ASI probe into KCHRs Pattanam excavations frauds - already Professinals opposed all their claims

ASI probe into KCHRs Pattanam excavations PTI 

January 5, 2016 | UPDATED 18:35 IST 

NO MORE EXCAVATIONS AT PATTANAM: ASI

Kochi, Jan 5 (PTI) The Kerala Council of Historical Researchs (KCHR) Pattanam excavations near here to identify ancient Indo-Roman port of Muziris on the states coast has been hit by a controversy with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) initiating a probe into alleged unscientific approaches adopted by the Council.

The probe is being conducted on the basis of a complaint made by Sangh outfit Bharatheeya Vichara Kendram (BVK) to the Union Cultural Affairs Minister Mahesh Sharmaabout "lapses" in the excavation, which is part of Rs 200 crore Muziris heritage project, a letter from ASI sent to BVK director (academic) K M Madhusudanan Pillai, said.

In its complaint, the BVK has alleged that the excavators have been giving contradictory statements on archaeological finds in media and quite different versions in articles published in journals and KCHR reports.

BVK officials said Superintendent Archaeologist K Amarnath of the ASI, Bengaluru centre, has started investigation into the Pattanam excavations, which were the first ever multi-disciplinary excavations undertaken in Kerala.

On the instruction of ASI, BVKs C I Isac deposed before the investigation team and gave a statement, they said.

BVK, headed by P Parameswaran, says archaeologists and historians had come forward against "the collective conspiracy and propaganda to claim that Pattanam was the ancient Muziris". They have also pointed out lapses in protecting the monuments excavated and scientifically analysing the details, BVK said.

"They have complained against the illegal intervention of foreigners in the excavation project and efforts at linking Pattanam excavation and Muziris heritage project," it said.

Based on the complaints, a meeting of the central advisory panel of the ASI held on September 12 and 13 last year asked the KCHR to temporarily stop the excavation.

There was no immediate reaction from the KCHR.

The site of Pattanam is located at Paravur in Ernakulam district. PTI TGB BN PRM TRK

Pattanam excavations prove the myth of St. Thomas B.S. Harishankar 

	Dr R Nagaswamy, former Director of Archaeology, Tamil Nadu criticised the KCHR for its biased approach and hasty conclusions to establish some hidden agenda at Pattanam.
	Veteran Archaeologist and former Director of Archaeology and Museums, Karnataka, A Sundara’s strong criticism came after the Kerala Council for Historical Research (henceforth KCHR) Director presented his paper on Pattanam excavations.  Prof. Sundara told Cherian that such approaches are not adopted in field archaeology since  cultural material from each trench has its validity. Prof .Sundara also pointed out that the claims of structural remains from Pattanam is questionable.
	Dr T Satyamurthy, former Director, ASI was equally critical of the excavations and cautioned KCHR authorities against any hasty conclusions.
	National Archaeological Meet-Prof MGS Asks KCHR to Hand Over Pattanam to ASI---P.J.Cherian Vehemently Criticized by Leading Archaeologists Much more censorious on Pattanam was Professor MGS Narayanan, eminent historian and former Director of ICHR. In an earlier seminar held at Kochi in August 2011, Dr R Nagaswamy, former Director of Archaeology, Tamil Nadu criticised the KCHR for its biased approach and hasty conclusions to establish some hidden agenda at Pattanam.
	In a write up for Malayalam journal Mathru-bhumi in 2014, Professor PM Rajan Gurukkal, historian and one of the members of the MHP  arguing for Pattanam also admitted that the site was unfit for any archaeological excavation as the soil has been virtually tampered for various construction purposes and digging of wells leaving no space for stratigraphical analysis of the cultural remains which have agglomerated.

	The geomorphology of Kodungallur, considered ancient Muziris, was examined by Geologists KK Nair and CS Subrahmanyam in 1993 in the archaeological context, which revealed that the area has been completely disturbed and the habitation material deeply buried due to tectonic changes.
	Dr. K.N.Dikshit former Joint Director General of Archaeological Survey of India and Secretary of Indian Archaeological Society questioned the claims of P.J.Cherian that Historical Period at Pattanam goes around 1000 BC. K.N. Dikshit asked Cherian to  be cautious and  review such claims since Historical Period in Peninsular India has not gone beyond 200-300BC
	Other archaeologists questioned Cherians claims of Pattanam as an urban site since nothing was seen in empty  trenches  when they visited Pattanam . To them Cherian told that he  has left the site and structures in the trenches were carried away by local people for which he is not responsible.When he was again asked to clear as to how residential areas, streets , warehouses and wharfs  can be carried away by people Cherian was silent and stood isolated.
	The entire archaeological community from all over India numbering 200 and represented by the three socities applauded the suggestions put forward by MGS. Narayanan.Dr. K.N.Dikshit, fSecretary of Indian Archaeological Society and former Deputy Director General of Archaeological Survey of India,  Dr. B.R.Mani, currently Additional Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India, Professor P.K.Thomas and Professor Pramod Joglekar of  Indian Society for Prehistoric and Quaternary Studies and Professor Vandana Kaushik and Professor Ashalatha Joshi of Indian History and Culture Society were present on the occasion.
	In the KCHR brochure published in February 2008 on MHP  and Pattanam excavations, Chairman of KCHR, Professor KN Panikkar stated in his editorial note that archaeological and historical research are not solely meant for experts and professionals in the field. Everyone with thinking power should handle it. Later elaborating further, in an interview given to Frontlinedated April 2010, Panikkar made his stand much clearer. He suggested public participation in archaeological excavations at Pattanam–which he termed “Democratic Archaeology”–in which the local people would be part of the excavation. In other words, archaeologists and ASI need not interfere in excavations since guidelines and diggings shall be by ‘People’s Democracy’.

November 2011 - Joint Annual Conference of Indian Archaeological Society (ACIAS), Indian Society for Prehistoric and Quaternary Studies (ISPQS), and Indian History and Culture Society (IHCS) at Thiruvananthapuram.

Much more censorious on Pattanam was Professor MGS Narayanan, eminent historian and former Director of ICHR. In an earlier seminar held at Kochi in August 2011, Dr R Nagaswamy, former Director of Archaeology, Tamil Nadu criticised the KCHR for its biased approach and hasty conclusions to establish some hidden agenda at Pattanam.

 In a write up for Malayalam journal Mathru-bhumi in 2014, Professor PM Rajan Gurukkal, historian and one of the members of the MHP  arguing for Pattanam also admitted that the site was unfit for any archaeological excavation as the soil has been virtually tampered for various construction purposes and digging of wells leaving no space for stratigraphical analysis of the cultural remains which have agglomerated.

The geomorphology of Kodungallur, considered ancient Muziris, was examined by Geologists KK Nair and CS Subrahmanyam in 1993 in the archaeological context, which revealed that the area has been completely disturbed and the habitation material deeply buried due to tectonic changes. Dr.P.J.Cherian & C0 claims to have got more than 1,30,000/- 

Professor Sundara

KCHR Website and other Church sites has more than 700 Dr.P.J.Cherian says in a letter to the Hindu it is only Speculation- Hypothesis. Then why so much hype when till date. Kodungallur and its surroundings were Excavated by ASI by Dr.Soundararajan , Dr.K.V.Raman and found that Entire area provided cultural remains of iron and copper tools, glass beads, semi precious stones, ceramics of dull red ware, celadon ware roof tiles, earthen lamps and coins. They are all dated between 900-1100 A.D...    Dr.K.V.Raman wrote a book on his excavations in Tamil and has given details about Kodungallur excavations in each of his locations and all locations in and around Kodungallore (Cranganore) had same type and that Human Habitation took place in Later chera period in 9th Century CE Only and this is uniformly found in all locations.  The man settled only in 9th century CE in the 2nd Chera period. Virgin Soil was reached in all places around Kodungallur, Mathilagam,Kilatali, Cheraman Parambu, Thiruvanchikalam,  Karuppathana, etc., all were under sea till early 9th century CE.

 Annual Conference of Indian Archaeological Society (ACIAS), Indian Society for Prehistoric and Quaternary Studies (ISPQS), and Indian History and Culture Society (IHCS). 

October 26, 2011 "Postulating hypotheses is no crime"

The KCHR has never categorically claimed that Pattanam is Muziris; establishing Pattanam as Muziris is not its research agenda. The KCHR has no pre-conceived approach in any of its activities.  It suggested the possibility, in other words hypothesised, that Pattanam could be an integral part of Muziris, based on clinching evidence found for inter-continental exchanges that intersected at Pattanam. 

It is a fact that the research project stemmed from the hypothesis that Pattanam could be Muziris; there are other hypotheses, and there could be more. Many of them may fail scientific scrutiny unless adequate supporting evidence surfaces. Accepting this in all humility, let me share some other hypotheses, which later may or may not hold true.

 In the history of Kerala archaeology, Pattanam happens to be the first site to yield evidence for habitation from the Iron Age onwards, that is, as early as 1000 BCE as per 14C dates. The KCHR has taken all possible precautions to ensure that the standard of research at Pattanam matches, if not excels, those conducted by experienced teams.

GROUP MEMBERS

•  Dr Shinu Abraham (St Lawrence University, USA)
•  Dr Lucy Blue (Southampton University, UK)
•  Dr Nicole Boivin (Oxford University, UK)
•  Prof Robin Coningham (Durham University, UK)
•  Dr Federico De Romanis (Università degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata", Italy)
•  Prof Chris Gosden (Oxford Universeity)
•  Dr Derek Kennet (Durham University, UK)
•  Dr Elizabeth Lambourn (DeMontfort University, UK)
•  Prof MGS Narayanan (Former Chairman Indian Council of Historical Research, Calicut; Director General, Center for Heritage Studies, Tripunithura, Kerala, India)
•  Dr Raghava Varier (Arya Vaidyasala Kottackal, Kerala, India)
•  Dr K Rajan (Pondicherry University, India)
•  Dr Steven Sidebotham (Delaware University, USA)
•  Dr Heidrun Schenk ((Tissamaharama-Projek des Deutschen Archäologischen Institut, Bonn, Germany)
•  Dr V Selvakumar (Tamil University, Tanjore, India)
•  Dr KP Shajan (Kerala Council for Historical Research, India)
•  Dr Y Subrayalu (Institut Français de Pondichéry, India)