Rakhaldas Banerjee, a pioneering Indian explorer, made one of the world’s greatest historical discoveries in the early 1900s by uncovering the ancient Indus Valley Civilization city of Mohenjo-daro. His groundbreaking findings have left an indelible mark on history despite being overshadowed by controversy.
The Forgotten Indian Explorer Who Uncovered an Ancient Civilisation
Rakhaldas Banerjee, an intrepid explorer and talented epigraphist, made one of the world’s greatest historical discoveries in the early 1900s. He unearthed ‘Mohenjo-daro’ , a thriving Indus Valley (Harappan) Civilization city, which stretched from north-east Afghanistan to north-west India during the Bronze Age.
Rakhaldas Banerjee was an Indian archaeologist and a prominent figure in the field of Indian antiquarian studies.
Born in 1863, he served as the Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India from 1902 to 1918.
During his tenure, he led several excavations and surveys across the country, including the discovery of the ancient city of Mohenjo-Daro.
Banerjee's contributions to Indian archaeology are still celebrated today for their significance in understanding the country's rich cultural heritage.
The Discovery that Changed History
Banerjee worked for the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) when the country was under British colonial rule. He spent months travelling to distant corners of the subcontinent, looking for ancient artefacts, ruins and scripts. In 1919, he first set eyes on ‘Mohenjo-daro’ in Sindh, and over the following years, he conducted a series of excavations at the site that revealed some of the most fascinating finds: ancient Buddhist stupas, coins, seals, pots and microliths.
A Legacy Clouded by Controversy
Banerjee‘s discovery of ‘Mohenjo-daro’ was groundbreaking, but his legacy is clouded by disputes. His independent streak and defiance of colonial protocols often landed him in trouble – tainting his reputation and perhaps even erasing parts of his contribution from global memory. Archaeologist PK Mishra later accused then ASI chief John Marshall of suppressing Banerjee‘s findings and claiming credit for the discovery himself.
The Controversies Surrounding Banerjee
Banerjee was known to have rubbed people the wrong way due to his high-handedness. He attempted to procure inscriptions and images from a museum in north-east India without approval, and he relocated stone sculptures from a museum in Bengal to another site without necessary permissions. These actions led to disciplinary action being recommended against him.
A Prominent Figure Among Historians
Despite the controversies surrounding his life and work, Banerjee remains a prominent figure among world historians and scholars in Bengal due to his connection with ‘Mohenjo-daro’ . He was born in 1885 to a wealthy family in Bengal and pursued history in college, always having an adventurous streak.
The Later Years of Banerjee’s Life
After leaving the ASI, Banerjee worked as a professor but faced financial difficulties due to his lavish lifestyle. In 1928, he joined the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) as a professor and died just two years later at the age of 45. Historian Tapati Guha-Thakurta noted that Banerjee splurged on good food, horse carriages and friends, contributing to his financial difficulties.
A Legacy Worth Remembering
Rakhaldas Banerjee‘s discovery of ‘Mohenjo-daro’ is a testament to his bravery and determination. Despite the controversies surrounding his life, he remains an important figure in world history, and his legacy deserves to be remembered and celebrated.
