22/02/2024
Lecture on “The Harappan Site of Rakhigarhi” by Prof. (Dr.) Vasant Shinde.
The event started with a long introduction of Prof. (Dr.) Vasant Shinde by Dr. Tamegh Panwar who especially mentioned about his 87 pages “brief CV” followed by ‘Plant watering’ by all dignitaries and his felicitation. Dr. Neekee Chaturvedi (HOD, DOHIC & Director, CMC) then made a welcoming address and invited Prof. (Dr.) Vasant Shinde to deliver his lecture.
Prof. (Dr.) Vasant Shinde started the lecture by highlighting the significance of 100 years of discovery of Harappan civilization followed by explaining the importance of Rakhigarhi in Indian history as the largest Harappan city which has been discovered yet. He then addressed the various issues in early Indian history and pointed out that the earlier hypothesis was unscientific which led to the misinterpretations and wrong inferences. Speaking about the importance of scientific methods and their implementations to determine the correct genealogy and timeline of the people staying in a region. For this they performed DNA testing and analysis in collaboration with a Korean university and Harward university. At Harward university laboratory the samples were tested by 16 scientists from different countries. When the results arrived, it clearly proved the indigeneity of the local people and the absence of any traces of migration thus disproving the hypothetical A***n theory by the western scholars. He also threw light on Saraswati River, the sites near it and drying of the river bed. He talked about many excavation sites and the items obtained from them and their comparison with respect to the Rakhigarhi excavation site and it’s excavated items. In this context, reference to various excavation sites like Mohenjo-Daro, Mehargarh, Banawali, Kalibanga, Bagor, Farmana, Ahar etc. were made. The need for special precautions during DNA collection and their intricacies were explained in a lucid manner. The map showing CPR survey and surface sampling was also discussed. He finally concluded his lecture by stating that all the current habitat of India are the descendants of the Harappans. Due to different living condition, climate, food habits and to the other populations they met, their ethnicity changed. So, in a nut shell “India is an ethnic museum”.
The lecture was followed by Dr. Rima Hooja’s address, briefing the conclusive key points of the lecture which is followed by Prof. (Dr.) Vibha Upadhyaya’s address, stating the significance of archaeology and archaeologist in new findings in history writings/corrections.
The event was concluded by a vote of thanks by Dr. Tamegh Panwar.