TN CM announces USD 1 million prize for decoding Indus valley script

Chennai: The Indus Valley script remains an unsolved riddle for over a century, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said here on Sunday and announced a prize of US dollar 1 million to those who decipher it.

Stalin said the Indus Valley Civilisation’s (IVC) discovery announcement by Sir John Marshall in 1924 was a turning point in the history of the Indian subcontinent, which altered the understanding of the country’s past.

“Many were telling before that the Ariyam and Sanskrit were India’s roots; imagination was claimed as history. John Marshall’s studies changed that,” he said inaugurating a 3-day international conference to commemorate the centenary of the announcement of the discovery of the IVC.

“Marshall’s voice that Indus valley civilisation preceded Ariyam and that the language spoke there could have been a Dravidian language has now gained strength,” the chief minister underlined.

It may be recalled that in Tamil Nadu, the word ‘Ariyam’ is understood to loosely refer to the name ‘Aryan,’ which may have a linguistic sense. Some people perceive it as a racial designation as well. In the early 1920’s Marshall was the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India.

In his address, the CM further said that the Indus valley civilisation was fully developed and it only had bulls, which is a ‘Dravidian’ symbol. Beginning with the Indus valley civilisation, the bulls continued through the ages in the Tamil cultural landscape as seen in ancient Tamil literature. It remains so to this day, as evidenced by ‘Alanganallur’ (Popular jallikattu, bull taming sport venue in Madurai) bulls.

On the other hand, there was no horse emblem or sign in the Indus civilisation. The CM said: “In the Vedic literature, there were no big cities and there was also no mother Goddess worship. However, these two were found in Indus valley and in Keezhadi (Tamil Nadu) as well. Only based on all such things, it has been established that the Indus valley had been the place of the ancestors of the Sangam age Tamil people.”

Also, the CM said: “We are still unable to clearly understand the writing system of the Indus valley civilsation, that once flourished.” Archaeologists, Tamil linguists, scholars and several others, across the world, continue their great efforts to this day to solve the Indus riddle that has not been answered for over a 100 years.

In order to encourage such efforts, a prize of US dollar 1 million (approximately Rs 8.57 crore) will be provided to individuals or organisations that solves the Indus puzzle, he announced.

The prize is for those who find an appropriate answer to the Indus mystery and help clearly understand the Indus writing system, which will be accepted by archaeologists.

Further, the CM announced a Rs 2 crore grant for instituing a research chair named after eminent scholar Iravatham Mahadevan to facilitate the Indus Research Centre of the Roja Muthiah Research Library to take up study-series on Indus culture in association with the state government archaeology department.

Also, he announced annual awards to two scholars –archaeologists, epigraphists and numismatists– who tirelessly work to bring out the Tamil culture’s antiquity.

Starting with that discovery and through the decades, reformist leader Periyar EVR, Dravidian icon CN Annadurai and late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi had all spoken and appreciated the findings.

The ‘Dravidian model,’ DMK regime today has organised the conference to mark the centenary, he added.

The event is jointly organised by the Tamil Nadu Government’s Archaeology Department and the Indus Research Centre, Roja Muthiah Research Library here.

Stalin also laid the foundation stone for a statue of John Marshall. “It was John Marshall who regained our history and pride by discovering the Indus valley civilisation. It is a matter of pride for the Tamil Nadu government to honour him.”

The government said: “Since its discovery, the IVC writing system has remained an enigma. Over the past 100 years, numerous Indus sites have been excavated in the sub continent. Scholars such as Iravatham Mahadevan, Asko Parpola, Mark Kenoyer, Gregory Possehl, Nayanjyot Lahiri, R Balakrishnan and other scholars have examined various aspects of the IVC, contributing significantly to our understanding of this ancient civilisation.”

The international conference aims to bring together scholars, archaeologists, historians, and enthusiasts to discuss and exchange ideas on the latest excavations, advancements in technology, and challenges in interpreting the Indus civilisation.

The Indus civilisation, one of the earliest, is reputed for its urban culture and its script has not been decrypted yet. The fading away of such a civilisation, and its context, also remains a riddle.