Why certain archaeologists should make hue and cry about the findings of skeletons, skulls and bones? (1)

Why certain archaeologists should make hue and cry about the findings of skeletons, skulls and bones? (1)

Skeletons, skulls and bones found in India and media reports: Skeletons, skulls and bones discovered, found and recovered during excavations have been common in India. A cursory glance through the media proves that almost every year, many findings are reported from different states of India by the State and Central government archaeological departments and private agencies also. From 3500 BCE to present day, there must have been crores and crores of cremations and burials taken place throughout India, irrespective of the faith and practices followed by the people of India. The population of India had also been rising and falling during these years. Now, India has 140 crores population in 2024. Like Corona of 2020, there had been floods and droughts; deluges and famines; cyclones and tempests; even a tsunami witnessed in 2004, where millions were killed and died leaving dead bodies. Mostly, there were mass burials and cremations taken place to dispose of the bodies.  As we have been living, we have been witnesses of all happenings. Therefore, finding of skeletons, skulls and bones here and there had / has been common and not anything unusual. Yet, certain archaeologists nowadays, make a hue and cry, whenever they find any such items. “First time recovered” tag is added invariably with such reports appearing in the media.

April 2024 skeleton found at the excavation site, Gujarat: A human skeleton, degraded and in a flexed posture, found on the slope of a hillock in a Gujarat village could hold the key to a mystery that’s been puzzling a team of archaeologists [1]. The presence of the skeleton, along with pottery artefacts and animal bones, that the team of archaeologists excavated from a hillock, locally called Padta Bet, point to the presence of a 5,200-year-old Harappan settlement that was 1.5 km from the mass burial ground of Juna Khatiya, an Early Harappan necropolis[2].

January 2024 – skeleton found at Vadnagar, Gujarat: The remains of a 2,800-year-old human settlement have been discovered in Gujarat’s Vadnagar, which also happens to be Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s native village. Researchers from IIT Kharagpur, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Deccan College have found the evidence[3]. The human settlement that goes back as old as 800 BCE revealed the presence of seven cultural stages, said officials. Excavation in its several deep trenches revealed the presence of seven cultural stages (periods) namely, Mauryan, Indo-Greek, Indo-Scythian or Shaka-Kshatrapas, Hindu-Solankis, Sultanate-Mughal (Islamic) to Gaekwad-British colonial rule and the city is continuing even today. One of the oldest Buddhist monasteries has been discovered during our excavation[4].

May 2022 – 282 skeletons found at the excavation Ajnala, near Amritsar: The skeletons of 282 Indian soldiers who participated in the country’s First War of Independence in 1857 were found during the excavation near Amritsar, said Dr JS Sehrawat, Assistant Professor, Dept Anthropology, Punjab University[5]. The soldiers were said to have revolted against the use of pork and beef-greased cartridges. These were excavated from a well found underneath a religious structure in Ajnala near Amritsar in Punjab[6]. These soldiers were revolting against the use of pork and beef-greased cartridges, a study has suggested. Coins, medals, DNA study, elemental analysis, anthropological, and radio-carbon dating, all point towards the same. However, the claims of the archaeologists have been objected to by others.

Objection of forensic experts in the Anjala excavation: Incidentally, forensic experts – forensic anthropologists – have objected to such report[7], “The role of a physical anthropologist during the excavation of human remains is crucial (Ubelaker 1989, 2009). The excavation team must also comprise historians, archaeologists, anthropologists and at times forensic pathologists in order to obtain an integrated and comprehensive assessment of the remains from a number of different perspectives……Improper excavation techniques or collection procedures made it very difficult, if not impossible, to reconstruct perimortem events. ….” In another paper[8], they also agree that, “Analysis of two independent techniques (genetics and stable isotope) adds significant study novelty. Consequently, stable isotope and mtDNA analyses are consistent with the historical evidence, stating that the 26th Native Bengal Infantry battalion comprised Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, and eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh. Thus, the current research can uncover the hidden aspects of the struggle of the unknown martyrs against the colonial yoke.” That is, whenever skeletal remains were found by archaeologists, they should immediately inform forensic experts to come and participate, so that they could give their first-hand information about them. However, they should also think about the excavations that went on, when their subjects were not at all in the academic curriculum.

July 2021 skeleton found at the Sivagalai site: Archaeologists have discovered a full human skeleton inside an urn which they excavated from the Sivagalai archaeological site in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district[9]. This is a first at the site where there are remnants of ancient civilization found in a primary burial[10]. They found the skeleton in a lying down position like the head had been positioned to a side and the legs were folded[11]. The skull was severely damaged so we could only collect pieces. Two burial urns were opened on Thursday (02-07-2021) as part of the second phase of excavations which is ongoing at the burial site as well as the habitation site. While one contained the skeleton, the other contained small bones and a red and black bowl. Experts from Madurai Kamaraj University were present when they opened to collect samples for DNA testing, as the state government had signed an MoU with the institution to conduct DNA testing of skeletons found across all excavation sites in Tamil Nadu including in Keeladi[12]. Five more skeletons were found at the excavation site in Keezhadi in Tamil Nadu, where excavation work is being conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)[13]. The site, 12 kilometres from Madurai, is in Sivaganga district. More than 10 burial urns were excavated in Konthagai recently in which human skeletal parts were found[14]. The archaeologists at the site said that the skeletons would be studied further to ascertain their age and gender. Then, here also a question arises as to why they have not attended the other excavations or how they are getting such huge data on the skeletal remains, so that they publish papers discussing even DNAs with Dravidian and so on.

August 2020 skeleton found at Konthagai: – For the first time, an adult-sized human skeleton has been unearthed by archaeologists at a trench in Konthagai that comes under the Keezhadi cluster of villages[15]. This is the same site from which five children-sized human skeletons were found earlier[16]

March 2019- 5000 years old Harappan skeleton found: Archaeologists have found a massive burial site dating back to the Harappan civilization, around 360km from Dholavira in Gujarat’s Kutch district[17]. They said this site is 300 m x 300 m big with more than 250 graves out of which 26 have been excavated. They found one full human skeleton that is around six feet in length, estimated to be around 5,000 years old[18].

May 2018 skeleton found in the Juna Khera Rajasthan site: More than three human skeletons, without any ornaments or antiquarian remains, were found recently in the ongoing excavation site of Juna Khera at Nadol in Rajasthan[19]. The site is expected to reveal details of life in the area in 10^th -12^th century[20].

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

09-04-2024

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[1] Indian Express, Near Kutch Harappan graveyard, remains of a skeleton and the key to a puzzle, Written by Sohini Ghosh , Gopal B Kateshiya, Ahmedabad, Rajkot | Updated: April 5, 2024 06:18 IST.

[2] https://indianexpress.com/article/long-reads/kutch-harappan-graveyard-findings-9250132/

[3] India Today, Remains of 2,800-year-old settlement found in PM Modi’s village in Gujarat, News Desk New Delhi,  Edited and Published By: chingkheinganbi mayengbam, Published On: Jan 17, 2024; UPDATED: Jan 17, 2024 01:51 IST.

[4] https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/remains-of-2800-years-old-human-settlement-800-bc-found-vadnagar-pm-modi-native-village-gujarat-2489637-2024-01-17

[5] NDTV, Skeletons Of 282 Indian Soldiers Killed In 1857 Revolt Found In Punjab, India NewsAsian News InternationalUpdated: May 11, 2022 3:42 pm IST.

[6] https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/skeletons-of-282-indian-soldiers-who-revolted-in-1857-found-during-excavation-in-amritsar-2965740

[7] Sehrawat, J. S., and R. K. Pathak. “Non-scientific archaeological recovery of the human remains from an ancient well in India: challenges in their identification.” Archaeol. Environ. Forensic Sci 1.1 (2017): 79-92.

[8] Sehrawat, J. S., Agrawal, S., Sankhyan, D., Singh, M., Kumar, S., Prakash, S., … & Rai, N. (2022). Pinpointing the geographic origin of 165-year-old human skeletal remains found in Punjab, India: evidence from mitochondrial DNA and stable isotope analysis. Frontiers in Genetics, 13, 813934.

[9] Hindustan Times, Human skeleton found inside burial urn in TN excavation site, By Divya Chandrababu, Hindustan Times, Chennai, Jul 03, 2021 11:40 AM IST

[10] https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/human-skeleton-found-inside-burial-urn-in-tn-excavation-site-101625256411822.html

[11] Times of India, Sivagalai excavations: Full human skeleton found in burial urn, Padmini Sivarajah / TNN / Updated: Jul 1, 2021, 20:17 IST

[12] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/sivagalai-excavations-full-human-skeleton-found-in-burial-urn/articleshow/84038506.cms

[13] Hindustan Times, 5 more human skeletons found at the archaeological site near Madurai, Byhindustantimes.com, Chennai, Jul 04, 2021 01:45 PM IST.

[14] https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/others/5-more-human-skeletons-found-at-the-archaeological-site-near-madurai-101625386283109.html

[15] The News Minute, Adult human skeleton unearthed at Keezhadi excavation site, Written by:TNM Staff, Published on: 14 Aug 2020, 10:24 am

[16] https://www.thenewsminute.com/tamil-nadu/archaeologists-unearth-adult-sized-human-skeleton-keezhadi-130716

[17] Times of India, 5,000-year-old human skeleton found in Kutch, Nimesh Khakhariya / TNN / Updated: Mar 12, 2019, 14:35 IST.

[18] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/5000-year-old-human-skeletons-found-in-kutch/articleshow/68367314.cms

[19] Economics Times, Skeletons found at 10^th century Rajasthan excavation site sent for dating, Last Updated: May 15, 2018, 11:47:00 AM IST.

[20]https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/science/skeletons-found-at-10th-century-rajasthan-excavation-site-sent-for-dating/articleshow/64171202.cms?from=mdr

Culture at cross-roads? – the International conference held at the University of Madras on March 14th and 15th 2024 (2)

Culture at cross-roads? – the International conference held at the University of Madras on March 14^th and 15^th 2024 (2)

14-03-2024 afternoon session[1]: The afternoon’s session (3 pm to 5:30 pm) commenced with a special lecture by Dr. Ananta Kumar Giri, who talked about what lies beyond cross cultures.  It was followed by the 1^st technical session from, where Assistant Professors of Post Graduate and Research Department of Historical Studies of Government Arts College for Men, Dr. M. Palani and Dr. J. Sadayamuthu preceded as the Chair and Co-chair respectively.  There were six presentations in this session. All the presenters focused on how various ideas, disciplines, concepts and issues overlap with cultures.  

Simultaneously, competition and cultural exhibitions were held where participants took part in Poster making, Crafts and Culinary exhibitions on the theme “Cultural diversity”. The judges for the competition were Ms. Arokiya Anbazhagi, Assistant Professor, Department of History, Women’s Christian College and Dr. Sasikala, Head of the Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Madras. The first day of the International Conference concluded with a talk by the chairperson Dr. M Palani.

15-03-2024 – the second day of proceedings:  The second day was held on 15^th March 2024. It started with the 2^nd technical session from 9:15 – 10:30 am with 8 presenters who presented a large variety of disciplines that interact with culture from street art to food, from uniform civil code to globalization.  This session was chaired by Dr. M.P. Damodaran – Head of the Department of Anthropology.  

It was followed by the 3rd technical session from 10:45am – 1pm chaired by Dr. Pareshwar Sahoo – Assistant professor in the Department of History at Utkal University and co-chaired by Dr. T Kausalyakumari– Head of the department of History – Ethiraj College. There were 7 presenters who focused on the topics such as women’s participation in politics, menstrual hygiene, archaeology, culture in early Madras and cultural identity vs intellectual property rights.

The student-paper presenters, generally had dealt with the topics taken for the purpose.

The paper presenter delved upon the topic of “theatre hall” and went on to list out all such auditoriums, halls, theatres, lecture halls etc., making sweeping remarks, before the establishment of such halls by the British, there was no culture (perhaps theatre culture) in Madras!

Audience- students

The paper presented on “menstrual hygienic”: The topic dealt with “menstrual hygienic” has been limited, but, making conclusions universal. Already many has researched in this topic[2]. It has been a favourite topic for many[3]. In Tamilnadu itself, there have been many studies covering Salem[4]. She conducted a survey with an English questionnaire, where, the subjects do not know English. This type of research has to be careful, as with the few samples, it cannot decide the fate of an entire state or country. Just by surveying the conditions of 100 persons, one cannot conclude the conditions of 100 crores population. She was stressing as if such “taboo” has been peculiar in India, without mentioning such taboo prevalent in other countries, perhaps, throughout the world. The Google Scholar shows thousands of books and papers on the topic[5] and therefore, it is better the paper presenter avoid bias and interpret the data restricting to her chosen area.

oppo_0

Students audience- backside

Intellectual property rights of the indigenous people: The Indian tribes, traditional knowledge etc., have been also a favourite topic[6]. The indigenous and tribals have many skills in science and technology, but they pass on them to their progeny from generation to generation[7]. They are not registering their cultural heritage and hence, others are copying and using it. Actually, in India, the Vanavasis (forest-dwelling people) were never disturbed and they continued to live with their facilities.  Even today, few islands of Andaman & Nicobar are not disturbed, as the indigenous tribes living there for millions of years never want to mix with others. Food, medicine and other requirements are provided periodically, some persons come and take them away, but, none are allowed to enter their islands.

Dr Pareswar Sahoo heading the session

Audience…….

Culture at crossroads – how it affects the Acts and Rules applicable to Indian women in 21st century: K. V. Ramakrishna Rao  – Culture at crossroads – how it affects the Acts and Rules applicable to Indian women in the 21st century. After discussing about many case laws, he concluded as follows: As it has been mentioned as “crossroads,” what the roads crossing each other has to be mentioned specifically, as it cannot be hypothetical. When people or peoples meet at the “crossroads,” i.e, the place of intersection of two or more roads, the action, interaction and counteraction among them have to be studied.  Thus, the judiciary, judicial judgments and Acts applicable to civil society have to be secularized completely.

• Utopian concepts of egalitarianism in all spheres of Indians can be achieved only by true and complete secularization of Indian society leading to Social Justice.
• Therefore, religion should definitely be treated as personal concept instead of putting it on national agenda.
• As the ideals of Social Justice can be materialized by actual commitment, keeping reality in mind, all efforts should be taken to have uniform civil and criminal laws in the Indian context.
• If the secularization process is completed in true spirit, then there will not be any objection to such uniform civil code. For this broad-minded, educated and liberal scholars of secular but religious personalities should be consulted without any discrimination on any factor. As the UCC Bill introduced in 2019 has been still pending even in 2024, Indians may have to wait and see.
• In such process, not only the Indian Constitution, but also all Acts and rules can be secularized to the satisfaction of all sections of Indian society.
• But, unless all Indians follow them strictly, the ideals may not be implemented.
• Therefore, the people should not only be taught about their rights, but also others should sincerely help them to get their rights with responsibility.
• Thus, it is believed that Indians would achieve Social Justice through secular principles.

Archaeology, Processural archaeology and Cultural archaeology – are they at loggerheads or crossroads?: J. Soundaraajan and K. V. Ramakrishna Rao discussed about Archaeology, Processural archaeology and Cultural archaeology in the context of culture. After discussing the issues, he concluded as follows:

• As historical and archaeological chronologies have been different, they have to be correlated, corroborated and corresponded for the purpose.
• How the prehistoric (archaeological) dates and historic (written) evidences could be brought together at a meeting point has to be considered.
• Whether historical and archaeological cultures could be fit into such chronology or not- should be decided with the eras, dates and chronograms appearing in the inscriptions.
• Now archaeo-astronomical evidences and datings are not accepted by the field-archaeologists, but, they are used by others in the multi-disciplinary approach, even in the megalithic sites.
• The study of cultural change in the countries like India, is very difficult. As the vast country with the largest coastal areas had been interacting with many other cultures, the cross-cultural, cultural influence and related processes would vary during every 50-100 years, yet, the culture exhibited show some commonness.
• The 2500 years old sculptural evidences prove orderliness of the Indian art and architecture.
• The 3500-2500 years old literature and other non-material culture also show such uniqueness with less variance.
• All such consistencies are noted even in 21^st century proves that processural archaeology also works in India. 
• Thus, coming to the question – Archaeology, Processural archaeology and Cultural archaeology – are they at loggerheads or crossroads? – answer can be given – Yes.

The following papers were also presented:

Ganesan – Lambadis

Venkatesan – Tirukkural

Ramesh – Rock art of Tamilnadu

Vibin – Temples in Kanyakumari

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

Note: I was expecting inputs from our friends and waiting. As I could not get it, I posted this second part with the available material.

19-03-2024

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[1]  Based on the report received from the one of the convenors Dr Vamana Praphu Kumari.

[2] Sinha, Rabindra Nath, and Bobby Paul. “Menstrual hygiene management in India: The concerns.” Indian journal of public health 62.2 (2018): 71-74.

[3] Kamath, R., et al. “A study on knowledge and practices regarding menstrual hygiene among rural and urban adolescent girls in Udupi Taluk, Manipal, India.” Global journal of medicine and public health 2.4 (2013): 1-9.

[4] Balamurugan, S. Sangeetha, S. Shilpa, and Sheethal Shaji. “A community based study on menstrual hygiene among reproductive age group women in a rural area, Tamil Nadu.” Journal of Basic and Clinical Reproductive Sciences 3.2 (2014): 83-87.

[5] Van Eijk, A. M., Sivakami, M., Thakkar, M. B., Bauman, A., Laserson, K. F., Coates, S., & Phillips-Howard, P. A. (2016). Menstrual hygiene management among adolescent girls in India: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ open, 6(3), e010290.

[6] Munzer, Stephen R., and Kal Raustiala. “The uneasy case for intellectual property rights in traditional knowledge.” Cardozo Arts & Ent. LJ 27 (2009): 37.

[7] Bengwayan, Michael A. Intellectual and cultural property rights of indigenous and tribal peoples in Asia. London: Minority Rights Group International, 2003.

Why Indian ancient scripts are disappearing, classical languages ignored and inscriptions abandoned?

Why Indian ancient scripts are disappearing, classical languages ignored and inscriptions abandoned?

Many Indian languages and scripts disappearing: Vaani (dialect) changes every 4 kos – roughly 12 km – and paani (water) after every 8 kos[1]. This is a famous saying in Bihar, which is struggling to keep its many languages and scripts alive, with some now listed as endangered[2]. In September 2022, the Bihar government pledged institutional support to eight languages[3]: Sanskrit, Maithili, Bhojpuri, Magadhi, Angika, Bajjika, Bangla and Surjapuri. However, experts say a language needs care, and political and social patronage, to develop and flourish[4]. “If my language is looked down upon by society, how will I feel proud of it? If there is no job opportunity in linguistics, why should one opt for a language?,” asks Sweta Sinha of IIT-Patna. “In the Hindi belt, most people list Hindi as their mother tongue, not Bhojpuri or Magahi.” The 2011 Census listed 1,369 mother tongues in the country. But many such languages and scripts are either no longer spoken or are slowly going extinct. “The state government created various academies for the development of languages. But the academies’ directorships became political posts,” says Subhash Sharma, former development commissioner of Bihar and author of Bhasha Aur Lipi Ka Itihaas.

Buddha’s language: Pali is the language of Buddha’s sermons. It is taught in Allahabad, Magadh and Patna universities. Till 2013, UPSC aspirants could opt for it as a subject. “The good news for Pali is that the language is not yet dead. At least one lakh people speak Pali across the country. It is now being taught at Fergusson College, Pune, and several other universities in Maharashtra. But there is a need to do more for this language,” says Dinkar Prasad, additional commissioner (admin), Darbhanga Division. He is a PhD in Pali with a gold medal from Delhi University and has taught the language to many UPSC aspirants. “The governments of UP and Bihar should at least introduce this language in Class 12, if not for PG and graduation. Buddha was born, found enlightenment, gave his first sermon and attained Mahaparinirvana in these two states. Most of his sermons are in Pali… It must be reintroduced in UPSC as an option,” Prasad adds.

Importance of language and literature: Ambedkar gave importance to “Pali,” and thus, his compiled work has been aptly titled, “Pali and Other Sources of the Buddha and His Dhamma with an Index – Supplement” Vol.II, thus, Indians must have given more importance to Pali than the politicization of Ambedkar and Buddha. The preservation and conservation of language protects the literature of it and the literature the history. At least, at school and college levels, they should have been included in the syllabi, particularly, where, the subjects like ancient languages, religion, history, archaeology, epigraphy and similar subjects are taught. By going on reading the translations, producing interpreted versions of discourses and printed narratives would not give the true facts containing the original language and literature. No expert, researcher or scholar can be biased in learning and teaching the subjects lke epigraphy, linguistics, archaeology, history etc., and with the expertise of the ancient languages, they cannot read any inscriptions.

Old documents in Kaithi: Bihar government offices used the Kaithi script till the early 1900s. Now, it isn’t easy to find people who understand it. “In Bihar, most court cases are related to land disputes and many old land documents are written in Kaithi,” says Bhairab Lal Das, author of a book on the history of the Kaithi script. Jayant Kumar, a professor at NIFT, Patna, has been working on developing key fonts in the Kaithi script. “The state government recently organised a crash course on Kaithi in Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University with 30-40 participants. This is a very good sign. For the development of any language or script, it must be used in regular writing or reading in society,” he says.

Only official native language: Maithili is the only native language of Bihar in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, which lists India’s official languages. Its script known as Mithilakshar or Tiruhata is one of the oldest scripts in which Sanskrit is written. After a long-drawn agitation in the Mithilanchal region, Maithili was included in the Eighth Schedule in 2003. It was also included as an optional subject in UPSC. However, Bihar Public Service Commission is yet to include it as an optional subject in exams, says Aruna Chaudhary, head of Maithili department at Patna University. “Moreover, teaching this language has been discontinued in most Patna University colleges as there are few takers,” she adds. Madan Mohan Jha, a Maithili-speaking schoolteacher, says: “I am from Mithilanchal. I speak Maithili with my mother and wife. But my kids don’t want to speak it.”

Inferiority complex: Nearly 30km east of Patna, at Pali village, people speak Magahi in a dialect different from Patna’s. And if you travel 50km west from Patna, people in Jehanabad, speak it differently. Similarly, Bhojpuri, prevalent in Bhojpur, Buxar, Kaimur, Rohtas, Saran, Siwan and Gopalganj, is spoken differently in Chhapra, Ara and Sasaram. “Bhojpuri is limited to villages or the downtrodden people. If you speak Bhojpuri or Magahi in Patna, people look down upon you. You will seldom find two Bhojpuri or Magahi-speaking people talking in their mother tongue. Maithili is the only language people can be heard talking in. That’s why Maithili is placed better than other Bihar languages… My kids don’t want to speak Bhojpuri because they have an inferiority complex about the language,” says Vishnu Kant Tiwari, a Bhojpuri speaker.
(With inputs from B K Mishra and Abhay Singh).

The problems in the epigraphy and the job of epigraphists[5]: Just like getting a diploma and becoming “archaka,” anybody with a “diploma in epigraphy” can apply and get the job of “epigraphist.” The following points have to be considered seriously in the context[6]:

• Under the guise of protecting and preserving “classical languages,” much controversies and issues are created than real research useful for the furtherance of the languages.
• Day by day, the learned epigraphists have also been disappearing and the required strength is not filled up. By promotion or by recruitment, new epigraphists may come and occupy the posts, but, most of them are not in a position to decipher and read the inscriptions.
• Just because, funds are received, many govt and non-govt. agencies have started epigraphy cources part time/ full time, one month / one year, on-line / off-line and of different varieties. They may get a certificate and apply for the post of “epigraphist” and get also, but, what they can contribute to the Indian epigraphy is not known.
• As otherwise, none need to worry or lament about the disappearance of script, language and literature. The real faith lies in the practice, propagation and continuance of them, so that such expertise is passed on from one generation to generation.

Government allocates funds for epigraphy: The finance minister in her Budget Speech made an announcement to set up Bharat Shared Repository of Inscriptions (BharatSHRI), a digital epigraphy museum, with digitization of one lakh ancient inscriptions in the first stage[7]. The BharatSHRI will be set up by the Archaeological Survey of India at Hyderabad[8]. The Epigraphy Branch conducts Epigraphical survey, copies the inscriptions, deciphers them and publishes the gist in its Annual Report on Indian Epigraphy and publishes the texts in other epigraphical publications like South Indian Inscriptions, Epigraphica Indica, etc. Whenever, the Epigraphy Branch gets any information on newly discovered inscriptions either from Excavation Branch of ASI or any State Govt. Agency, immediate action is taken to copy and decipher them. Thus, though, many activities have been going on, yet, the persons capable of reading inscriptions have been dwindling down. The seriousness of such conditions is not discussed, but, protests and demonstrations are carried on by the Epigraphy department for fringe issues. Real expertise, wisdom and knowledge are not used for the decipherment, translation and publication of the existing inscriptions. The requirement for such expertise for the future is also not anticipated, persons trained and kept ready to continue the work.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

15-01-2024

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[1] Times of India, Buddha’s language is fighting extinction, and it’s not alone, Rakesh Roshan / TNN / Jan 14, 2024, 08:09 IST.

[2] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/buddhas-language-is-fighting-extinction-and-its-not-alone/articleshow/106826168.cms?from=mdr

[3] News NBS.24, Buddha’s language is fighting extinction, and it’s not alone, Rakesh Roshan / TNN / Jan 14, 2024

[4] https://news.nbs24.org/2024/01/14/972775/

[5]  K. V. Ramakrishna Rao, What is the real problem with Indian Epigraphy department, Epigraphists – Cadre Restructure, Niti Ayog Report or change of Act and Rules!, Posted on July 31, 2021.

[6] https://kvramakrishnarao.wordpress.com/2021/07/31/what-is-the-real-problem-with-indian-epigraphy-department-epigraphists-cadre-restructure-niti-ayog-report-or-change-of-act-and-rules/

[7]  PIB, The annual outlay for Ministry of Culture in FY 2023-24 increased by 12.97% to Rs. 3,399.65 Crore, Posted On: 01 FEB 2023 7:03PM by PIB Delhi

[8] https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1895497

The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) – workshop at Chennai from October 31st to November 2nd 2023 (4)

The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities  (NMMA) – workshop at Chennai from October 31^st to November 2^nd 2023 (4)

The CAG Report and the response of the ASI: On 02-11-2023, after lunch Dr Charuta Kulkarni, IIT, Madras talked about her subject, as detailed above. Then, the certificates were distributed to the participants and mementoes were given to some. Now, I discuss about some issues involved in the documentation of monuments and antiquities. As I worked in the GST (formerly Customs, Central Excise, Narcotics – indirect taxation) department, mostly in the Judicial, adjudication and legal sections for more than 38 years from 1980 to 2018, the CAG Reports on the various departments, institutions and others were periodically read, along with the judgments. Here, before coming to the workshop, I have read the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India Follow-up on the Performance Audit of Preservation and Conservation of Monuments and Antiquities. The issues related to the documentation, workshop conducted etc., were pointed out therein.

The NMMA caught in the web of politics: The National Monuments Authority (NMA) has released draft heritage bye-laws for the supposed site of the Palace of Asoka in Patna, Bihar. The site, located in the Kumrahar area, is being protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. The draft bye-laws aim to conserve and develop the site and have been released based on a field survey conducted by the competent authority. The NMA is responsible for the protection and preservation of monuments and sites, as well as granting permissions for construction-related activities in the prohibited and regulated areas. The Congress party has accused the Modi government of attempting to weaken a law that protects monuments and archaeological sites in India. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh praised the National Monuments Authority (NMA) for releasing draft heritage bylaws for the conservation and development of protected monuments in Bihar. Ramesh stated that the Congress and other parties have successfully resisted the government’s attempts to weaken the law so far. He also emphasized the need to strengthen and maintain the professional character of the NMA.

2015 to 2022 no workshop conducted: The CAG pointed out that, “Since March 2015, no workshop was held to facilitate documentation work, rectify mistakes or to provide clarification to agencies involved in the process. As a result, there was absence of a system for regularly up-grading the technical capability of executing agencies, which affected the work process.”

The documentation process carried on by NMMA: The CAG  pointed out the lacunae in the documentation of the monuments[1].

NMMA has given these figures to the CAG.

Issue of “Non-antiquity” certificates by the ASI: ASI (respective circle) issues a certificate of non-antiquity for the exportof art-objects, arms. Here, who issues such certificate, after analyzing the “non-antiquity” nature of te object. Otherwise, millions of Indian antiquities would not have been illegally exported out 0f India after 1947 or 1976.

2. To facilitate Custom Authorities in allowing non-antiquities to be exported, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has established Expert Advisory Committees to issue non-antiquity certificates.

India’s rich cultural heritage, bureaucratic apathy and poor implementation of antiquities protection law has made India a fertile ground for loot and smuggling of antiquities for sale in the International market. In recent years, there has been growing concerns over antiques being smuggled and sold to fund terrorists’ activists.

According to the Antiquities (Export Control) Act, 1947 [Act No. 31 of 1947]  – “antiquity” includes-

(i) any coin, sculpture, manuscript, epigraph, or other work of art or craftsmanship,

(ii) any article, object or thing detached from a building or cave,

(iii) any article, object or thing illustrative of science, art, craft literature, religion, customs, morals or politics in bygone ages,

(iv) any article, object or thing declared by the Central Government by notification in the Official Gazette to be an antiquity for the purposes of this Act,

Provenance (origin, attribution, derivation) includes the list of all owners from the time the object left its maker’s possession to the time it was acquired by the current owner. However, here in the workshop, it is taken as “Province”!

Most of the exports of antiquities take place from north India from airports: According to Section 2(1) (a) of the Antiquities and Art Treasurers Act, an antique is defined as an article or object of historical interest that has been in existence for not less than one hundred years.

The import and export of antiques is covered by the prohibition imposed under Section 11 (c) of the Customs Act 1962, specifically referred to as The Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972.

Similarly, exports are also under the prohibition category. The export of antiques can only be done by the central government or any authority or agency authorised by the central government.

 The law does not permit any private person to export antiques. If any private person exports antiques, there are penal provisions to confiscate the material and impose monetary penalties or prosecute the person.

Port	Location	Value (INR Million)
Pakwra	Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh	34..567
Kolkotta Air cargo	West Bengal	27.151
Nhava Sheva sea[2]	Raigad district, Maharashtra	20.475
Mundra[3]	Gulf of Kutch near Mundra, Kutch district, Gujarat.	11.141
Chennai sea	Tamilnadu	7.381

The ASI blaming the Customs department: When Arun Raj said that the Customs department was not co-operating, I pointed out that it is not that the Customs department did not cooperate with the ASI officials, but, the ASI officers only many times did not turn up, when they were requested to come and identify the objects of antiquity were seized at the airports. Moreover, they have to go by the certificates issued by the ASI only and in many cases, the Customs officers could get genuine doubt that older antiquities were taken out of India, instead of recent artefacts. Sreelakshmi responded that the ASI officers were asked to verify the import of Indian artefacts. Then, I clarified that it was different, because, the art-smugglers had been adopting a modus operandi, as if such antiquities were imported legally so that they could again export. That is why they sought the help of the ASI for the identification of the objects[4].  There have been several reports urging the ASI to co-ordinate with the RI, Customs etc., but, they are not doing so[5]. As the certificates issued by the ASI are / have to be relied upon and whenever, the Customs officers have any doubt about the object for antiquity, they used to seek the help of the ASI officers, but, they hesitate to come.  The famous VJA Flynn case also pointed out by me[6]. Here, VJA Flynn had contacts with many historians and archaeologists, but, caught red-handed in smuggling artefacts out of India[7].

The illegal import and export of Tipu Sultan’s sword: The classic case of Vijay Mallya in 2005, imported Tipu Sultan’s famed sword to India and exported it without any license[8]. Mallya was served a show cause notice by the Customs Department for exporting without informing the government, and not paying the duty for it[9]. However, the tycoon felt that since the sword was a matter of national pride, he should have been exempted. Thus, the provisions of the Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972, have been amended to do away with several lacunae in the Act, commonly recognised as the Customs Act. As per the Act, any private buyer that buys an antiquity of Indian origin and brings it to India must first acquire a license. This is granted on the basis of several factors, including the experience of the person in the art trade, the place of exchange of the art object, the name and the number of people involved, etc. Domestic trade of antiquities is currently unregulated, as the Act is silent on it. The statutory authority of the Act is usually the Director General of the ASI, who decides what an antiquity or art treasure is. As per Section 2 of the Act, any coin, sculpture, painting, epigraph, artwork, object from a building or cave and object of historical interest that is over one hundred years old, is defined as an antiquity. In circle offices of the ASI around the country, where the DG is usually not present, the Act cannot be implemented by any officer below the position of a director. “Yet, several circle officers have been flouting the rule, declaring several antiquities as invalid leading to the thriving of the smuggling of art objects,” said the official.

All departments of GOI should work together: The CAG has been part of the GOI and all other departments also have been parts of GOI. The CAG has been auditing the accounts of different departments and trying to advise to implement the Act and Rules under which they work. All have been working with the Public Finance and the government is responsible to account for every rupee that collected from the citizens. As our country has been handling more than 100 crores population, now 140 crores, we have more responsibility than other countries with less population. Moreover, our government and democratic polity have been so open that everybody can appreciate and criticize also, unlike other countries. Thus, the ASI has been having the most noble duty, virtuous responsibility and righteous accountability in handling thousands of years of monuments and temples; sculptures and coins; palaces and buildings; ghats, and others. It can invite the officers of the other departments for discussion to sort out the practical problems. After all should work for the progress and development of our country creating awareness about culture, tradition, heritage and civilization.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

05-11-2023

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[1] Report No. 10 of 2022; https://cag.gov.in/uploads/download_audit_report/2022/Chapter 6-062f0de36c49e05.39285992.pdf

[2] Jawaharlal Nehru Port, also known as JNPT and Nhava Sheva Port, is the second largest container port in India after Mundra Port. Operated by the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust Authority (JNPTA), it is located on the eastern shores of Arabian Sea in Navi Mumbai, Raigad district, Maharashtra.

[3] Mundra Port is India’s first private port (adani) and largest container port, located on the northern shores of the Gulf of Kutch near Mundra, Kutch district, Gujarat.

[4] Press Release dated 24-07-2023, Three Hundred Forty Eighth Report on the subject „Heritage Theft – The Illegal Trade in Indian Antiquities and the Challenges of Retrieving and Safeguarding Our Tangible Cultural Heritage,” Sansad News.

[5]https://sansad.in/getFile/rsnew/Committee_site/Committee_File/Press_ReleaseFile/20/173/656P_2023_7_12.pdf?source=rajyasabha

[6] K. V. Ramakrishna Rao, Historians involved in smuggling also – The historical case of Prof. V.J.A. Flynn, a friend of many Indian historians – arrested for smuggling, jailed and deported to Australia for further proceedings!, February 17, 2022.

[7] https://kvramakrishnarao.wordpress.com/2022/02/17/the-historical-case-of-prof-v-j-a-flynn-a-friend-of-many-indian-historians-arrested-for-smuggling-jailed-and-deported-to-australia-for-further-proceedings/

[8] DNA India, ASI for easier norms for private import of antiquities, Amrita Madhukalya, Updated: Nov 02, 2016, 07:05 PM IST.

[9] https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-asi-for-easier-norms-for-private-import-of-antiquities-2269587

The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) – workshop at Chennai from October 31st to November 2nd 2023 (2)

The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities  (NMMA) – workshop at Chennai from October 31^st to November 2^nd 2023 (2)

On the second day, Dr K. Amarnath Ramakrishna, Prof. P P Joglekar and Prof. Shanti Pappu discussed about very important issues of documentation of the temples, antiquities of different materials and lithic tools. The practical difficulties in maintaining them, classifying and documenting them also were discussed. The creation of database in each and every category and converting them for public utility has been an important task. India with vast areas and monuments situated at remote places that too, without any safety and security, it has been very difficult to maintain them. Unfortunately, the ASI does not have any protecting system for the remote monuments. In fact, tourists themselves have difficulties in reaching such remote places. These circumstances only help the art-thieves, icon-looters and sculptures lifters to carry on the work continuously.

K. Amarnath Ramakrishna: Architectural Survey Projects include the Temple Survey Projects (North and South) and Building Survey Project. The main functions are:

• Survey and documentation of temples of various periods and in different parts of the country, research based on the field survey, preparation of reports on the survey;
• Survey and documentation of all secular architecture and colonial buildings, research on the survey and preparation of reports;
• Interaction with various universities and research institutions.

He explained about the temples coming under the control of ASI and explained how they have documented them. However, they do not work with the HR & CE to quantify all temples in Tamilnadu.

The quantification of the temples in Tamilnadu: This is a list of temples in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu which is famed for Tamil architecture styled Hindu temples, culture and tradition and is commonly known as the Land of Temples. Tamil Nadu has more temples than any other states of India. Tamil Nadu is home to more than 46,000 Hindu temples and is aptly called “the land of temples” by the media. Many are at least 800 years old and are found scattered all over the state. The rulers of various dynasties constructed these temples over centuries. Vimanas (storeys) and Gopuram (towering gateways to the temple complex) best characterize the temples of Tamil Nadu. As per Tamil Nadu Hindu Endowments Board, there are 39,615 / 38,615 temples[1]. Most of the largest Hindu temples reside here. Studded with complex architecture, variety of sculptures, and rich inscriptions, the temples remain the very essence of the culture and heritage of Tamil land, with historical records dating back to at least 3,000 years.

Temple maintenance, conservation and preservation: Many regular and committed pilgrims, bloggers and writers have been pointing out as to how even the Chola period temples with inscriptions have been crumbling down, but, ASI or even TN State Department archaeology does not bother. However, some local serious devotees, Uzhavarappani[2] groups (Voluntary Temple Cleaning groups) and others have been doing wonderful work for the last more than 50 years.

P Pramod Joglekar: Explaining “New Archaeology,” he went on to point out how statistical methods are used in archaeology to understand facts. E explained the three stages in such development before 1960, 1960 to 1974 and 1974 thereafter. The quantitative approach could be specifically deal with the issues by subjecting the data in different forms. The qualitative method has been subjective and thus individual, biased, one-sided, skewed and differs much from the interpretations. The qualitative method, on the other hand, has been objective – specific, unbiased and independent. Quantitative information is measurable or countable data that can provide insight into research questions. Quantitative information is one of the most direct ways to understand limited, specific questions, such as how often people in a culture perform a certain action or how many times an art form or motif appears in a cultural artifact. Statistics created from quantitative data help researchers understand trends and changes over time. In cultural research, qualitative data allows anthropologists to understand culture based on more subjective analyses of language, behaviour, ritual, symbolism, and the interrelationships of people. Qualitative data has the potential for more in-depth responses via open-ended questions, which can be coded and categorized in order to better identify common themes.

Quantitative analysis with few examples: Qualitative analysis is less about frequency and the number of things and more about a researcher’s subjective insights and understandings. Anthropology and other fields in the social sciences frequently integrate both types of data by using mixed methods. Through the triangulation of data, anthropologists can use both objective and frequency data (for example, survey results) and subjective data (such as observations) to provide a more holistic understanding. Thus, with graphs, he explained the usage of bangles by women. Showing two different occasions, the usage of shell bangles rises and falls. Different interpretations are given as the wrist size of the women changes and thus the size of the shell bangles also change; instead of shell, some other material was used and thus the rise and fall; thus the interpretations also increase. But, at a particular place, the usage had to be definite and also the explanation. Similarly, in another graph with three peaks, the usage of animals was interpreted with the bones found. Thus, it is interpreted that the hunter-gatherers were using meat at here different periods and such usage rose and fell, obviously resorted to other type of food; thus, they might have resorted to agriculture; or they might have domesticated them for some other use and killed; and so on. Any way all such interpretations have been amazing, interesting and intriguing also.

Shanti Pappu: Different types of lithic tools were distributed to the participants and asked to study them carefully and opine the type and nature of them. Thus, each participant came out with his opinion exhibiting the practical difficulty in identifying, classifying and documenting the lithic tools. In fact, whether they can be called as “artefacts” to be classified under the Acts and Rules and antiquities. Yet, she has been discussing with the ASI officials and trying to classify. Luminescence dating at the stratified prehistoric site of Attirampakkam, India, has shown that processes signifying the end of the Acheulian culture and the emergence of a Middle Palaeolithic culture occurred at 385 ± 64 thousand years ago (ka), much earlier than conventionally presumed for South Asia. The Middle Palaeolithic continued at Attirampakkam until 172 ± 41 ka. Chronologies of Middle Palaeolithic technologies in regions distant from Africa and Europe are crucial for testing theories about the origins and early evolution of these cultures, and for understanding their association with modern humans or archaic hominins, their links with preceding Acheulian cultures and the spread of Levallois lithic technologies.

About the Paleolithic tools: The geographic location of India and its rich Middle Palaeolithic record are ideally suited to addressing these issues, but progress has been limited by the paucity of excavated sites and hominin fossils as well as by geochronological constraints. At Attirampakkam, the gradual disuse of bifaces, the predominance of small tools, the appearance of distinctive and diverse Levallois flake and point strategies, and the blade component all highlight a notable shift away from the preceding Acheulian large-flake technologies. These findings document a process of substantial behavioural change that occurred in India at 385 ± 64 ka and establish its contemporaneity with similar processes recorded in Africa and Europe. This suggests complex interactions between local developments and ongoing global transformations. Together, these observations call for a re-evaluation of models that restrict the origins of Indian Middle Palaeolithic culture to the incidence of modern human dispersals after approximately 125 ka.

Opinion of other scholars: Considerable numbers of artefacts can be documented with high accuracy and resolution when the methods described are used[3]. Virtual artefact collections can be documented completely, even if the artefacts are stored at different places, including objects that were considered as being unretouched pieces[4]. The virtual collection thus achieved can be distributed easily on storage media such as CD ROMs or even through the Internet. It can be examined by anybody and compared to any real or virtual artefacts of similar origin. All visualization products are results of automatic and objective procedures, thus avoiding the individual subjective interpretation which is inevitably part of hand-drawn figures.

The points observed: The NMMA form was given with antique objects to all and asked to fill up with their observations in their format.  Digital weighing machine, Vernier calipers, scale, magnifying glass etc., were also provided to analyze the object given. The session went on till lunch and thereafter. Then, “how to take photographs of the artefacts,” was also demonstrated and explained.

• No consensus about the form used for documentation of the artefacts, monuments and others to be recorded.
• How to classify the palaeolithic tools as “antique” under the Act or to be classified so!
• What are lithic tools and cores, difference, how are they identified, classified and documented?
• The Paleolithic site – not exactly the lithic tools collected as they were “taken since 1950 and none determine exactly,, from where they had taken.”
• Whether excavated, at wht level or simply they came there, rummaged the excavated sites and taken such lithic tools?
• The Paleolithic chronology does not tally with the sedimentary formation at the same place or nearby place.
• To get such lithic tools at one foot, 3 feet etc., from the present ground level and decide them accordingly…
• All lithic tools are not “artefacts” unless, some human work could be seen / noted / or at least identified on the surface of the object.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

04-11-2023

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[1] The HR & CE of the TN government figure – available from their website. The temples not coming under the HR & CE are also to be added with this figure.

[2] One of the Nayanmar, Thirunavukkarasar / Appar used to visit all temples and clean with his “Uzhavarappadai” (small spade) and thus,the expression symbolically denotes such tool and the voluntary service rendered by devotee in temples periodically.

[3] Boehler, W., Boehm, K., Heinz, G., Justus, A., Schwarz, C., & Siebold, M. (2003, September). Documentation of stone age artifacts. In Proceedings of the XIX th CIPA Symposium. ISPRS/CIPA (pp. 506-510).

[4] https://www.cipaheritagedocumentation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Boehler-e.a.-Documentation-of-Stone-Age-artifacts.pdf

The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) – workshop at Chennai from October 31st to November 2nd 2023 (1)

The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities  (NMMA) – workshop at Chennai from October 31^st to November 2^nd 2023 (1)

NMMA workshop first day programme 31-10-2023

National Database of all Monuments and Antiquities: With the objective of preparing a national database of all monuments and antiquities, the National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) was launched by the Government 36 (2007), initially for a period of five years i.e. 2007-2012. In order to complete the documentation process and continue the momentum, this period was extended by another five years (2012-2017) and later NMMA was merged with ASI (October 2017). Delay in setting up of NMMA and lack of planning leading to failure in achieving its objective was pointed out in the previous CAG Report.

Lighting lamp to inaugurate the workshop….

Objectives of NMMA: The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities was launched in 2007. The time frame prescribed for its completion is five years. Documentation and creation of suitable database on built heritage and sites through published and unpublished secondary sources for information and dissemination to planners, researchers, etc. and for better management of such cultural resources. Documentation in a uniform developed by NMMA, of all Antiquities that are available in different formats in the form of Registered Antiquities, Catalogued Antiquities with Central as well as State Governments, Private museums and Collections, Universities, etc. Promote awareness and sensitize people concerning the benefits of preserving the historical and cultural aspects of built heritage, sites and antiquities. Extend training facility and capacity building to the concerned State Departments, Local bodies, NGOs, Universities, Museums, Local communities etc. Help in developing synergy between institutions Archaeological Survey of India, State Departments, concerned Institutions and NGOs to generate close interaction.

• Publication and Research.
• Expected output
• National Register on Built Heritage & Sites
• National Register on Antiquities.

Lighting lamp..

2022 onwards workshops conducted: The NMMA has been conducting workshops on the documentation from 2022 onwards[1] – November 2022 – Greater Noida; December – Guwahati; December – Aurangabad; 2023 January – Bhopal; 2023 January – Bangalore; 2023 February – Bhubaneswar; Why conduct workshops suddenly? As I am familiar with CAG audit, audit reports etc., and reading them carefully, I noted in the 2022-CAG Report[2] that, “It also stated that there was a need for reviewing the existing documentation process/guidelines, identify and revive Documentation Resource Centres (DRC)/State Level Implementing Committees (SLIC), initiate training programmes and workshops at the local levels. …….Since March 2015, no workshop was held to facilitate documentation work, rectify mistakes or to provide clarification to agencies involved in the process. As a result, there was absence of a system for regularly up-grading the technical capability of executing agencies, which affected the work process.”

NMMA workshop= audience view RHS

Three-day workshop at Chennai: A three-day workshop on “documentation of monuments” was held at Keys Select by Lemon Tree Hotels, Katti-Ma, Chennai, Kalakshetra Road, Thiruvanmiyur, organized by NMMA and ASI (Chennai circle) from October 31st to November 2nd 2023. It was inaugurated by  Prof Kishore Kumar Basa DG of ASI by lamping lamp and the proceedings continued with the speeches of Ravikorisettar, Sathyabhama and Samanta. Then, there was a practical session to identify the artefacts, measure their physical dimensions and note them down in the format for documentation. This was followed by photography practice, in which, how to take a photograph of an artefact was demonstrated.

Documenting of antiques will prevent their smuggling to other countries, said Archaeological Survey of India’s National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities director Madhulika Samanta on Tuesday [31-10-2023][3]. “A large number of antiques are getting smuggled out of the country. We do not have any knowledge that they were with us till they are showing up in museums in Europe and America,” she said[4]. She was speaking on the sidelines of a regional workshop cum training programme here on the documentation of monuments and antiques (southern region). “When we initiate legal proceedings to bring them back, we end up losing cases in international courts as we do not have any national data to show that they were with us,” Samanta said.

• The national mission had a target of documentation
• ASI’s NMMA has documented 17 lakh antiques and 58 lakh antiques and four lakh built heritage sites. , and 1.84 lakh heritage sites.
• “But we have published only 11,000 sites so far because the data was collected from secondary sources, including research articles, reports,” she added.

She said unprotected monuments are also getting demolished due to developmental activities. “If universities, state archaeological departments, colleges, organisations come up with project proposals to document antiques, we will recognise them as documentation resource centres and give them grants,” she said.

In India, it is a problem of plenty: “Heritage is our strength. If not managed well it could be a liability,” ASI director general Kishore K Basa[5] said while speaking at the inaugural function[6] pointing out, as for as the antiquities and monuments are concerned, it is a problem of plenty. However, it has to be accepted as positive manner in presenting them. There is a difference between the attitude and approach of the people towards the monuments by the colonial period and till 21st century. During the colonial period, the natives were kept away from te exploration, excavation and heritage management. But, now the citizens have to be taken into account in heritage management. ASI has to work with citizen-centric approach, as money comes from the public. He emphasised the necessity of the documentation of all the monuments, artefacts and others[7]. In the documentation processes, multilayered information should be provided and even children should be made to take an interest in heritage management.

Who is responsible for the illegal trafficking of the artefacts?: Sathyabhama Badrinath talked about, “Objectives of NMMA and future course of action,” tracing the creation of NMMA somewhere in 2006-2007 period under the Five years plan and then extended to 2011-2012. On 01-10-2017, it was merged with the ASI. With te urbanization and looting of antiquities, the monuments started disappearing. Illicit trafficking has been taking place. There have been 4 lakh heritage sites, 3  lakhs of the ASI and one that of Built-heritage categories. The Customs and Postal Department have seized many artefacts, but they are lying and the condition is not known. Thus, she tried to blame the other departments. The private collectors should register with the ASI. It appears that the ASI is interested in adding more numbers in their NMMA register.

Prehistory artefacts, ulture, terminology etc. – to follow European o African model?: Ravikorisettar talked about, “Documentation of Antiquities Chennai circle, Southern region – from documentation perspective.” He explained about the exploration, excavation and recovery of the prehistoric artefacts from different sites of South India. He also listed out the sites according to their location, geographical and geological importance and the nature of artefacts recovered. He also pointed out as to how these sites have been getting affected by quarrying, infrastructure development and climatic conditions.As he has been an expert in the prehistory, he covered most of his findings with slides for about one hour and then come to the issue of documentation, classifying / grouping such prehistoric / paleolithic sites. He pointed out how the lithic objects, cultures and related issues were / are mentioned with different terminology. The European model / terminology is not applicable to India. Thus, Africal example are followed and expression like  “Madrassian complex” is also used. Coming to the upper Paleolithic, it is not known to identify them as European or African model?

Madhulika Samanta – vote of thanks: The Archaeological Survey of India’s National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) director, Madhulika Samanta, has emphasized the importance of documenting antiquities to prevent their smuggling out of the country. Samanta stated that India often loses legal cases in international courts because there is no national data to prove that the smuggled antiquities were originally in India. The NMMA has documented 17 lakh antiquities and 1.84 lakh-built heritage sites so far, but the data published on their website is limited as it is collected from secondary sources. Samanta also highlighted the need to protect monuments from demolition due to development activities.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

03-11-2023

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[1] http://nmma.nic.in/nmma/workshop.do

[2] Report No. 10 of 2022; https://cag.gov.in/uploads/download_audit_report/2022/Chapter 6-062f0de36c49e05.39285992.pdf

[3] Times of India, Director of ASI’s NMMA suggests a way to prevent smuggling of antiquities, A Ragu Raman / TNN / Oct 31, 2023, 19:26 IST

[4] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/director-of-asis-nmma-suggests-a-way-to-prevent-smuggling-of-antiquities/articleshow/104860696.cms

[5] Prof. Kishor K. Basa,  Utkal University Professor (Retired on 31.03.2018), Ph. D. (London); Phone No.: 8895615636; E-mail ID: kishorkbasa58@gmail.com

[6] Times of India, Documenting of antiques will curb smuggling: ASI’s NMMA director, TNN / Nov 1, 2023, 08:17 IST

[7] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/documenting-of-antiques-will-curb-smuggling-asis-nmma-director/articleshow/104872987.cms

RSN Memorial Library and Indological Research Institute

RSN Memorial Library and Indological Research Institute

Why do some persons collect books?: Perhaps, every man reads books, keeps books and many store books continuously with him. Yes, when a man reads one book and likes it very much, he wants to have it with him. In the same way, he likes the second, the third and so on, he likes, he loves and considers as valuable. After reading many books, when he comes to know the facts, reality and truth, he could find out the differences also. The more he reads about one subject, he comes to know, the more he is ignorant about the subject. Yes, knowledge is infinite, but the human mind is limited. The pursuit continues.

How books continue to live with the book collector?: When such books continue to live with him for years together, he remembers every line, paragraph, page;

• book, where and how he purchased it,
• that one could not buy immediately as he did not have enough money, but purchased later and added to his collection,
• for buying books and storing how sometimes he got objection from the parents, friends, room-mates and even from his wife – would be a normal experience.

Thus, he may be branded or dubbed as a bibliophile, book mania, worm of books and so on.

The book collector has to face many objections and opposition: He would not allow any book to be torn; damaged by insects and eaten away by white ants /termites. There would be fight between him and his wife for storing huge books occupying room, rooms and house. Sometimes, wife may sell them off secretly to wastepaper buyer. The wastepaper buyer tempts to add something with the newspapers to round off, so that it would weigh exactly ten kgs. Thus, she would bring one or two books and put in the scales to get adjusted. Besides, there would be by heavy rains, cyclones, floods and thereby his house is suffered with all natural climatic calamities. After rains, floods recede away, the moisture would be there and it produces insects and white ants that start attacking books.

to be inaugurated on 28-10-2023

Books not returned by friends: But with all these problems, that book collector goes on living with more and more books. Many times, he would be fooled and cheated by his friends also, as some of the take books from him but do not return. Thus, the book collector would start noting down in his diary, the names with books list would increase, but, never all books noted are returned. Many times, the book borrowers would reply, “I have already returned, you check up.” As bibliophiles, there are kleptomaniacs specialized in book stealing. Particularly, with rare books, it happens regularly.

Indological Research Institute….

What would happen to the book collection, after the book collector?: Thus, he lives with his family now with sons and daughters with the hope that they would or might carry on his hobby, venture or project with commitment, but, mostly, they would not be interesting. They may read some books of their choice and keep quite. The book collector grows with age and books. Saving the books from others, termites and floods, what to do with them – question arises? “What would happen to my valuable collection after me?” He would have spent more than Rs. 20 to Rs. 30 lakhs during the last 50 years. For steel racks, periodical cleaning and maintenance he would have spent many more lakhs for the same period. However, now, money is not matter, but the books have to be preserved and protected so that some others might use them.

William Jones, Max Mueller, Hermann Jacobi, Heinrich Zimmer, George Thibaut, Gutava Oppert

News cuttings and books in our Research Institute…

All book collector or displayers are not interested in books: The collection books for a cause, principle and ideology has been different from that of other collection of books. A devotee too has a large collection books on Vedas, Itihasas, Puranas and related literature, but, he is concerned about bakti, devotion, God and God related divine activities. A new advocate, consultant or even politician too fills up the book shelves behind with books.  He is not interested in the history, chronology, archaeology and other aspects of those subjects. But, our friend book collector is.

Racks containing books in our Institute….

Books destroyed to suppress the past, even the recent past: Moreover, there have been groups of people that buy old, rare and other books and destroys, because, they want to destroy the past, even, the recent past. We know how many libraries were, were burnt during the last 3500 years at many places. Even though, the Alexandrian library is talked about, there had been many-many Universities, Gurukulas and Patasalas, where the attached libraries had also been attacked, burned and razed down completely in India. Therefore, the preservation of the old and rare books is necessitated.

Even childish habit may convert to book collection: At earlier years, I started collecting books perhaps with “Ambulimama” (also known as Chandamama) and then converting serials like Ramayana, Mahabharata etc., into bound volumes. This created interest in buying and colleting Puranas. Of course, I learned such practice from my uncle. Book reading practice continued with book collection. When I was studying 9^th standard, I completed reading of Ponniyin Selvan, Kadalpura, Yavanari etc. One Rajagopalan, old book seller of the Station Road, West Mambalam used to provide me many books.

Thus created the library and research institute: The “RSN Memorial Library and Indological Research Institute” has been started with the collection of books, 60-years newspaper cuttings, booklets, pamphlets and other materials of S/Sri R.S. Narayanaswamy, Dr S. Kalyanaraman, K. V. Ramakrishna Rao and others. It is to be inaugurated by Dr Subramanian Swamy on October 28^th, Saturday, 2023 4.00 pm at Sri Vedanta Bhavanam, T. Nagar, Chennai, 600017 and Sponsored by the Vishva Hindu Vidya Kendra. Whoever is in Chennai, is invited to attend the function and who are away, kindly bless from your place.

K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

26-10-2023