'Centre's decision will help preserve ancient Harappan site in Rakhigarhi village'

Hisar, April 8

Villagers here are hoping that the decision of the Central Government to declare portions of the ancient Harappan site in Rakhigarhi village of the district will help preserve and conserve this site.

This has emerged as the largest Harappan site when the Deccan College Pune undertook excavation work in 2014. Archaeologists have shown interest in the site after the excavation team, headed by the then Deccan College Vice Chancellor Prof Vasant Shide, discovered a Harappan era cemetery and recovered human skeletons here.

A local resident Dinesh Sheoran, who has keen interest in archaeology and excavation work in the village, said the villagers were excited whenever the Centre or state governments made any announcement about development of this site. He said it was good that the Centre had finally announced to notify the mound Nos. 6 and 7 as “sites of national importance”.

During excavation by former Archeological Survey of India head Dr Amarendra Nath it was revealed that mound number 7 was a necropolis – a cemetery belonging to an ancient city. The ASI had carried out excavations three times before Deccan College. The ASI has undertaken the excavation work yet again this year.