The One Where They All Meet: The All India Meet Blog Part I by Neldria Crasto, Vanshika Poddar, and Diptarka Datta

 Day 1: Here it All Starts!

"Wow, this is what Haryana looks like," I thought to myself as I gazed out of the car window at a bright July sky. I was finally going to meet the entire Speaking Archaeologically Research Wing in person after a month of online meetings. The All-India Meet was going to be a workshop where all 13 members from various parts of the country would gather together and have practical sessions for the first time. Even though I had already met the majority of the members in Chandigarh three days prior during another workshop, this would be different. Was I nervous? Totally, and that made me a little more overwhelmed.

I never anticipated that barely a month after joining SA, I would visit the Bhima Devi temple, one of the most important sites for our organisation. "Will I be able to fit in?" I wondered, as I couldn't help but wonder how my day would go, how it would not just be about exchanging ideas but also about getting to know each other better.

As I looked at my fellow Research Wing Member, Sanskriti, who was sitting in the front seat, flipping through the pages of the SA Volume II Journal, it suddenly flashed, "Oh yeah! I had to revise what I had learned the night before about the Bhima Devi Project." It was the first time I had heard about it, and thanks to Diptarka, who had given us an insight into the site, I had an idea of what we were going to be dealing with in the workshop. We were all very nervous, trying to understand the features of the site and expecting to answer the questions that had been exchanged the day before via WhatsApp about the Bhima Devi project. It was not only the questions that overwhelmed us; it was also the feeling of finally going to the All-India meet that we had been anticipating for so long.

"The construction phases of the temples of the Gurjar Pratihars, the trade routes, the science, and the structure of these temples"—just when I had gone through all the topics, we had reached our destination. The three of us were the only ones to arrive first, and there we met Shriya Ma'am, our director, for the first time. I am sure we were all as overwhelmed as I was to meet the person we had only listened to in the voice messages we had received in the SA WhatsApp groups.  We greeted her and her family, who were also visiting, and chatted a bit, but then learned that the other car with the rest of the members had broken down and we would be a bit late for the day's planned program. So Ma'am just took us to the temple and led us through an archaeological complex with various sculptures along the way to the Bhima Devi temple.

(Based on my readings from the previous night, this was the point from where I could visualise the entire Bhima Devi temple)

Finally, we arrived at the temple. Three floor designs, numerous architectural components and sculptures, and mango trees were a sight to behold. I looked over the main temple's floor plan carefully. I had seen a detailed sketch of the floor plan in the Bhima Devi Journal, and based on what I had read the day before, I could imagine what this Gurjar Pratihar temple would have looked like. How tall could it have been, and how magnificent would it have appeared with all the four subsidiary temples in the Panchayatna layout? It made me realise how effective research writing can be; the journal had maximised the site's potential.

(All things considered, I really liked this illustration and had to take a photo like this)

“We’ll start with our first lesson, and I’ll continue with them when they join in," said Shriya Ma’am as we were still waiting for others to join. Meherleen and Lakshay from the Chandigarh wing had also joined us by now, and here we began our first class of the day. By this time, I was expecting "Neldria tell me why there are more Shaivatie sculptures in the complex, even though the temple is associated with Devi," and to use all the jumbled jargon I had studied previously.  Because there was clearly a message from Ma'am the night before in the group, referring to the questions sent: "Please take note; when we meet tomorrow, these are the questions I would expect you all to answer." But so far, so good; I had become less nervous in the meantime.

We began our first session by studying what site planning is and why it is crucial for any archaeological survey or excavation we undertake. We started taking notes on what Ma'am was teaching us, including what truncations are and how to represent them on a floor plan using base drawing constructions. Ma'am also provided us with instructions on how to use the metric tape measure in practical settings. Ma'am advised us to just take the bare essentials (a tape measure, a book, stationery, and graph sheets) and to keep our bags closed to prevent the monkeys from stealing our belongings. "What monkeys?" Will they ever leave a historical place unattended?

“Each one of you take a copy of the planning handout," Ma'am instructed us, and she began to explain how to identify truncations at a site. While the other group was yet to reach the site, we were instructed to form a team and choose one floor plan from two subsidiary temple floor plans and one major floor plan from the site complex for a practical activity, as it was first-come, first-served.

(Just us, totally engaged in measuring the layout and pondering how to get a floor plan from it)

"How about we take this one?" "No, it's already in a state of disrepair" (referring to the floor plan of the second minor temple), "That one looks too predictable, let us take that one," each of us started discussing which one we preferred more, and we all came to the conclusion that for our group we should choose the subsidiary temple to the right of the major temple. But, as the saying goes, "easier said than done," and we realised this much sooner than expected when we undertook the task that appeared simple when we were taught about it. We had no idea how to proceed, but we were trying our best. Sanskriti, Lakshay, and Meharleen tried out different methods to determine the dimensions and starting point for the floor plan's stone edges, while Divyansh (junior) and I figured out how to draw all of the floor plan's elements from all sides on our graph sheet in a single outline of this subsidiary temple.

(The second team, who was quick to figure out how to make the floor plan)

We'd spent about 30 minutes contemplating what to do and attempting to make the measurements we wanted. Clearly, we didn't have the entire day to devote to this activity. The second group had also arrived by this time, and following their own instructions on site planning, they had already begun and were quick to take measurements. We began reanalyzing our approach. The problem was that the back section of the temple floor was hidden beneath the roots and the pavement, which serves as a garden footpath.

"Several of the stone blocks are fractured and have one side missing.” “How are we going to get the proper measurements here?" I inquired, not understanding how we were supposed to draw in the area with the missing pieces.

"The floor plan might be the same in terms of dimensions and design, and we can mark the damaged parts with truncation lines," Lakshay suggested, pointing to the floor plan fragments and sides that were identical on opposite sides.

"Let us start measuring from this point on the right side and try to move in one direction, noting each facet," Sanskriti stated as we began dividing ourselves into each role of making the plan.

"Let's start by marking the points of each facet with an alphabet, then we can measure them first and then draw the design," I added as we buckled down to finish the work. Meharleen, Lakshay, and I took the measurements, while Divyansh(junior) and Sanskriti compiled the results and drew the plan. We completed our site plan and learned from our trials and errors, as well as the monkeys' unexpected attacks. The ice had melted between us at this point, and we were able to converse casually.

Ma'am then gathered us all and gave us a brief introduction to the site, outlining the project's background, its early challenges, the people involved, and the key artistic and architectural aspects of this temple. It was very interesting to learn more about the Bhima Devi project, and I was amazed to learn that Divyansh(senior), one of our panellists and a senior member who had worked at the site, had come up with the idea of measuring the site using ancient measurements such as hasta and angul when he first visited the site. There's so much to learn, I thought as I listened to the discussions that followed. Isn't that what archaeology gives you, the opportunity to learn about different cultures and meet new people? They were all my seniors, and there was so much to learn from them, and I was glad to be there sharing similar thoughts and ideas.

"At the end of your career in archaeology, there should be at least one site associated with your name for the contributions that you've made," Shriya Ma'am advised us as we proceeded to our final task at the Bhima Devi site. We were told to find that one particular sculpture that we liked and come back with an object analysis and conditional assessment on it. I particularly liked the Vinayaki sculpture, a female form of Lord Ganesha that I had never seen before. The first event of the day at the Bhima Devi temple was over with that, but since we had all gathered in such an important place, we had to take a lot of pictures before we left.

(The only group photo we were able to capture for the day)

Our tummies were empty, and the sun was already on our heads. Ma'am and her family served us Rajma Chawal and delicious desserts. After a brief conversation, we went to Yadavindra Garden, our second venue for the day, where we were introduced to Divyansh(senior).

(Us paying close attention as we hear about the history of Yadavindra Garden)

This day was full of firsts for me. I was in a garden decorated in the Mughal style with lovely frescoes and white buildings for the first time. With Shriya Ma'am and Divyansh (senior), we learned a little about the site's history, including how it was initially constructed by Aurangazeb's foster brother Nawab Fidai Khan Koka and then restored by Maharaja Amar Singh of Patiala. The beautiful Shish Mahal (the glass place), Hawa Mahal (the palace of the winds), Rang Mahal (the palace of colours), and finally the Jal Mahal (the palace of water) made the Pinjore garden a visual delight in and of itself.

This place seemed even more spectacular to me as I could feel the fresh air and the cool water from the fountains. When I first saw the Jal Mahal, I could not have grinned more broadly.

Here, we had yet another session on recording historical sites effectively. I had previously taken videos with my camera, but here we learned how to do it properly by catching all the many angles of a location and enhancing its aesthetic appeal. And then Merlyn reminded me that we needed to get ready, as we had to catch our train that very evening. Could I have not stayed at the workshop for one more day? It made me feel like I was just beginning to fit in and have a better understanding of the organisation, but sadly, I had to go. We had about thirty minutes left in our day when we were given a fun little task to do as a group: locate one architectural component from the Bhima Devi site complex that had been brought here in the garden. We all immediately switched into Sherlock Holmes or, say, Indiana Jones mode and looked for anything that resembled it. We looked everywhere for it—in the bushes, by the walkways, even in the mangroves.

(Pinjore Garden and its serene beauty)

Thankfully, ma'am and sir called us back, or we could have spent the entire night looking for the clue and missed the train I needed to catch. By the time we got there, having given up on our hopes, and enquired Ma'am about it, our situation was exactly like the saying of George Moore, "A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and goes home to find it." Amazingly, the piece was located exactly where our search had begun. We all laughed as we said, "Oooooh," at that exact moment. We might not have found the architectural element we were seeking, but I am certain that in the end we found the elements of friendship and the joy of teamwork.

A few moments later, I was bidding goodbye to everyone, hoping to meet them again one day. This time I looked out the car window at the darkening sky. Was I nervous? No, but with eyes full of stories and a heart full of memories.

Day 2: Of Potsherds and Coins

If you think we covered a lot of ground on day one, dear reader, wait till you hear about the next one.

Emotionally, I had been on a constant rollercoaster for the last 24 hours. The journey to the first location was the rollercoaster rising up, slowly until it precariously balanced itself on the tip of the highest point, and then fell with a whoosh when we arrived. It went through hundreds of curves and dips throughout the day, but by the next morning, the ride had finally come to a serene end. I was finally comfortable and really looking forward to a productive day.

After a hearty breakfast, we got to work. The first activity of the day: Pottery Handling.

We settled on the single hotel bed, all six of us, and began the work. Shriya ma’am began by explaining how Speaking Archaeologically had acquired a collection of Harappan artefacts like faience bangles, beads, and bones, as well as several pieces of pottery from all over the country through researchers who generously donated to us. Then began the work. We were to first learn to wash pottery correctly, then label artefacts using clear nail paint and ink pens. Honestly, this was the activity I was most excited about, purely because I got to wear surgical gloves and actually touch objects that are thousands of years old. It was a little hard to comprehend the exhilaration. Little did I know, it was about to turn into massive guilt and dread very soon. But, we’ll get to that later.

(Under the hotel sink was not how I had imagined washing my first sherd, but I wouldn't have it any other way)

Armed with our spare toothbrushes, we huddled around the tiny basin in the hotel washroom and learnt the correct techniques to wash pottery. Divyansh (Saxena) seemed particularly fond of the washing, so much so that it was hard to pull him out of the bathroom. We washed our sherds and carefully laid them on the (hotel) towel to dry. Then came the labelling.

The process was almost therapeutic. We calmly applied clear nail polish on a small section of the sherds, let it dry, and then used ink pens to write their numbers on the dried paint. Hold on, dear reader, because this is where it gets interesting. Well, interesting for you, I had half a mind to jump out the window then. We were calmly going around, labelling objects, talking softly, until I noticed something strange. You see, I was holding a sherd of painted grey ware. It was grey, painted with black patterns. I noticed a small pattern in the middle, right below my thumb. It looked peculiar, so I looked closer…only to realise my ink-stained thumb had painted over this centuries-old piece of evidence that was an invaluable part of the SA pottery collection.

It took a moment for that to sink in, and another to make eye contact with ma’am who instantly realised what I had done. One look at her face, and I rushed to the basin, trying to somehow gently remove the VERY permanent ink I had smeared on my sherd. One eternity later, I emerged from the washroom with the demeanour of a sad rat doused in the rain, a very wet and very visibly still-stained object in my hand. “I can barely see it anymore!” Sanskriti came to the rescue. Nice try, Sanskriti, but in the words of Shriya ma’am herself, my mark had been immortalised on the sherd forever!

I thought the chain of eventful moments would take a pause with that now ruined potsherd. However, little did I know that there were more surprises underway during the rest of the Meet.