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Bhopal : Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav has said that the famous archaeologist Dr. Vishnu Shridhar Wakankar has made an unforgettable contribution in the field of Indian archaeology. Archaeologist Dr. Wakankar had made archeology a mass movement. It was due to his personality and communication that the people of Ujjain started looking at their surroundings from the archaeological point of view. Dr. Wakankar’s effort to make archeology a subject of public interest was amazing and exemplary. Archaeologist Dr. Wakankar was rich in many talents. He carried forward Indian cultural heritage through sitar playing, sculpture, painting, poetry writing and music. Due to the hard work and efforts of archaeologist Dr. Wakankar, the center of time calculation, Dongla, was discovered. He told that due to the change in the long-term rotation axis of the Earth, the meeting of zero longitude and Tropic of Cancer in Ujjain shifted towards the north in Dongla. Archaeologist Dr. Wakankar had conducted a thorough survey in the Ujjain area. With the help of a cone he discovered the new position of the Tropic of Cancer. Archaeologist Dr. Wakankar presented to the world the story of Indian civilization, which is even before written history, through the evidence hidden in rocks and caves. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav expressed these views at the inauguration of the 19th Dr. Vishnu Shridhar Wakankar National Honor Ceremony and National Seminar at Kushabhau Thackeray Auditorium on Friday. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav inaugurated the program by lighting the lamp.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav honored Dr. Prof. with Padma. Yashodhar Mathpal was honored with the 19th Dr. Vishnu Shridhar Wakankar National Award for the year 2022-2023 by presenting a shawl-shriphal and a replica of Bhu Varaha and a check of Rs 2 lakh. In the ceremony, international sitar player Susmita Nagdev and poet-writer Rahul Sharma presented the rendition of the poem “Itihaas ke Patal Par” composed by Dr. Wakankar in Raag Bairagi Bhairav with the combination of sitar and poetry. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav garlanded the statue of Mother Saraswati and offered floral tributes to the portrait of Dr. Wakankar. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav released the book “Independence Movement in Madhya Pradesh in the 20th Century 1920-1947, Exhibition of Rare Records and Photographs”. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav inaugurated and visited the exhibition and expressed his respect towards Indian culture, art and craft tradition by making a replica of Shivalinga himself on a potter’s wheel at a stall. The three-day national event of the Directorate of Archeology, Archives and Museums will continue till January 11.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that the rock paintings of Bhimbetka are considered to be 30 thousand years old. Archaeologist Dr. Wakankar, by excavating and deeply studying the rock paintings of Bhimbetka in the year 1957, not only threw light on these ancient sites, but also gave India a unique identity on the global cultural map. Today Bhimbetka has become a symbol of cultural heritage not only of Madhya Pradesh but of entire India. It is being operated by the Archaeological Survey of India as a World Heritage Site. Archaeologist Dr. Wakankar led the excavation and study of various archaeological sites such as Maheshwar, Mandsaur, Navadtaudi, Indragarh, Manoti, Awara, Kaytha, Azadnagar, Indore, Dangwara and Runija. Dr. Wakankar believed that the Saraswati river described in the Rigveda was not a myth, but a real, huge ancient river. By conducting surveys in the areas of Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat, he tried to show that today’s Ghaggar-Hakra river system is the remains of the ancient Saraswati. Archaeologist Dr. Wakankar was not limited to India. He discovered and studied more than 4 thousand rock paintings in India, Europe and America. For this achievement he was decorated with Padma.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that for this unique contribution of Dr. Wakankar, he was decorated with Padma Award by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975. Archaeologist Dr. Wakankar was imbued with the ideas of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. While sharing the memories of the time when Dr. Wakankar received the Padma Award, Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that Dr. Wakankar had received the Padma Award by wearing the ‘Black Cap’, the main part of the uniform of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that while cherishing this heritage, we are moving towards development. In his honour, the state government has paid tribute to the great historian by naming the Ratapani Sanctuary after Dr. Vishnu Wakankar.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, important work has been done in the direction of archaeological conservation in the country. After the attack on Somnath Mahadev Temple in Gujarat 1000 years ago, today this center of our faith has been established in a grand and glorious form. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that the state government is going to start Mahakal Mahotsav in Ujjain from January 14. While preserving the memories of archaeologist Dr. Wakankar in Ujjain and the objects of archaeological and historical importance collected by him, the state government is also equipping the museum with current technical arrangements.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that archaeologist Dr. Mathpal was given the National Honor for his remarkable contribution in the field of archeology and rock painting studies. Dr. Mathpal is a senior archaeologist, painter, curator and rock art collection expert. Dr. Mathpal has discovered more than 400 ancient caves in the Western Ghats, Himalaya, Vindhya and Kaimur mountain ranges. He has an important contribution in the archeology, art and culture of Madhya Pradesh. His contribution to the development of scientific methods of rock painting conservation has provided a new direction to the study and conservation of India’s prehistoric heritage at the international level. Secretary Tourism T. Ilaiyaraaja and Commissioner Archaeology, Archives and Museums Urmila Shukla and national level eminent thinkers and experts were present in the programme.
