A Professor Who Dug Up the History

England’s Queen, 96 years old Elizabeth II died on the 08th of Sep 2022. Her death proved that she had left many sons and daughters in India. Scalding tears of these people have increased the water level of all the seas and oceans around India in the last two days. The sudden change in the weather may be the result of that increased water level. Now that the Queen’s mortal body has been packed in the coffin and set off for the burial grounds, here is some News for the Modi-loving, diplomacy expert, neo-nationalists of India. The Bheeshma Pitamaha of Indian Archeology, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan Braj Basi Lal, better known as B. B. Lal passed away on 10 Sep 2022 at the age of 101 years. 

He was an Archaeologist and former Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). He discovered the Ram temple under the disputed structure in Ayodhya. Even at the end of his life, he seemed very enthusiastic about research. He was born on 02 May 1921 in Badaura village of Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh. Prof. Lal led the excavation of historical sites including Hastinapur in UP, Shishupalgarh in Odisha, Purana Qila in Delhi and Kalibangan in Rajasthan. He put the evidence of history in front of the world. The most important discovery in all this was the discovery of the Ram temple from under the Babri Masjid. Today, the “Hindu Nationalists” take the rebuilding of the Ram Mandir as their pride. That pride is today possible because of this legend.

Pro. BB Lal will be remembered for exposing the evidence of Ram Mandir. He discovered that Babri Masjid was erected on the Ram Mandir. The case of Ram Mandir was hundreds of years old. During the Mughal period, Ram Mandir was demolished and a mosque was built on its foundation. Banaras Hindu University Prof. AK Narayan started the work of the Archaeological Survey of Ayodhya for the first time in the 60s. This project did not progress. After this, the work of excavation was taken up by BB Lal. Based on his archaeological evidence, it was proved in the Supreme Court that there was a Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. 

Prof. Lal presented his arguments with the theory of structure after the excavation of the Babri Masjid. He said that there was a temple-like structure under the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya. This theory made a lot of headlines during the Ram Mandir movement. His research paper ‘Rama, His Historicity, Temples and Setu: Evidence of Literature, Archeology and Other Sciences’ also made a lot of headlines. It was his attachment to Bhagwan Ram that he excavated the sites related to Ramayana and placed many historical documents in front of the world. Research like ‘On Saraswati Pravah: Continuity of Indian Culture’ showed the researchers of Archeology the way for future research. During his career, he wrote more than 50 books. Published more than 150 research papers.

Prof. Lal was a Master’s in Sanskrit from Allahabad University. After that, he turned to archaeology. He started his research in Takshasila. Did excavations at Harappa and proved to the world that the Harappa Civilization was not destroyed by the Aryan invasion. There was no Aryan invasion in Bharat. 

In the year 1975, he started work on the ‘Archaeology of Ramayana Sites’ project started by ASI, Jiwaji University Gwalior and the Department of Archeology, Government of UP. Under the project, he excavated five sites related to Ramayana – Ayodhya, Bharadwaj Ashram, Nandigram, Chitrakoot and Shringaverapura. During this, he put important facts in front of the world. Prof. Lal led the project between 1975 and 1976 to survey some of the sites with references in the Ramayana. There were 9 members in the team, out of which 5 archaeologists Prof. Lal, Dr KP Nautiyal, SK Srivastava, RK Chaturvedi and KM Asthana were from Jiwaji University. In this team, 3 members named Mahdawa N Kati, LM Wahal and MS Mani were from ASI. Hem Raj from the UP Archaeological Department was associated with the team. The five sites associated with the Ramayana were excavated at Ayodhya, Nandigram, Shringaverapur, Bharadwaj Ashram and Chitrakoot.

Prof. Lal gave evidence of pillars found while excavating the area south of the Babri structure. He wrote a preliminary seven-page report about the discovery of pillar bases near the Babri structure. However, after the discovery, all technical facilities were withdrawn from the area and the project was put on hold. Despite repeated requests from Prof Lal, it was never resumed and remained closed for 10-12 years. The final report was never submitted.

However, his initial report was published by the Indian Council of Historical Research in 1989 in its volume on the historicity of the Ramayana and Mahabharata. BB Lal was instrumental in unearthing the Babdi structure in the remains of an ancient temple, a major argument in support of a Ram Mandir. After considering all these points, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Mandir itself.

Through the book ‘Ram, His Historicity, Mandir and Setu: Evidence of Literature, Archeology and Other Sciences’, Prof. Bibi Lal came into the limelight. In the book, Prof. Lal wrote that he found 12 stone pillars under the Babri Masjid during excavation. These pillars were in complete contrast to the mosque structure theory. These pillars had distinctive Hindu motifs. He also claimed to have seen mouldings and figures of Hindu deities. He claimed based on his research that these pillars were not an integral part of the mosque. These pillars were completely different from the mosque.

Former President of India, Sri Ramnath Kovind said about Prof. Lal that his excavation covers a very wide range from the Palaeolithic period to the early historical Kalibanga, Ayodhya, Hastinapur and Indraprastha. He put forth many historical facts about the centuries-old Indic civilization before the public. He was the person who we should thank to have proved to the world that Ramayana and Mahabharata are not mythologies, they are the historical happenings of the Indic Civilization. 

Here are a few Books written by this legendary figure. Do read them to know more about our motherland and its history:  

1. THE RIGVEDIC PEOPLE: ‘Invaders’?/’Immigrants’? or Indigenous?
2. Rāma, His Historicity, Mandir, and Setu: Evidence of Literature, Archaeology, and Other Sciences
3. Historicity of the Mahabharata: Evidence of Literature, Art and Archaeology
4. THE SARASVATI FLOWS ON – The Continuity of Indian Culture
5. HOW DEEP ARE THE ROOTS OF INDIAN CIVILIZATION? Archaeology Answers
6. The Holeheads of the Aryans: Evidence of Rigvedic Flora and Fauna with Archaeology 
7. India 1947-1997: New Light on the Indus Civilization
8. Unveiling India’s Glorious Past: 75 Years of Research by an Archaeologist
9. Indraprastha: The Earliest Delhi Going Back to the Mahabharata Times
10. The March Towards Urbanization in the Gaṅgā Basin: From the Mesolithic to the Mahājanapadas
11. A Report on the Preservation of Buddhist Monuments at Bamiyan in Afghanistan
12. Kauśāmbī: Revisited