Earlier this month, the Archaeological Survey of India was digging beneath the ruins of an ancient palace in the hopes of boosting the rupee. Why? Hindu holy man, Shoban Sarkar claimed to have spoken to the ghost of the 19th century king who once lived in the palace. Last month, he said, the spirit told him that $40 billion of gold is buried there and asked for it to be unearthed to aid the Indian economy.
While a team of government excavators was optimistically hacking away, India’s scientific community was not amused. “Shame on the government for ordering this ridiculous exercise,” said a former director of the Archaeological Survey. “We have become a laughing stock.”
The government was behind the dig but made no mention of Sarkar in official statements — claiming the hunt to be based on scientific evidence and citing a “nonmagnetic anomalous zone” beneath the site. However, Charan Das Mahant, a cabinet minister and devotee of the guru, is said to be the one who pushed for the project.
The general public seemed to be optimistic. India's society is very traditional, and people extend a great deal of respect and deference to elders and gurus like Sarkar. The strong Indian value for hierarchy often makes it difficult for people to deny or contradict such venerated individuals. In many cases, decisions are made only by the most senior members of a family or organization. Perhaps it was the will of the people that encouraged government officials to deploy the archaeology team. Is there any other cultural explanation for this event?
Another reason for the optimism may be that in India, finding treasure troves isn't all too uncommon. Indian families often keep reserves of precious metals in their own homes and sometimes donate gold bars, coins, and jewelry to temples as a sign of devotion. As recently as 2011, a trove of 1 trillion rupees (US$16 billion) was discovered sealed under a Hindu temple in southern India.
While such a discovery might not be unusual in India, the dig eventually proved unsuccessful to the disappointment of Sarkar’s followers and others who had awaited a sign of hope in gold. What is your reaction to this?
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