| Rakhi Garhi in Pictures |
| This site is written and maintained by Saswatee Banerjee |
| Left: Mr Wazir Chand Saroae, displaying his collection of Indus valley artefacts to Prof. James B. Cole and other spectators Below: Close view of his collections, pieces of bangles made of clay and shell, fine beads of carnelian, bits and pieces of painted pottery, weights, flint blades and drill heads, broken pieces of terracotta toys |
| Above: With the friendly locals, curious, informed and proud about their history, coping with the difficult present and waiting for a change in near future? Right: Present day Rakhigarhi, heaps of cowdung here and there, muddy roads, uncovered sewage drains Bits of black plastic show the excavation area |
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| Rakhi Garhi, in the district of Hissar, Haryana is a very important archeological site for Indus valley civilization in India. On 9th December 2003, I was accompanying a professor from the University of Tsukuba, Japan on our way to Rakhi Garhi from Delhi, by car. What started out as an adventure, ultimately became a treasured experience. We met Mr. Wazir Chand Saroae, a local schoolteacher and a resident of Rakhi Garhi, who showed us his invaluable collections of Indus valley artefacts. |
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| We learned that the Archeological Survey of India excavated the place for three winters, starting from 1997. But there was not a single sign, not a single attempt to indicate the importance of the place to the visitors. It is unfortunate that while 5000 years ago, the residents of Rakhi Garhi enjoyed the privileges of urban life, that is, paved roads and streets, undergroung sewerage system, rainwater harvesting system, toilets and bathing facilities, the modern dwellers at the place live in a muddy village with poor bath and sanitation facilities. We were surprised by the pride and enthusiasm of well-informed locals about their past and frustration about the current situation. Could we not develop the site as a tourist attraction, showcasing our cultural and historical heritage? Instead of taking all the important artefacts to Delhi, a museum can be built on the site, dedicated to Indus valley civilization. Also, the locals must be educated and employed in order to protect this magnificent monument of the past. |