The evidence based history of our ancient land that was available since 326 CBE was moved to 3000 BCE after the archaeological findings and artefacts found in Mohenjo-Daro – Harappa sites in Indus Valley. The declaration, made by Sir John Marshall, the Director General of Archaeological Survey of India in 1924 revealed that there existed a different civilization prior to Vedic. Earlier the excavations made in those sites since 1892 in a casual way linked the evidences only to the known history in the past. Until the declaration was made by John Marshall and his team, the Vedic culture and its imprint related theories were considered as the ancient civilization of the land.
Harappan civilization was proved with due evidences that could be considered contemporaneous with Egyptian civilization and Sumerian in southern Mesapatomia. But there is no evidence at Harappan site to prove the existence of any palaces or monumental structures as found in the ancient west. During this 100 years of Harappan study there is no evidence that hierarchy in the social system had existed thereby Indus Valley Civilization period of life has to be concluded more egalitarian.
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At latest, Gregory Possehl, the American archaeological expert on the Indus Valley Civilization, described its people’s ideology as ‘nihilistic’, devoid of any life and tradition of religions. The antiquity of the Indus Civilization was also confirmed by the DNA analysis of the excavated human bones at Rakhigarhi in Haryana in 2021.
In Tamil Nadu, at Adhichanallur, the archaeological excavations started even prior to Indus Valley sites but could not arrive at any creditable conclusion. Later Keeladi work commenced in 2019 bringing out many remarkable evidences to show its similarities with that of Indus Valley excavations as well planned town model, trade and industries. Since adequate financial support was not extended by the Union Government to proceed further on these works, the State Government of Tamil Nadu continued the work under its fold. It has been ensured archaeologically from the works undertaken at other excavation sites like Sivakasi, Adhichanallur (in furtherance) Mayiladumparai, Mangadu, Telunganur and Kilnamandi which were subjected to scientific scrutiny. The conclusion says the period of Indus Civilization and the Iron period of Tamil Nadu were contemporaneous.
Conundrum of the Indus script
The script found at Harappan excavations could not be deciphered fully so far. Father Heeras, a historian who had associated with Indus Valley study had predicted that the script is nearer to Tamil script. Later Iravatham Mahadevan, and many others observed that the Indus Valley Civilization is more of Dravidian orientation. R.Balakrishnan who had specialised in the field of toponomy found out through strenuous work that the name of the places in and around Indus area are phonetically connected to places of Tamil, that is the core of the Dravidian languages, in the south of the country.
The Union government must encourage all these initiatives with due fund allocation. The forthcoming facts would bring a lot of pride to India in the international arena.
Recently, Thiru.M.K.Stalin, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has announced that 60 per cent of the indices in the seals, potsheds and other artefacts found in various archaeological excavations carried out by the State Archaeological Department align with the excavated items of Indus Valley Civilization. The Chief Minister has also announced a cash Award of 1 Million USD (Rs.8,57,70,000/- as per current exchange rate) to those who could decipher the Indus Valley scripts, excavated so far.
The fact finding, analytical mind set and science based approach advocated for the first time by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu is welcome. Let us wait for the final findings of archaeological organizations or scholars on the historic task!
