When Sir John marshall wrote on the Monuments of india in Cambridge History of India (1922) considering the cyclopean walls of Rajagriha to be the ancient most monumental remains of India, expressed his ignorance about the great monuments of Mohenjodaro underneath the stupa site. However, in 1921 itself Harappa was established as a catholic site by Rai Bahadur Daya Ram Sahni. In 1922 Prof. R.D. Banerji found similar chalcolothic remains at Mohanjodaro beneath a Buddhist stupa. Ne conducted excavations at three sites and submitted a report, bringing thus, entirely a new civilisation to light.
But what happened to his report ? It was forgotten for long, though submitted to the then Director General of Archaeology in about 1926. R. D. Banerji submitted it as first report on Mohenjodaro for immediate attention and publications by |the Department of Archaeology, Government of India along with illustrations and photographs in profusion.
Sir John Marshall concealed the report for four years and when he prepared his own report on Mohenjodaro he returned it on 16th January, 1930. He did not return the original copy by R. D. Banerji which he retained with himself; but a type-copy was sent to R. D. Banerji, when he left the department and joined Banaras Hindu University as Manindra Chandra Nandi Professor. The typed copy was returned not by Marshall but by H. Hargreaves, As the letter shows, the basis for returning the type - script was disagreement of Marshall and R. D. Banerji on the interpretation of antiquities. He abused the report as diffused and irrelevant. Even then he showed his intention that if he takes some material from this report, he would acknowedge (which of course he never did). He also insisted that Prof. Banerji should publish this report , prior to his own publication on Mohenjodaro.
But where was the time left ? He returned the. duplicate typescript in 1930 and in 1931, he brought his own volumes Mohenjodaro and the Indus civilization.. Considering the inadequate printing facilities during those days and the fact that the returned report was incomplete, that span of time of one year was too short. Moreover, the photographs submitted along with the original report by , R. D. Banerji were retained by Marshall himself. Despite several requests, neither the full and original report, nor the photographs were returned to Banerji.
So mere courtesy suggestion that in order to avoid misunderstanding he should publish his report prior to Marshall, as a matter of fact was not only ridiculous and impractical, but also disgusting. Now, when it is not a concealed fact that R. D. Banerji was first to identify Mohenjodaro, as a chalcolithic city, scholars were in hunt for the original report of Mohenjodaro. We somehow procured the report and in order to demonstrate its authenticity in more faithful way, we are publishing the report as it was available to us. Scholars are invited to give their judgement not only on the factual matter, but also on the whole approach of , Marshall towards Banerji.
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