*Another British theft!*
What have been the greatest thefts of intellectual property?
Meet Rakhal Das Banerji,
a man to whom we owe an explanation.
In the year 1918, a 33 year old Rakhal Das, an officer at the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) was sent to the Sindh Province of undivided India, on a mission to look for Greek Victory Pillars by his boss.
His British boss had a belief that Indians were incapableof reaching the standards of Classical architecture, literature and sculpture all by themselves - and that it all was actually ‘copied’ from the Greco-Roman civilisation.
The existence of a Greek Victory Pillar in the dry beds of Indus, would have given credence to this theory.
*Discovery of a Stupa from Kushana*
Down in Larkana District of Sindh, instead of finding a Greek Victory Pillar - Rakhal Das ended up finding a Buddhist Stupa of the Kushana Period (2nd and 3rd Century BCE).
*The discovery of Mohenjo Daro*
When asked to dig further - out came a 5000 year old city made of baked bricks, which along with Harappa, established the existence of an Indian Civilisation, older than any known in Europe.
*The curious case of a Boss sitting in Shimla*
He wrote back a report about his findings - nothing got published.
He continued excavations between 1918–1922, leading 5 seasons of excavations - writing back reports at regular intervals - nothing got published.
He wrote his final report on Mohenjo-Daro in 1924- He did not even receive an acknowledgement.
*The Transfer - Arrest - The End*
In 1924, Rakhal Das came across an issue of the Illustrated London News, reporting on the exciting discovery of the Mohenjo-Daro, crediting the discovery to his boss.
In the same year, to his utter surprise, Rakhal Das received a transfer order- relieving him of his responsibilities at the excavation sites in Mohenjo-Daro with immediate effect.
In October 1925, an arrest warrantwas issued under his name, for alleged removal of a statue from the Chausath Yogini temple in Jabalpur.
Owing to the case and the allegation, he was immediately put under suspension.
Though the case was eventually dismissed 3 years later, and a departmental enquiry found nothing, his Boss ‘advised’ him to resign.
Rakhal Das Banerji retired from ASI in 1928 - and died 2 years later.
Before his first death anniversary - his boss - Sir John Hubert Marshall, published a book in 3 volumes.
This book established Sir Marshall as the discoverer of Mohenjo-Daro.
Encyclopedia Britannica credits him, for the discoveryof Mohenjo-Daro.
The Oxford University Press credits him for discovery of Mohenjo-Daro.
Major Indian and international publications and even Jawaharlal Nehru’s Discovery of India, credits him for the discovery of Mohenjo-Daro.
Even NCERT in India, credits him as the main guy, who discovered Mohenjo-Daro.
Recently, the India Today Magazine celebrated his 59th Death Anniversary, crediting him for the discovery of Mohenjo-Daro.
Sir Marshall, being the large hearted and awesome boss that he was - didn’t forget to mention Rakhal Das Banerji’s name in the foreward of the book - crediting him as the man, who calculated, how old Mohenjo-Daro ruins were- That’s it.
Most Indian text books today, mention Rakhal Das as a footnote, only a few credit him for the discovery, taking his name, while singing paeans for his boss, Sir John Marshall.
There’s just one small teeny weeny issue in all of this:
- There’s absolutely no evidence of Sir John Hubert Marshall ever visiting the ruins of Mohenjo-Daro in his entire career.
*We need to correct this part of history.....*
https://m.timesofindia.com/city/kolkata/banerji-robbed-of-credit-for-indus-findings/amp_articleshow/59101966.cms
