “lacks diplomacy and tact and shows a high hand that has broken feathers.” Her book also sheds light on the contradictions in which he was involved during his time in ASI.

She notes how he once tried to obtain inscriptions and images from a museum in northeastern India without the approval or knowledge of his boss.

Another time, Banerji tried to move some stone sculptures from a museum to Bengal to the one in which it was located without the necessary permits.

In another case, he purchased an antique picture for an amount without consulting with his superiors, who think he paid more than necessary.

“Many Banerjee talents seem to include always being able to rub people in the wrong way,” Lahiri writes.

But Banerje remains a prominent figure among world historians and scientists in Bengal over his relationship with Mohenjo-Daro.

He was born in 1885 into a wealthy family in Bengal.

The medieval monuments that have strengthened Baharampur, the city he grew up in, lit his interest in history and he pursued the topic in college. But he always had an adventure series.

Once, when he was instructed to write an essay about the Scythian period of Indian history, he travels to a museum in a neighboring country to study first -hand sculptures and scripts from this era.

In her book, Rahaldas Banerji's life and deedsThe author Yama Pande notes how Banerji joins ASI as an excavation assistant in 1910 and rose quickly to the ranks to become an initial archeologist in Western India in 1917.

It was in this post for the first time he looked at Mohenjo-Daro in Sind in 1919. In the coming years, he conducted a series of excavations at the site that revealed some of the most fascinating finds: ancient Buddhist stupid, coins, seals, pots and microliths.

Between 1922 and 1923, he discovered several layers of ruins that hold clues for different urban settlements that appeared in the region, but the most important thing – the oldest that existed about 5300 years ago – the civilization of the Indus Valley.

At that time, historians had not yet discovered the full scale of the Indus civilization, which, now we know, covered an space of approximately 386,000 square meters (999 735 square km) along the Indus River Valley.

Three seals of Banerji's excavations carry images and scripts similar to those from Harapa in Punjab Province in today's Pakistan. This helped to establish a connection between the two sites, shedding light on the huge range of Indus Valley Civilization.

But by 1924, Banerje's funds for the project had dried up and it was also transferred to Eastern India. He had no more contact with the site, nor did he participate in any excavations there, Pande wrote in his book.

But Nayanjot Lahiri notes that Banerjee was transferred at his request after being entangled in questions about his expenses. He failed to report a few work -related costs.

It was also revealed that Banerjee used grants to excavations to buy office furniture, and its road costs were considered excessive.

His explanations failed to convince his superiors and disciplinary actions were recommended. After some Banerji negotiations, he received his request and transferred to another region.

Banerjee continued to work with ASI in Eastern India. He spends the greater part of his time in Calcutta (now Kolka) and manages the restoration work of many important monuments.

He resigned from ASI in 1927, but his departure was darkened by a dispute. In the years before his departure, he became the main suspect in the event of an idol theft.

It all began in October 1925, when Banerji visited a worshiped Hindu shrine in the state of Madheh Pradesh, which houses a stone idol of a Buddhist goddess. Banerjee was accompanied by two low -ranking assistants and two workers, Lahiri notes in her book.

However, after their visit, the idol disappeared and Banerje was involved in his theft. He denied any involvement in the disappearance and an investigation began.

Later, the idol was restored to Calcutta. Although the case against Banerji was dismissed and the charges were found to be unfounded, Marshall insisted on his resignation.

After leaving ASI, Banerjee worked as a professor, but faced financial difficulties because of his luxurious lifestyle.

Historian Tapatti Guha-Tacurt to say The Telegraph newspaper, which Banerji shines on good food, horse cars and friends. In 1928 he joined the Hindu University of Banars (BHU) as a professor. He died only two years later at the age of 45.

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