ASI hopes to unravel Mahabharata link at Purana Qila

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Did Indraprastha, the capital of the kingdom of Pandavas, as mentioned in the Mahabharata epic, exist around what we today known as Purana Qila ( Old Fort) in Delhi? Historians and archaeologists have long believed so, even though could not be ascertained. Now, an excavation that is underway at the site can possibly bring out the truth and shed light on that era. Earlier, there have been indications that this site was related to the era of Mahabharata. So there is a possibility that once we excavate further will find some evidence," said Vasant Swarnkar, superintending archaeologist, Archaeological Survey of India ASI), Delhi circle. The clue that ASI members are looking for to establish the link is painted grey ware PGW). " PGW is a pottery type that archeologists associate with the Mahabharata period. It is grey pottery painted with geometric patterns in black. Excavating 1.5 metres more is expected to expose the lowest cultural settlement that was there," Swarnkar said. This also means that it would take one more month of excavation to find any such evidence. Though the earlier excavations at Purana Qila had failed find any link to Indraprastha, this time the ASI is hopeful of making a breakthrough. The ongoing excavation at site began in mid- January and in the last three months, ASI team has found a rare 12th century sculpture of Vishnu, a seal in terracotta from the Gupta period, pottery typical of the Kushan and Gupta periods, terracotta human figurines, ivory pendants, human figurines, a Gajalakshmi tablet and structures from the Mauryan period and copper coins.



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ASI hopes to unravel Mahabharata link at Purana Qila : Mail Today, News - India Today

 

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[highlight]A ring well found during excavation at Purana Qila in New Delhi on Thursday. Photo: Sandeep Saxena[/highlight]

Towards the end of the latest excavation at Purana Qila, which began in January this year, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has discovered a ring well 4.4 metres below the earth. The well, 70 centimetres in diameter, lined with earthen rings is characteristic of the Maurya period. "This along with fragments of northern black earthenware and grey ware unearthed are proof that the excavation has reached up to the Mauryan period which was from 322 to 185 BC", said Assistant Superintending Archaeologist Vishnu Kant to The Hindu. The well is in a vertical excavation shaft approachable by a ladder. Beside it is a drain, probably of a kitchen in the Maurya period. The excavation on a slope behind the Sher Mandal is akin to a time portal. At the very top, remnants of the post partition camps are found. As the slope progresses, excavations at various level reveal different ages of history. First are the ruins of the Mughals (1526 to 1857) followed by the Sultanate (1206 to 1526). Then the Rajput period (600 to 1200 AD) appears in excavations where fine disposable earthenware and an entombed skeleton of a small goat have been discovered. As we go lower, excavations shafts reveal remains of the Gupta and post Gupta period (300 to 600 AD), the Kushan period (0 to 200 AD), the Sungas (200BC to 1BC) and finally the Mauryas in continuous sequence.


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Ring well discovered in Purana Qils excavation - The Hindu