Archaeology is a fascinating field that allows us to uncover the secrets of the past. One such archaeologist who has dedicated his life to this pursuit is Rakhal Das Bannerji. His extensive knowledge and expertise have made significant contributions to our understanding of ancient civilisations.

If you are interested in ancient civilisations, you may have heard of Mohenjo-Daro, one of the oldest and best-preserved urban settlements of the Indus Valley Civilisation. But do you know who discovered this remarkable site and realised its significance? The answer is Rakhal Das Banerji, an Indian archaeologist and historian who worked for the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in the early 20th century.

The Man Behind the Discovery

Born on April 12, 1885, in a zamindar family in Berhampore, West Bengal, Banerji’s academic brilliance shone early. He graduated with honours in history from Presidency College, Kolkata, in 1907, and completed his M.A. at Calcutta University in 1911. His career began with the Indian Museum in Kolkata. Still, his true calling awaited him at the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), where he joined in 1911 and quickly rose to prominence.

Over the years, Rakhal Das Bannerjee has worked on several important projects, including the excavation of the Indus Valley Civilisation site in Harappa. His work on this project helped shed light on the daily lives of the people who lived in this ancient civilisation.

Unveiling Mohenjo-Daro

In 1920, while surveying the lower Indus Valley (now in Pakistan), Banerji came across reports of a buried site topped with a Buddhist stupa. Intrigued, he conducted trial excavations, uncovering seals, artefacts, and remnants of a city made of fired bricks. His findings led him to propose that an ancient, advanced civilisation lay beneath the ruins—a bold hypothesis confirmed in subsequent excavations.

Banerji’s work at Mohenjo-Daro in 1922–23 unveiled a city with sophisticated urban planning, complete with paved streets, a sewer system, and a central water tank, now known as the Great Bath. Iconic artefacts like the “Dancing Girl” sculpture and the Priest-King bust further highlighted the artistic and cultural achievements of this 4,500-year-old civilisation. He published his findings in various journals and books, such as The Prehistoric Civilisation of Mohenjo-Daro (1924) and The Age of Buddha (1926).

Rewriting History

Banerji’s discovery was revolutionary. It pushed back India’s history by 2,000 years and shattered colonial narratives that dismissed pre-Aryan India as uncivilised. His work demonstrated that the Indus Valley Civilisation rivalled contemporaneous Mesopotamian and Egyptian cultures in sophistication and scale. His discovery was a major breakthrough in Indian archaeology and history. He also challenged the colonial narrative that India had no civilisation before the arrival of the Aryans.

Sir John Marshall, who took over the excavations at Mohenjo-Daro after Banerji’s departure, acknowledged his contribution in his introduction to Mohenjo-Daro and the Indus Civilisation (1931), but did not give him enough recognition or support during his lifetime. Many modern Indian scholars have tried to restore Banerji’s legacy and highlight his role as the discoverer of Mohenjo-Daro and one of the pioneers of Indian archaeology.

Three other scholars whose names I cannot pass over in silence, are the late Mr. R. D. Banerji, to whom belongs the credit of having discovered, if not Mohenjo-daro itself, at any rate its high antiquity, and his immediate successors in the task of excavation, Messrs. M.S. Vats and K.N. Dikshit. … no one probably except myself can fully appreciate the difficulties and hardships which they had to face in the three first seasons at Mohenjo-daro.

Sir John Marshall, Mohenjo-Daro and the Indus Civilization, London: Arthur Probsthain, 1931

Despite his groundbreaking work, Banerji’s contributions often went unacknowledged during his lifetime. Transferred to the ASI’s Eastern Circle in 1924, he later took voluntary retirement, teaching at Calcutta University and Banaras Hindu University until his untimely death in 1930, at just 45 years of age.

A Life of Scholarship and Legacy

He was the first to study the proto-Bangla script, the original form of the Bangla script. He wrote the classic historical works on medieval Indian coins, and the standard works on the iconography of Indian art, in particular Gupta sculpture and architecture. His best-known work was the Eastern Indian Medieval School of Sculpture, published posthumously in 1933.

His standard two-volume Bangalar Itihas (History of Bengal), in Bengali (1914 and 1917), was one of the first attempts at writing a scientific history of Bengal. He also wrote two volumes on the history of Orissa, titled History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period (1930 and 1931). His other significant non-fiction works include Prachin Mudra (1915), The Palas of Bengal (1915), The Temple of Siva at Bhumara (1924), The Palaeography of Hati Gumpha and Nanaghat Inscriptions (1924), Bas Reliefs of Badami (1928) and The Haihayas of Tripuri and their Monuments (1931).

Having published three novels, Pakshantar (1924), Byatikram (1924) and Anukram (1931), his other literary works in the Bengali language were historical fiction. The setting of his Pashaner Katha (1914) is the Kushana period. His three other novels, namely, Dhruba, Karuna (1917) and Shashanka (1914) are set in different phases of the Gupta period. His Dharmapala (1915) narrates the story of the Pala emperor Dharmapala. Mayukh (1916) describes the Portuguese atrocities in Bengal during the reign of Shah Jahan. Asim (1924) narrates the condition of Bengal during the reign of Farrukhsiyar. His last novel, Lutf-Ulla, is set in Delhi at the time of the invasion by Nadir Shah. Another work, Hemkana (uncompleted), was published in Prabasi (magazine) from 1911 to 1912.

Restoring a Forgotten Hero

Modern scholars continue to honour Banerji’s legacy, recognising him as the discoverer of Mohenjo-Daro and a pioneer of Indian archaeology. While Sir John Marshall, then Director-General of ASI, acknowledged Banerji’s contributions in Mohenjo-Daro and the Indus Civilisation (1931), it is today’s historians who strive to give him the recognition he richly deserves.

Celebrating a Trailblazer

Rakhal Das Banerji’s work transcended the boundaries of time, offering a glimpse into a rich and sophisticated past. His discovery of Mohenjo-Daro remains one of the greatest achievements in Indian archaeology, and his legacy continues to inspire generations of historians and archaeologists.

He was, and remains, a true son of India—a visionary who brought the ancient world to life.