It was one of the greatest mysteries of the Deccan.
610 human skulls were discovered in a mass grave in August 2010 near Annigeri town in Dharwad, Karnataka.
After two years of investigation, forensic and historical experts have concluded that these belonged to victims of a terrible famine that struck not only this region but other parts of southern India in 1790.
The claim is buttressed by reports in the Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency which recorded the disaster as ‘Doji Bara’ that hit the region between 1789 to 1792.
In areas like Bijapur, the year 1791 came to be known as Doji Bara in folklore.
It is a macabre tale; as the bones of drought victims that lay unburied, resulted in the ‘whitening’ of roads and fields in the Bijapur belt.
It is estimated that 11 million people may have perished between 1789-92 due to starvation and disease.
The drought was so severe that a large number of people left the area in search of food and water and most of those who remained died due to starvation.
Wild animals fed on these carcasses leaving only bones and skulls.
According to the C-14 ‘carbon dating’ test conducted by USbased Beta lab, the skulls were 180- yearold.
The Department of Archeology and Museum Director R Gopal told The Sunday Standard that based on reports submitted by US lab and forensic experts of Department of Forensic Odontology and SDM College it has been concluded that the skulls belonged to the famine victims.
SDM College’s report said that the skulls were of men and women aged between 6 to 60 years.
The people who had returned to their native land after a few years following the famine gathered the remains together and performed a mass burial of skulls in one place and bones in another.
All the skulls were placed beside a lake in a symbolic gesture to slake the thirst of the dead who had passed on in the drought.
“Taking into account all the research results we have come to a definite conclusion that the victims were of a famine caused by drought.
The deaths were not the result of any battle since there were none.
A report on this will be submitted to the government in the first week of next month,” Gopal added.
-Sunday Standard