Speaking Archaeologically™

I am not sure where, on the priority list of the Indian régime, does heritage conservation lie, but it certainly does lie well below changing names and raising statues. Sitting atop a hillock, overlooking the lush green fields, lie the ruins of Rehlu fortress. Once an important outpost on the borders of the hill states of Kangra and Chamba, the once-imposing building and the small village below, hold stories of a vibrant past, but today, everything seems to have been forgotten beneath the sheets of the soil and spoils of the fort walls. The place had always been an object of fascination for me since I was a teenager, and was shrouded enough in wilderness to excite a bunch of adrenaline pumped teenagers, such as I was. Despite the fascination of many like me, though, it was never significant historically and probably will never be, but it was this place, in particular, that made me fall in love with ruins. Hence, this was the perfect setting for my first Member-run-Workshop at...

I feel elated at the opportunity to write about a monument, that I first time saw some fifteen years ago, while traveling by road to Shikarpur city from my village. Conspicuous from the roadside the site is in Lakhi town. I still remember, it was a standing structure of red bricks, built on a high artificial mound and at first glance, I felt as if I was experiencing the past from my window. I hadn’t even had the chance to collect my thoughts before the van conductor yelled, ‘Lakhi Lakhi . . . Halli acho Lakhi wara …,’ and the van stopped. Intrigued and confused by the expression of fascination on my face, the passenger next to me asked me what I was looking at. Perplexed I replied, “Hnmm…chaa” (which means “what?” in Sindhi ). He said plainly, this is ‘ Lakhi Munaro ’ and then there was silence . . . The monument or the site is known by various names such as, ‘Lakhi Munaro,’‘Lakhi Minar’ and ‘ Lakhi Thul’ (this...