Ancient Roots as India's Oldest Living City found in PM Modi's Native Village, Vadnagar

A recent study conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology (Kharagpur) has provided evidence of cultural continuity in Vadnagar, the native village of Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This evidence suggests that the notion of a "Dark Age" following the collapse of the Harappan civilization may be a myth.

The study, which involved a collaboration between scientists from various institutions including IIT Kharagpur, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), and Deccan College, involved deep archaeological excavations in Vadnagar. The findings indicate that there was a human settlement in Vadnagar as early as 800 BCE, during the late-Vedic/pre-Buddhist Mahajanapadas or oligarchic republics period.

Ancient Roots found in Vadnagar, Gujarat

Archaelogical Findings in Vadnagar

• Vadnagar is renowned for its rich history as a multi-cultural and multi-religious community, influenced by Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, and Islamic traditions. The ongoing excavation work, which began in 2016, has unveiled seven distinct cultural stages at the site, as reported by Dr Anindya Sarkar, Professor of Geology and Geophysics at IIT Kharagpur. These findings offer valuable insights into the diverse cultural and historical layers of Vadnagar, underscoring its significance as a thriving civilization hub over the centuries.

• IIT Kharagpur has released a statement revealing that the examination of deep archaeological excavation in Vadnagar has provided insights into the rise and fall of various kingdoms over a span of 3,000 years. These changes were influenced by significant shifts in climate, such as periods of rainfall and droughts, as well as repeated invasions by Central Asian warriors.

• These findings have been published in the prestigious Elsevier journal Quaternary Science Reviews in a paper titled "Climate, human settlement, and migration in South Asia from early historic to medieval period: evidence from new archaeological excavation at Vadnagar, Western India."

• The excavation in Vadnagar's deep trenches has uncovered seven cultural stages, including the Mauryan, Indo-Greek, Indo-Scythian, Hindu-Solankis, Islamic, and Gaekwad-British colonial rule. Remarkably, the city of Vadnagar continues to thrive even today. Additionally, the excavation has led to the discovery of one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries.

• Abhijit Ambekar, an ASI archaeologist and co-author of the paper, explained that the team found various archaeological artifacts, including potteries, copper, gold, silver, iron objects, and intricately designed bangles. They also discovered coin molds from the Indo-Greek rule, featuring the Greek king Appollodatus.

• According to Ambekar, the evidence collected by their team suggests that Vadnagar is the oldest living city in India, with only one fortification uncovered thus far. Vadnagar stands out due to its exceptional collection of early historic to medieval archaeology, accompanied by a precise chronology that remains unparalleled in India.

Dark Age: A Myth

• During the period between the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization and the emergence of the Iron Age, archaeologists often refer to it as a Dark Age. This is due to the scarcity of archaeological records, with the earliest being Emperor Ashoka's rock inscription during the Mauryan period at Sudarsana Lake, Girnar hill, Gujarat.

• However, these findings challenge this notion, as Vadnagar stands as the oldest living city within a single fortification discovered in India thus far. In fact, their recent unpublished radiocarbon dates suggest that the settlement could date back as far as 1400 BCE, aligning with the late phase of the post-urban Harappan period.

• If this holds true, it implies a remarkable cultural continuity in India spanning over 5500 years, challenges the existence of a supposed Dark Age. Prof. Anindya Sarkar from IIT Kharagpur, the lead author of the paper, emphasized the significance of these findings.

Dr Sarkar further reveals that the earliest settlement period in Vadnagar dates back to at least 800 years BCE, during the early Iron Age or the Late Vedic period, predating the rise of Buddhism and Jainism. This period endured through the Mauryan rule and concluded with its decline around 150 years BCE. Following the fall of the Gupta Empire, there was a noticeable decline in urbanization, depletion of water sources, widespread famines, and a decrease in population across India.

Moreover, Dr Sarkar elaborates on the tumultuous 2,200 years of Indian history, during which seven invasions from central Asia to India, including Gujarat, took place. The imprints of these invasions can also be observed in the successive cultural periods of Vadnagar.

He further explains, "Our isotope data and the dating of cultural periods in Vadnagar suggest that all these invasions occurred precisely when the agrarian Indian subcontinent thrived with a robust monsoon, while central Asia suffered from extreme aridity and became uninhabitable due to recurrent droughts. It was from this region that most of the invasions and migrations originated."

While the excavation was led by the ASI, the study was funded by the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums (Government of Gujarat), which is responsible for constructing India's first experiential digital museum in Vadnagar. The term 'experiential' signifies the process of acquiring knowledge through practical involvement and firsthand experience.

The research in Vadnagar and the Indus Valley Civilization has also received generous funding from Sudha Murthy, the former chairperson of Infosys Foundation, over the past five years.