Filling up gaps created by earlier historians: Minister

NEW DELHI: Carbon dating of archaeological sites like Bhirrana and Rakhigarhi in Haryana suggest origins of civilisation in India date back to 7,000-6,000 BC and there is a need to establish a correlation of these dates with those of the Vedas, a committee on Indic culture has held.
The discussion in the committee, under the ministry of culture, and mandated with conducting a "holistic study" of evolution of Indian culture, point to an effort to examine the historicity of Indian traditions and ancient religious literature.

The minutes of the deliberations, accessed by TOI, show that committee's chairman and former Archaeological Survey of India functionary K N Dikshit recommended that it is essential "to establish a correlation of these dates vis-a-vis the dates of Vedas and the epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata".

While findings of the committee are expected be in public soon, the culture ministry has denied that the panel was mandated to rewrite ancient Indian history or textbooks.

Speaking to TOI, culture minister Mahesh Sharma said, "The committee has no designs to rewrite textbooks. That is not the mandate of this ministry. History is not rewritten. However, if there are gaps, it is our job to fill those gaps. This committee is filling the gaps created by earlier historians who laid emphasis on Western influences and sought to undermine the historicity of the Indian culture."

In a meeting on January 3, 2017 Dikshit observed that while the German scholar Max Muller had ascribed the Rig Veda to 1,500 BC, Indian archaeologists like R S Bisht and Bhagwan Singh had drawn similarities between Harappan and Rig-Vedic culture.

The committee's discussions reveal a free-ranging conversation, rather than specific agenda or conclusions, which in general echo the claims of some saffron ideologues on the historicity of the epics and the origins of Aryans.

The committee's special invitee, Mange Ram Sharma, chairman of the World Brahmin Federation in India, expressed his apprehension over Vedic studies not being made part of school and college curriculum and their being "influenced more by the Western culture". Sharma expressed the opinion that a sub-committee should coordinate with the ministry of culture and HRD.

Some expert members of the committee also referred to the "astronomical dating" of Rig Veda and the epics, and sought to claim that Ayodhya was older than is commonly known; that is dating back to between 900 and 1,500 BCE.

Members of the committee felt Sanskrit evolved even before the Zend Avesta literature of Iran. Professor of Sanskrit at the University of Delhi, Balram Shukla, also claimed Sanskrit pre-dated Indo-European language.

Sharma, however, sought to play down the emphasis on ‘Hindu' or ‘Hindutva' to the discussions. He said, "In a committee, various discussions happen. Multiple views have been offered... We wanted various suggestions... That is not to say that the opinion of the members is endorsed by the ministry."