By. Priydarshi Prateek
A story covered in a leading news paper detailed that near-complete skeletal remains of a young male and female, believed to be a couple, have been discovered at a recently excavated archaeological site in Rakhigarhi village in Haryana. According to the scientists who found the remains, it suggests that marriage as an institution could have originated in India.
The researchers believe the couple were buried at almost the same time, perhaps even together, following their deaths which could have occurred about 4,700 years ago. They believe the male was around 38 years old at the time of his death, while the female was around 25. The skeletal remains were found in a supine position with arms and legs extended. The head of the male was found facing towards the femaleâs, possibly indicating an intimate relationship. Further it is said that remains of pots and stone-bead jewellery found close to the burial site of the couple point to the possibility of a ceremonial burial with rituals.
As no lesions have been found on the bones the couple, leading researchers to rule out the possibility of their having been murdered. Rather the researchers believe that it is possible a heart ailment of some kind led to the deaths.
Researchers are of opinion that the Harappan people were generally known to strictly adhere to only legal relations, and the fact that the couple were buried in the same pit together could be an indication of societal acceptance of their relationship. The researchers were inclined to believe that they could have been married â which would in turn suggest the possibility that the institution of marriage originated in the Harappan civilisation.
However, Editorial of same news agency took such as excessive claim but found it reasonable to post that the culture appreciated the bonds of romantic love.
But It shall not be out of the world to believe that love saga culminate at same stage, same end and in same way even in ancient civilization. It was quite possible that both were placed with choices of accepting death together or living apart and they accepted former gracefully. It could be so because even after so much development, human n society has some basic instincts, intrigue n inadvertent reactionary soft points which has not yet changed and “love relationships and societal reaction on it” must be one of them.
While trying to lay hands on love stories available in mythologies as well as history in India, never found any story of couple which got married eventually and cherished by generations. Whether it was Radha-Krishna or Laila-Majnu, none lived married life together, leave any chance of joint ceremonious burial?
At the same time, Couple Grave were found rare during excavation, which itself establish that it must not be sign or indicator of “Marriage” as such; else excavators should have found couple grave in lots because marriage an obvious celebrated societal custom cant be restricted to some of few.
In such circumstances, it would be beyond the scope of imagination that something relating to human relationship and societal reaction upon that relationship, had happened in date back ancient civilization which was never repeated again in long history.
Thus that grave could hint anything but not origin of institution of marriage. Better it could be considered as sign of Origin of Love Saga.
