Ancient graveyards of Kutch

(Special Note. The use of the term kabar (grave) referred here, is only as a burial place.
I make it clear that it has no relation with any religion)

The ancient graveyards of Kutch are nicely preserved due to less population and absence
of industrial units in Kutch. Only these places, which are near the river or the sea are
damaged due to the erosion caused by the river or the sea.

It is not known that any study being made of graveyards in Kutch on a scientific level.
But it is most essential that deep and broad study of them be made in view of its varieties,
its arrangement and its ancientness.

Once, I with my friend Dalpatbhai Danidhariya had gone to Gandhidham (Taluka

Mandavi, Districh Kutch) for finding fossils. At that time we saw some different type of
stones from the ravines of the river on the top part (timba). When we went there and
checked it was found to be a stone-aged graveyard. At that time we had no camera with
us, so we sat there and prepared its sketches and then studied them. Thereafter we
searched out many such places.

In addition to such places that came to our notice and described in this article, many such
types of graves and graveyards and found at many places of Kutch. Even to day in some
villages of Nakhatrana Taluka, it is a custom to collect the ashes of the deceased relatives
after burning them and filling it up in a pot and place it in between the round shaped
graves, which also requires a study.

Before describing the Megaliths of Kutch, we will overview upon the research made in
this area in India and particularly in South India.

Actually Megaliths are found throughout the country. But they are in large quantum in
South India. The customs of that period are found to be prevailing even today in some
tribal people of Southern India. Megaliths are found in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat,
Kashmir, Sindh, Punjab, Baluchistan and in North up to the boundary of Tibet.

As like the Megalith of Kutch, they are found either near a river or a lake where human
habitation is easy. As per the study done in South India, Megalithic Graves are grouped
into two types. Allagin, the archaeologist classified it according to earthen things founf in
it or as per the construction of the graves whereas, Mr. Dikshit classifies it as per similer
types of Megaliths found from Europe. Different types of Megaliths are found also in
Kutch but they are still not classified.

Similarly there are many opinions for its origin. Mr. Heavyman Dotf suggests that
Megalith civilization suggests to have come from the western countries, particularly from
the Mediterranean areas. The west coast of India might be the entrance for thier arrival.
(like Kutch).
As per Mr. Guchhe, though there is much effect of west on Megalith civilizations, it is
originated from India itself. As per Lal, there is much similarity between Nubian graves
of Egypt and Megaliths of India.

Shri Hari compares it with the graves of Mesopotamia due to the nickel metal constituted
in the copper found from the Megalith of India.

Its period has been examined by Carbon dating and it seems to be between 110 years AD
to 200 years AD. This duration was found while checking it at different places.

Beads of semi precious stones, ornaments of conch shell, and bangles of lead, as well as
ornaments of gold, silver, etc metals are found from the Megalithic graveyards of South
India. A comb was found near one dead body and mirrors of copper were also found from
some grave yards. Some of the graves are found buried with horse, while skeletons of
birds were also found from some of them. The idols of birds and animal made from baked
earth were also found in some of the graves.

I have seen various types of semi precious stones near the Megalithic place of
Gandhigram. It seems that some chips are found drawn from some stones (corestone). So
it is also possible that ornament were prepared from semi precious stones at this place
also. During digging at Dholavira, bangles of conch shell and mirror of copper were
found in the hand of the skeleton of a woman in one graveyard. If viewed thoroughly, it
seems that Megaliths of Kutch, in many ways are similar of those of India and also the
Megaliths searched out from around the world. The same type of round shaped graves
found in Gandhigram is also found in Scotland, Ireland and England.

The stone of 4 - 8 foot height found from some Megaliths are called Menhirs. There are
differences of opinion about its importance. Some archaeologists believe that they have
some religious importance, where as some believe that they are direction and place
suggesting stones. Some archaeologists have expressed the beliefs that the Buddha Stupas
originated from this Menhir. All the above stated details are obtained from the book
Problems of South Indian Megalith published by Kanned Research Institute, Karnataka
University.

Keeping this information in view, now lets have a fast overview of the graveyards in
Kutch that were noted by me.

There is a big Megalithic graveyard found near Gandhigram village of the Mandvi
Taluka. Gandhigram is a village situated at a distance of 25 km from Mandavi, on Rajdu -
Ratadiya road, bearing the population of Patels. A hillock, in the west of Gandhigram is
on the main stream of river from which the waters is provided to Rajda dam, is 5 to 10
high than the general level of land. A road passes through this hillock and divides it into
two portions. There are 42 round shaped beautiful graves on this hillock. The round
graves are of 3 to 8 diameter and it is covered by the standing wall of Chhipar like stone
on its whole periphery. One open space like window is kept in wall on East direction. All
there graves are found to be opening in the East direction. Chhipars are of one and half
feet high and two feet broad and they are built up strongly on land. The window on east is
protected by two Chhipars situated inside. The pieces of earthen pots are found from the
clay detached from one of the graves due to rains. Very beautiful painting with black
colour is found on these pieces of burnt red clay. A Menhir, 10 feet high, 2 feet broad
and 1 feet thick is found standing in the midst of the hillock. Other two Menhirs of little
small size (of eight feet) are found on eastern side of this Menhir. A shape like Trident is
sculpted at one place on top of the Menhir. On the western side of Menhir, a pile of
Chhipars one arranged in the shape of a raised platform. Nine graves of 8 x 4 x 2 feet are
found arranged in the North South direction. There are other two round shaped graves on
the the hillock which is on the other side of the road. Going towards the ravines of the
river north of the hillock, a huge amount of small round stones are found. Many round
shaped small stones of Quartz, Jespar and different metals are found scatted there in large
quality. In this area, abundant small and big broken chips of quartz, tools of stone and one
round stone, all are also found. This round stones might be used for throwing with a
sling. The larger slabs like Menhir (ten to twenty feet big) in ravines are found
smoothened due to the rubbing of the flow of river and winds. An abundance of heavy
mineral pieces containing huge proportion of iron elements are also found in that area.
For preparing iron, for making small and big tools, and for making ornaments as well as
for making Menhirs, all the material must have been available from its surrounding area.

There is a big graveyard in east two km from this hillock, on the west side of Gandhigram
and Rajda road. These graves are made by arranging stone rows on North-South
direction, and by placing two big Chhipars at the end of north east side. Here, no round
shaped stones or Menhir were found. Two graves painted with lime were found on the
western end of the graveyard which might have been made later. A Menhir 10 feet in
height is found while going further out of Rajda village, which is facing eastwards and as
the surrounding land is deeply ploughed by tractor, the remains may have been destroyed.

While going ahead on the eastern side, three Menhirs are found on the border of the
village Dan in the south of the road, out of which one is standing and the other two have
fallen. One big graveyard is seen at about two hundred meters from this menhir after
crossing the road. In this graveyard the graves are mostly of Varandah shape (raised
platform) arranged in North South direction. Out of these in one washed away grave, the
remains of a human skeleton is found beneath an earthen pot.

Still going ahead in that same eastern direction, a beautiful Menhir, ten feet high is found
in Goniyasar village about ten kilometer from the place. Stones of ruins are found in the
surrounding area. There is a big graveyard on the ravine of the river which has more than
three hundred verandah shaped and round shaped graves. The flow of river has washed
off a large area of the graveyard. From this you can imagine the size of this structure.
Stone Age chips, the tools of stone, lamp of stone, etc were also found from this area. The
people informed that while excavating the foundation of a building, some graves were
digged up accidentally, from which earthen pot of baked clay with thick rough walls
filled with boned was found. In surrounding areas kiln and piles of ashes are found.
After completing this study, along with Mr. Dalpat Danidhariya, we researched and
conducted a study of other ancient graveyards. We have described short details of the
graveyards visited by us below.

On the way from Bayad to Padampur, there is a big graveyard one km from the village
where in on the bank of the river, 300 to 400 graves are arranged in the North - South
directions. Some have beautiful carved semi-circular Chhipar placed on top part of the
graves. It is likely that many graves may have been washed away by the river. One grave
found fallen due to the flow of water had a pot placed in reverse near the top part of the
grave beneath the Chhipar. All the graves were constructed by arranging small-big stones.

Further on the road, we saw other graveyard on the right hand side at the intersection of
road going to Bhojay to Kotadi-Nagrecha. 13 round shaped graves were found there.
Such type of graves were at Gandhigram. These graves having 2 to 8 diameter are also
opening on the east side. Further there are two Paliya (memorial of brave men) also
some graves made of Chhipar and arranged in the North South direction. One hill on right
hand side at the distance of two km from Kotadi is seen on the road from Kotdi to
Bauwa. There are more than a thousand graves on three sides of the hill from the top of
the hill to the bottom of the hill. On the fourth side, where there are no graves, numerous
small and big stones are found scattered, which shows the possibility of an old habitat.

There is a round grave on a hill just adjoining the road going from bottom to the top part.
Due to flow of water, the hill has eroded. While going up, the graves of North South
direction made of Chhipars are seen. All these graves are made very close to each other.
The paliyas of sati are also found at some places, while going a little more upwards round
shaped graves in one group are found. Here as well there are circular stones of 2 to 8
diameter which open on the east side. There is one canopy nicely carved further up. It is
ruined. From some of the remains lying there, one can imagine its grandeur and beauty.
There are two paliyas under this canopy but as they have decayed the writing thereupon
is not readable. Nearby, there is a third paliya. Now we reach to the top of the hill.
There is a temple of Jirpirdada here where one memorial of steps shape is seen and
around the temple, some memorials prepared in the near past are also found.

(1) Graveyard on the hill (2) Burials done in large numbers (3) Different types of graves
(4) The graves dug so close to each other and specifically the signs of settlement are very
interesting.

We reached to Nana Karodiya through the 7 KM beautiful forest road from there. There
are three graveyards surrounding the village. (1) Between the triangle formed from
Gangnath to Nana Karodiya and forest to Nana Karodiya (2) Between the triangle formed
from the road of forest to Karodiya and Sabharai to Karodiya (3) On the hill on the road
between Sabharai Karodiya and Mota Karodiya.

Of these, in the graveyard number two, there is a row of Menhir stones having height of 6
x 8 feet and there are graves lines up North to South next to them. The stones of this
Menhir are very much eroded. All these graves, that is at three places are numerous in
count.

On the way to Manjal, before 1 km from Manjal, a row of Menhirs is found on a hill (on
left side of the road). There are 11 Menhirs in the first row and there are 7 Menhirs in the
second row. There is a lake near the hill and similar rows of Menhirs are seen on another
hill situated on the opposite side of the lake. The experts think that such Menhirs and
particularly the Menhirs on the hill are indicators of direction or place. They are always
in odd numbers that is in 3 - 7 11 and this is considered as a specialty of the human
beings of the Stone Age.

One big Menhir stone is seen on the hill on the outskirts of Reladiya on the way from
going to Vinjhan from Reladiya Manjal. Such a series of Menhirs are also seen on the
right hand side of the road after the Kankavati River. There is a temple of Goddess
Vindhyavasi on the banks of Kankavati, 1 km before Vinjhan and adjoining it is
Matiyapir. The name Vindhyavasi is also interesting. From the temple upto half km, on
the side of the road there are two huge graveyards out of which the graveyard closer to
the temple seems to be used currently or from some years, where as the faraway
graveyard is very ancient and has the same type of graves of Chippars laid out in the
North South direction. Here also there are more than 400 graves.

While returning back from Mothala to Mandvi, as we descend a slope immediately after
the Mothala railway crossing, there is a hill on the right hand side. There are two round
shaped graves on this hill and the rest are Chippars laid in square shape. These squares
are really big of the size of 10 x 10 feet and can be a part of the walls of a house as well.
The entire hill is made up of such squares. There is a distance of only one foot between
two squares at one place.

Summarizing it (1) at all the places there is not much human habitation currently (2)
when there are so many graves it would mean that quite a population must be living here
in that time (3) Which was that reason, which was that geographical or economical
condition so that there was so huge inhabitation (4) Who were these people and for what
reasons did they have to leave from here? (5) All these places are in a geographical line at
a distance of 15-25 km from the sea arranged in a chain shape from Goniyasar to Abdasa
area. (See map) (6) All these places are located either on the river or river **** (7) here
different shaped, sized and types of graves are seen all together. Only their quantity
differs. (8) Stone Age tools, clay utensils, toys, horses are found here.

Although, there are graves of current time here as well or tombs from the near past that is
200 to 300 years, but all the graves are surely not from the same time. We have prepared
a map of these types of graves and graveyards and it exists till Jakhau. But its study is
still incomplete.

Graveyard of Jakhau
Chetanbhai Thakkar, the energetic worker and ex sarpanch of Jakhau, send me
information that one ancient graveyard is situated in Jakhau as well. I went to Jakhau one
Sunday with my friend and co researcher Dalpatbhai and went to see the graveyard of
Jakhau with Chetanbhai and old worker of the Panjarapole Mr Shah.

We were astonished on reaching there. So many graves were there between the old
Jakhau port and Jakhau city, about 2 kms away from Jakhau. There were varieties of
different graves seen in the huge ancient graveyard spread in an area of about half square
km. There after we studied here again with Chetanbhai and Parth and Parth took
photographs.

The variety of the graves found here are very interesting.

In some graves are depicted by only one - one stone is placed at its two ends and in some
of the graves stones are placed in an organized way. Some of the stones placed on the
graves are of rectangle shape than some are in the shape of the pyramid. At some places
solid construction with stone is done. At one or two places construction in the shape of a
small temple is also seen. On some graves the stones are carved in the shape of a funeral
and at some places beautiful design of bed is done. In a construction of one grave, steps
are built to go inside. In numerous graveyards seen by me during the study, I have never
seen so much variety.

The most attracting thing is the shapes carved on the stones of some of the graves. On the
stone of some graves there is a long leaf and on some a ship is shown. On some there are
rounds above and a line below where as at some places there is a round above and two
lines below it. At some places there is a knife carved and on some stones the shapes of
knives and glass both are seen together. More interesting is the thing that every carved
stone is in a group meaning there is a group of the graves of ships carved on stones and
the round shapes are also in their group.

What would be the meaning of such signs? Would there be no script at that time? Do
these signs be showing the race or art of the dead person? Does this indicate that the signs
of ship, knives made on this graves which are so close to the sea shore near a once
prosperous port be of sailors, warriors? If the ancientness of these graves is determined
than the ancientness of the Jakhau port can also be established. There is writing on the
stones of about three graves. Out of this on one grave the writing is in Arabic and it can
be clearly read. The translation of that writing was done by the scholor Mufti-e-Kutch
Haji Ahmadsha Bapu:
Kalma Taiba, la, ilahaillalla, muhmaduroosuuulllah, sallla alevasalam Isa Ali hijri : 132

Today it is 1430 Hijri and as per that, this grave is about 1200 years old. At that time the
Moghuls had not entered India and so this man of ours, Isa Ali must have been a traveller
on the ship from Arabia and must have come to Jakhau for trade. The Arabic writing on
the second grave is blurred and the writings on the stone of the third grave are of such a
language that cannot be read. When these words will be deciphered we shall know more
about its ancientness.
The shells covering the dead body in the graves is one another interesting thing! Mud on
some of the graves has been eroded through rains. It seems that big shells are placed at
those places. In the 10,000 year old graves found in the excavations done in the middle
east, Iraq, shells like these placed like this were also found (from the book Dawn of
Civilization). Than such an ancient ritual of placing shells was also followed in Jakhau?
Or it is that really some of these graves are as old as the graves of Iraq that is of humans
before 10000 years? And why this ideological similarity between Iraq and Jakhau?

The graveyard of Jakhau filled with such numerous questions, numerous mysteries is a
wealth of study for archeologists as well as historians. Unfortunately this desolate
graveyard is being destroyed due to natural factors such as wind, sun and moisture. Its
one end is being engulfed by the sea and some of the graves have been taken away by the
waters of the sea. Out of such eroded graves, bones of the dead person are also seen.

In reality if a proper map is made of this graveyard and if the different graves in it are
classified and if excavation of one of each type of graves is done, than a lot on useful
information can be achieved about not only the ancient humans of Kutch but also ancient
shipping about Kutch, the trade relations of Kutch with the world, about Jakhau port,
which might throw a light not only on the shipping history of Kutch but also of India. At
places where the land of the graveyard is being eroded due to the sea, it is important to
stop the erosion of the rest of the graveyard by making some arrangements like barriers
or pitching.

Young researcher Anilbhai Joshi informed me that he and some of his friends have seen
carvings on some of the stones in the graveyards they have seen near Nana Lajja village.
by gong over there and studying it came to be known that most of the carvings were of
bow and arrow with trident. On one of the stone "Sonbai is written in Gujarati language
and besides it bow and arrow is seen. The shapes on these graves are different from the
graves in Jakhau and may not be ancient. How ever the shapes in both want to depict
something and so this graveyard of Nana Lajja also demands research.

In Kutch there are many such graveyards where there are more than 1000 graves but still
the population over there may not be more than 200. It is also about the same in Jakhau.
In todays ruined Jakhau, there is a small graveyard for currently living and for burials.
So just imagine the population of Jakhau which used such a huge graveyard.

Over viewing in short, the megalithic sites of the Mandvi Taluka are situated near the
banks of the river. There would have been more rain in those times to maintain this
agricultural and cattle keeping race, and the land would also be more fertile and with
more alluvium. Does so much importance of east direction depict Sun prayers? Does the
custom of sleeping with the head in the north direction indicate the ****** of the soul?
According to one scholar the pot buried in the grave is a symbol of the fetus of the
mother. They may be burying the pot in the grave to indicate that the person will be
reborn again in the mother.
Who were they, what were they doing, what were their religious and cultural beliefs how
was their appearance and their physical built...? All these answers are buried in the
graveyards here. If the scholar archeologists conduct a proper excavation of these
megalithic remains, lots of information can be known. It is very important to declare
these places as secure so that such difficult to obtain and historical proofs can be stopped
being destroyed and so that this remains are always preserved.