NEW DELHI: The Central government appointed committee will examine details of graves that existed inside Humayun’s Tomb complex on Monday to identify the burial place of ill-fated Mughal prince Dara Shikoh.
This will be the first time, the members of the panel will be visiting the site since its formation to look for details. The ASI officials, privy to the department said, two members might remain absent as they are not in town.
Noted archaeologist and former director general of National Museum BR Mani, member of the committee, confirmed the proposed visit.
“No specific activities have been planned but some details have to be confirmed,” he said. Earlier, KK Muhammad, another member of the government appointed panel told The Morning Standard that it had ‘almost’ reached a conclusion that the final resting place of Dara Shikoh is next to the graves of Prince Daniyal and Prince Murad, Emperor Akbar’s sons.
The panel headed by TJ Alone, Director (Monuments) at ASI was set up in February and has submitted its preliminary report.
Union Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel said that after submission of the final report, the controversy related to Dara Shikoh’s grave would hopefully end.
The committee had requested Persian scholar and author GS Khawaja to accompany the panel members, said former director of ASI and member of the panel Syed Jamal Hasan.
“There are about 140 graves in the complex including several under the main dome. We will have to see and decipher inscriptions on cenotaph. Historical scriptures confirmed that Dara was buried in Humayun’s tomb but nothing is specific. It is very difficult to identify his grave. We are going tomorrow and check details,” said Hasan.