Haryana

• 12 Sep 2022

Haryana's Historical City 'Rakhigarhi' will get International Recognition

Why In News?

On September 10, 2022, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar directed the officials to develop this area as an archaeological site in the museum building under construction in Rakhigarhi.

Key Points

• The Chief Minister directed the officials of the Archaeological Survey of India to complete the excavation work of the protected site at Rakhigarhi at a fast pace. Also, the security of these historical sites should also be ensured, so that no person can harm these sites.
• In order to give international recognition to the historical city of Indus Valley Civilization 'Rakhigarhi', a museum is being constructed by the government in Rakhigarhi, in which the artifacts of about 5000 years old Indus Valley Civilization will be preserved.
• With the development of Rakhigarhi as a tourist destination, on the one hand, tourism will increase, while the revenue of Haryana will also increase and with the arrival of tourists here, employment opportunities will also be created for the youth of the village.
• Photographs labs have been prepared in this museum being built in Rakhigarhi, in which visitors will be able to know the history of Rakhigarhi through pictures. Apart from this, a kids zone has also been created in the museum. For the first time, a kids zone has been constructed in a museum in Haryana, so that children can also be aware of their history in sports.
• Apart from this, open air theater, gallery, library has also been constructed, which will give information about history to the visitors, especially the younger generation.
• It is worth mentioning that the central government had announced Rs 2500 crore to build tourist places and five historical sites in the country, including Rakhigarhi. The state government is also building a state-of-the-art museum here at a cost of Rs 32 crore. Rest houses, hostels and a cafe are being constructed in it.
• Rakhigarhi is located in Narnaund sub-division of Hisar district of Haryana. Apart from Rakhikhas and Rakhishahpur villages, archaeological evidence is spread in the surrounding fields. Rakhigarhi has seven mounds (RGR-1 to RGR-7). Together they form the settlement, which is the largest settlement of the Harappan civilization.
• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) started excavation in this village for the first time in 1963. After this, between 1998-2001, ASI again started excavation under the leadership of Dr. Amarendranath. Later, the Vice Chancellor of Deccan University, Pune, Prof. Under the leadership of Vasant Shinde, excavation work was done in Rakhigarhi from 2013 to 2016 and 2022.
• 56 skeletons have been found in Rakhigarhi since 1998. Of these, 36 were discovered by Prof. Shinde did it. The skeletons of two women found in the excavation of mound number-7 are about 7,000 years old. Khol (shell) bangles, a copper mirror and semi-precious stone beads have also been found in the hands of both the skeletons. The presence of shell bangles suggests that the people of Rakhigarhi had trade links with distant places.
• Prof. According to Shinde, the civilization found in Rakhigarhi was about 5000-5500 AD. East While the time of civilization found in Mohenjodaro is about 4000 AD. East considered. Mohenjodaro has an area of about 300 hectares, while Rakhigarhi is spread over an area of more than 550 hectares.
• Prof. According to Shinde, the evidence found in Rakhigarhi, which contains evidence of ancient civilization, also indicates that the place was richer than Harappa and Mohenjodaro even in terms of business transactions.
• It had trade links with Afghanistan, Balochistan, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Especially for making jewellery, people used to bring raw materials from here, then they used to make and sell their ornaments in these places. The people of this civilization used to melt precious metals like copper, carnelian, agate, gold and make garlands of beads from them. Kilns were used to make jewelry from stones or metals. Such furnaces are found in abundance. DNA testing of the skeletons found here is going on.