A Mukherjee World View | ||
|
Prehistory
The rock shelters have been in continuous occupation from an even earlier era, the early Paleolithic period (anywhere from about 500,000 to 100,000years ago, give or take a few). Archaeological evidence indicates that in those days Bhimbetka was an important centre in the stone tool manufacturing industry. An export business seems to have flourished here thousands of years ago! By the time the Indus Valley civilization came into being and flourished, the Bhimbetkans were trading pottery and copper tools with people in neighbouring areas.
I wondered how it would have been in those prehistoric days when men and women lived and died here. Much more noisy, I suppose, with people shouting, hunting, cooking, babies crying. And more wildlife too. No trains though. I spent several hours there, absorbing the atmosphere, allowing my mind to fill with unanswerable questions about life in those bygone days. It was mid-afternoon when I started to leave, walking down to the main road to wait for a bus to Bhopal. I knew I wouldn’t be coming back here, but, though I had to leave Bhimbetka so soon, I had the feeling that Bhimbetka would not leave me for quite a while. |
|
Comments and information welcome. Write to
anamika dot mukherjee at amukherjeeworld dot net |