| Monday , March 23 , 2015 |
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150323/jsp/frontpage/story_10318.jsp#.VQ-Q0PyUeSo
Iron man in stone circle?- ASI nod to excavation at megalithic site in Lohardaga |
| RUDRA BISWAS |
 A file picture of Harendra Prasad Sinha inspecting the megalithic site at a temple in Bhasko village of Lohardaga where digging work is on the anvil The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has granted eminent history digger Harendra Prasad Sinha permission to excavate the megalithic site on Prachin Shiva Mandir premises in Bhasko village. A letter dated February 27 and signed by Dr Syed Jamal Hasan, ASI director (exploration and excavation), says Sinha can carry out digging in collaboration with the state department of archaeology and submit a report within six months of completion of work. "The temple, which is located some 4km from the office of the (Lohardaga) deputy commissioner, houses ancient stone sculptures of Uma-Maheshwara and Shivalingams dating back to 15th or 16th Century AD. The remains that we may find at this site can throw light on the hitherto unknown history of Jharkhand," Sinha, retired deputy director of archaeology in the state art and culture department, told The Telegraph. Sinha had stumbled upon the site in 2010 during one of his visits to Lohardaga. "I had been summoned by the district administration to identify a strange stone that labourers digging a well had found. I was excited, but it did not last long because the stone I saw had no historical value. Then, as I strayed into nearby Bhasko village, a circle of stones covered by shrubs caught my eye," the sexagenarian recalled. And, once the place was cleared of undergrowth, history sprang to life. "These megaliths should date back to the 1st Century AD. I remember similar stone circles being found in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, which yielded a rich cache of pottery, iron spears and tools dating back to 800BC and 600BC. I continued my research on megaliths, which are strewn all over Jharkhand - in Singhbhum, Ranchi, Chatra, Lohardaga, Hazaribagh and many other places. Finally, I am ready to begin digging," he said. In layman language, a megalith is a memorial of the dead. Excavations at megalithic sites around the world, from Scotland to Karnataka, have revealed that the ancient man created a stone vault deep inside the earth, where the dead were placed on stone slabs. Pots, probably stuffed with food for another life that they believed in, iron tools and weapons, and even hooves of horses and saddles have been found inside theses vault. The burial place was finally covered with earth and marked by either a large standing stone or a number of stones in a circle; or like a tabletop with a giant stone resting on two or more smaller stones. "Interestingly, no habitation has yet been found near these burial sites anywhere in the world. So, it is presumed that these men were either nomads or mercenaries who fought for ruling clans, buried their dead, marked the sites with giant stones and moved on. Since iron tools have always been found at these sites, it is also presumed that such a type of burial was in vogue during the Iron Age," the archaeologist said. Surprisingly in Jharkhand, the megalithic form of burial is popular in the Munda tribe. Even today, the tribesmen continue to mark a grave with stones, which makes speculations rife that the Mundas in Jharkhand may be direct descendants of the Stone Age man. "I have applied for permission from the deputy commissioner to carry out excavation on the temple premises. I expect it to be granted any day now. Excavation work shall commence within 10 days from the day I receive the nod. I do not know the end result, but I hope to make a valuable addition to history. After Lohardaga, my next destination will be Chatra," Sinha said. The eminent archaeologist had retired as the deputy director of archaeology in 2011. Post-retirement, he was on contract with the state government till May 2013. Sinha has been associated with unearthing remains of Nagvanshi rulers at Bero, Ranchi, and archaeological relics dating back to the 12th Century AD at Pithoria on Ranchi-Patratu Road. |
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150323/jsp/frontpage/story_10318.jsp#.VQ-Q0PyUeSo
The Enormous Megalithic Site OF Chokhahatu, Jharkhand
Posted On Tuesday, September 18, 2012 By admin. Under DISTRIC, Eco Tourism, RANCHI, Rural Tourism, Tribal Tourism
Chokahatu. In the austric Mundaric language (one of the most abundantly spoken languages in primitive India and currently is the speech of hundreds and thousands of tribals in the east and the central of contemporary India) it means ‘the land of mourning’. Chokahatu, situated about 80 kms south-east of the capital city of Ranchi is primarily a megalithic burial ground of the Mundas. ![Chokhahatu Jharkhand]( "chokhahatu_jharkhand")
Such burial grounds are known as sasandiri, harsali, haragarhi etc in the local Mundaric languages and can be found in almost all the tribal villages in and around Ranchi. But Chokahatu is different. It is enormous in size.
t is so huge that you can get lost amidst the sea of stones. Chokahatu has only two menhirs and the rest are all burial slabs and dolmens. The dolmens are also known as sasandiri to the Oraons, Hos, Mundas and the Asurs.The site was discovered by one T.F.Pepe way back in the late 19th century (Mr.Pepe like Mr.Babington has the rarest disticntion of discovering numerous megaliths in India in the 19th century). Pepe reported the site to Col.Dalton who visited here in 1871. Dalton was bewildered at the enormity of the site.He wrote in the “Journal of Asiatic Society of Bengal” Vol.42 in 1872 that his helpers counted the sepulchral slabs to be around 8000 and the area was more than a whopping 7 acres. He believed that there must be an understratum of these graves and this site must be about two thousand years old. The villagers however![Chokhahatu Jharkhand]( "chokhahatu_jharkhand")
disagreed with me , they affirmed the site is of about 14 acres and must be more than two thousand year of age. Well that’s for the archaeologists to decide, if they ever arrive here. People since very olden times must have been bringing the bones of the deceased for a burial in this sacred land from all over the country, the villagers told me. Even today people come from far off places for burial in this holy land. They build dolmens on the dead of their relatives,carting the slabs on vehicles. What makes Chokahatu more significant to the scholars and the common man is its continued use since its inception. Chokahatu is one of the oldest historical remains of our country and it still being used in an uninterrupted manner since hoary antiquity is also an illustration of its living heritage status. It therefore demands a World Heritage position. Chokahatu, such a significant site, lingers in utter negligence like any other megalithic site in India, but then megaliths being tribal heritages are not worthy of respect, here. Courtsy : Megaliths of India.
http://www.incrediblejharkhand.com/?p=485
Such burial grounds are known as sasandiri, harsali, haragarhi etc in the local Mundaric languages and can be found in almost all the tribal villages in and around Ranchi. But Chokahatu is different. It is enormous in size.t is so huge that you can get lost amidst the sea of stones. Chokahatu has only two menhirs and the rest are all burial slabs and dolmens. The dolmens are also known as sasandiri to the Oraons, Hos, Mundas and the Asurs.The site was discovered by one T.F.Pepe way back in the late 19th century (Mr.Pepe like Mr.Babington has the rarest disticntion of discovering numerous megaliths in India in the 19th century). Pepe reported the site to Col.Dalton who visited here in 1871. Dalton was bewildered at the enormity of the site.He wrote in the “Journal of Asiatic Society of Bengal” Vol.42 in 1872 that his helpers counted the sepulchral slabs to be around 8000 and the area was more than a whopping 7 acres. He believed that there must be an understratum of these graves and this site must be about two thousand years old. The villagers however
disagreed with me , they affirmed the site is of about 14 acres and must be more than two thousand year of age. Well that’s for the archaeologists to decide, if they ever arrive here. People since very olden times must have been bringing the bones of the deceased for a burial in this sacred land from all over the country, the villagers told me. Even today people come from far off places for burial in this holy land. They build dolmens on the dead of their relatives,carting the slabs on vehicles. What makes Chokahatu more significant to the scholars and the common man is its continued use since its inception. Chokahatu is one of the oldest historical remains of our country and it still being used in an uninterrupted manner since hoary antiquity is also an illustration of its living heritage status. It therefore demands a World Heritage position. Chokahatu, such a significant site, lingers in utter negligence like any other megalithic site in India, but then megaliths being tribal heritages are not worthy of respect, here. Courtsy : Megaliths of India.