Dancing Girl of Indus

The Indus Valley civilization is one of the oldest civilizations of the world, beginning in an area which is now part of the province of Sindh in Pakistan. Dating back five thousand years, Mohenjo-Daro was considered its biggest city.

While the Indian subcontinent is full of ancient tombs and fallen temples, Mohenjo-Daro was only discovered in 1911. It was a well-planned city with houses possessing toilets and baths, and streets a marvel of urban planning.

Just why the city was abandoned remains a mystery.

This novel posits an intriguing theory about the origin of its abandonment. With a cast of engaging characters, including lascivious priests, amorous temple dancers, architects, and free thinkers, the novel weaves an entertaining tale and breathes life into a historical era long deemed dead. It is at one level, a historical mystery with a fast-paced narrative that leads to a suspenseful climax. At another level, the book delves further into the nature of man and his destructive lust for power – political and sexual.

The story begins in Delhi. In 1934, Mr. Burton of the British Museum takes up the position of a cataloguer to the Archaeological Survey of India. During his tenure, a mysterious metal box arrives that creates palpable excitement among museum staff. The box is opened with fanfare and religious reverence by the Indian staff. The contents of the box reveal a terracotta head of a bearded man (a priest) and a bronze figurine of a nude girl posing as a dancer. The dancer seems erect, confident, and unashamed of her body.

JUST WHO ARE THEY AND WHAT DO THEY REPRESENT?

A skeptical Mr. Burton dismisses the idea of these figurines as God and Goddesses. Nevertheless, his curiosity is piqued when he hears of fierce gossip about an employee named Lala. Burton sends for Lala, and what he learns, forms the crux of the story.

A young and brilliant priest of the ancient Aryan temple had an affair with a young slave girl, when she became pregnant. She was married to a boy of her settlement according to tradition. The priest remained in touch with his biological son who turned out to be clever and wise beyond his years. He attracted followers and disciples among his slave settlement.

The priest senses dangers to his son's life, and arranges for him to flee with his mother, family, and followers to a once inhabited but now deserted place on the bank of river Indus, called "Kukutarma." There, he establishes a new settlement for his people.

He still recalls the priest's parting advice: to not become a king and not allow any political space to a group seeking to form a religious hierarchy. The son worked hard to make the city an economic hub that attracted immigrants from all over the world. After his death, his close associates assumed control but lost power over time. A new class emerged.

To control state power, the priests who were initially sent to fulfil death rites and administer prayers of the sick gain power for themselves Women known as "dasisi" are inducted to serve their sexual needs. Errand "dasisi" were punished for their perceived misdeeds.

The society is now a cruel and depraved system far removed from its founder's vision.

Who is to remove "Kukutarma' from its plight? Who will emerge to be its saviour?

Is it worth saving? I will say nothing. These questions will be answered in this book.

Write-up by Ghazala Akbar