Fwd: MahaaBhAratha dates

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Re: Year of Mahabharata, Pioneer DailyPoster : madanDate : 02/28/04 03:55 AMYear

of the Mahabharata (More Details), By Saroj Bala Daily Pioneer, 27 Feb 2004From

references to three sequential solar eclipses within a period of 50 years and

other celestial observations in the Mahabharata (listed in the article on

February 26) Dr Iyengar prepared a list of compatible dates. It was concluded

that these eclipses along with the stated planetary

positions were observable during the period 1493 BC-1443 BC because the

planetarium software shows:(i) On March 19, 1493 BC, there was solar eclipse

visible from Kurukshetra.(ii) After about 15 years, on June 1, 1478 BC, there

was a solar eclipse visible from Kurukshetra which was preceded by a lunar

eclipse on the same fortnight on May 16, 1478 BC.(iii) About three months

later, there was Kartika Krishna Ashtami on September 20, 1478 BC, when Saturn

was near Rohini (in Bhar-Kritika) and Mars was between Jayestha and

Anuradha.iv) Three weeks later, on October 12, 1478 BC, there was Kartika

Purnima when the war actually started. On that day, Saturn was still near

Rohini (as it actually moved from Bhar Kritt to Rohini between June 1, 1478 BC,

to November 10, 1478 BC. Mars was near Jayestha. Uranus, which probably is

referred to as rough planet, was between Citra and Swati. Jupiter had moved

from Purva-bhadra to Uttar-bhadra on October 12, 1478

BC.(v) In the 36th year after Mahabharata war in October 1478 BC, a solar

eclipse could be seen from Dwarka on January 7, 1443 BC. Thus as per

archaeo-astronomical calculations, Mahabharata War was fought in 1478 BC and

Dwarka city got submerged in 1443 BC. These conclusions are corroborated by

archaeologists as well as historians who have analysed the genealogy charts of

rulers given in the Puranas.The dates of artefacts and antiquities recovered

during underwater explorations by the team headed by Dr SR Rao were determined

by Physical Research Laboratory by using latest scientific techniques and the

dates determined fully corroborate the dates calculated through astronomical

calculations as is apparent from the following conclusions:(i) The land for

building Dwarka had been reclaimed from the sea between 16th to 15th century BC

and a fortified city was built on boulder packing with outer gateway to the sea

and inner gateway to Gomti. This corroborates the

references in the Mahabharata as per which Dwarka was built by Shri Krishna

after reclaiming the land from the sea and it was built only a few years before

the Game of Dice in 1493 BC.(ii) The thermo-luminescence dating of lustrous

redware pottery items found during explorations reveal that these were 3520

years old (around 16th-15th century BC).(iii) The most famous rectangular seal

with engraved motifs of bull, unicorn and goat found in trench UW6 in the

seabed was dated to 16th century BC. The seal corroborates the references made

in the ancient manuscripts that every citizen of Dwarka was required to carry a

mudra (seal) as a mark of identification.(iv) A copper bell and a lota,

brass-items including u-shaped objects with holes at both ends and a bronze

bell, all were dated as belonging to 15th century BC. Stone anchors with double

holes and triangular prismatic stone anchors recovered from under the sea were

similar to the ones found in Lothal

excavations belonging to 23rd century BC.(v) A votive jar with seven characters

inscribed was found. Reading based on Semitic-Indus-Phonetic value revealed

that script is old Indo-Aryan and similar to the other Indus seal inscriptions.

The date assigned to this votive jar and inscriptions is 15th-14th century

BC.(vi) Three iron nails and a stake, four potsherds and one small bottle of

iron were dated 16th-15th century BC indicating limited use of iron.Other

archaeological excavations carried out in the areas around the cities referred

to in Mahabharata, for example Mathura, Hastinapur, Indraprastha, Kurukshetra

and Dwarka, show that Sindhu-Saraswati civilisation flourished in these areas

between **** 3400-1500 BC **** and Mahabharata war put an end to that era of

prosperity in 15th century BC. The excavations carried out in Lothal in Gujarat

have proved the existence of very advanced civilisation between 2300 BC to 1600

BC. The town was divided into the dock,

the acropolis and the industrial, commercial, residential sectors. Artefacts

recovered include gold jewellery and copper utensils.Archaeological surveys at

Kalibangan in Rajasthan have identified the existence of a planned fortified

city between 2500-1700 BC. Photographs taken by American earth-sensing

satellite known as Landsat have confirmed that Saraswati described in the

Rigveda as flowing from the "mountain to the sea" was indeed a great river

before 2000 BC. Archaeological explorations on the ancient beds of the

Saraswati, for instance at Kunal near Kurukshetra and at Banawali in Punjab,

have confirmed the existence of highly advanced civilisation during 3400-1500

BC. Artefacts excavated include silver jewellery and copper and bronze

articles. Taken as a whole, archaeological excavations establish the continuous

evolution of Sindhu-Saraswati civilisation between 3400-1500 BC culminating in

the Mahabharata period.The inhabitants of all the excavated places had

similar ethnic features, spoke similar languages, followed similar religious

rites which were Vedic in nature, knew about horse and rice, had advanced

knowledge of mathematics, made extensive use of copper and had discovered the

use of iron. These discoveries match with the details in the Epic as also with

the belief of the historians that the use of iron was discovered in India in

16th century BC. The War of Mahabharata acted as a watershed, putting an end to

the "copper age" and ushering in the "iron age" in 15th century BC.

Archaeological excavations thus support the conclusion that Mahabharata War was

fought in 1478 BC.These important pieces of evidence prove Mahabharata is not

myth but history and its central character Shri Krishna was a man with

extraordinary abilities, around whom legends were built over the years. The

common man started having faith in the divinity of this Supreme Hero, who for

them is God incarnate. It is for the rational mind to differentiate facts

from fiction and then discover the true facts about our glorious past by using

modern scientific research methods and techniques.

----R.Srinath

srinath_atreya

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