The Story of a Time-Traveler

As we all stared at the carvings on the walls of the ancient temple, trying to make sense of them, Kush effortlessly deciphered them for us, meticulously explaining what each panel depicted. He had an answer to every question any of us threw at him, whether it pertained to Rahul and Craig’s curiosity about Hindu mythology, Ritesh’s interest in architecture, or Khushboo and Ashley’s passion for understanding human behavior, culture and society. He was even able to provide snippets of information on how best to take pictures of the ancient ruins to ensure that Varun gets the best photographs. Kush Dhebar never failed to amaze us with his tremendous knowledge of just about everything on our short holiday to the historic town of Hampi, not to mention entertaining us with anecdotes of his previous excavations at different sites, much to the envy of outdoorsy Sagar!

Walking around the ruined fortifications of Hampi, I marveled at the historical and architectural beauty of what must have once been a grand palace, beautifully carved temples, noblemen’s quarters etc. I was transported to a world of empires and dynasties, kings and queens, bazaars, gateways and water tanks. Adding to the story that was forming in my imagination about this exciting time in history was Kush’s detailed descriptions about the lives and times of people in that era. Not only was he conversant in encoding and interpreting the carvings on the walls of ruined temples, but he was able to make predictions about the social and cultural traditions followed by the people of that time. The passion and ease with which Kush explained the archaeological importance of the ancient remains had a great impact on me and l came away feeling informed and inspired.   

On asking him about his passion for archeology, Kush replied, “Archaeology has changed the way I look at everything now”.

Currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Archaeology, at Deccan College, Pune, Kush always had a penchant for history. “I wanted to touch and feel history, not just read about it”. Kush recalls his 5^th standard history teacher in school, who exasperated by his constant, “But why……” and “But how do we know….” questions told him to take up archeology/history to answer his endless questions. “The best part about doing archeology in India is that India is a hot bed for archeology. There is so much that can be done in India because of its diverse history and cultural traditions.”

Kush admits that before he joined his masters in archaeology, his idea of the field was very different. “Before I started my Masters in Archaeology, I had a very different of conception of the subject. A student of history, I was sure I would have an edge over the other students enrolling in the course but, I was amazed to learn that no knowledge goes to waste in archeology.  There were people from biology, botany, zoology, geography, geology, social science and statistics backgrounds, each of which was equally important in archaeological study. You can do any subject at an undergrad level and go on to studying archeology in your masters. This is the brilliant part about archeology. It is one of the most holistic fields, accepting people of any age and/or field of study. Even photographers and paint artists play an important role in archeology. You can enter from any background but you have to learn all the subjects. We study chemistry, botany, anthropology, history, geomorphology, paleontology, statistics and geography to name a few!” 

Kush’s love and passion for his subject is inspiring and infectious.  He says, “I want to dispel the myth that archaeologists go looking for treasure. For an archaeologist, a broken temple is treasure, a piece of inscription/engraving is treasure, part of a bone is treasure.”

On being asked about the scope of archeology in India, Kush seemed hopeful about the growth of the field in the country. “I think the scope of archeology has been limited but is increasing steadily. After studying archeology, one can join the Archaeological Survey of India or become a professor at a university. Students can get into cultural heritage management, and museology is also a lucrative profession because there are lots of museums all over the country. The government has recently started allotting funds for archaeological research. More and more archeology departments are opening all over the country.”

Kush believes that if you’re passionate about learning about human behavior and culture over the years then archeology will not disappoint you. It is a scientific discipline and requires hard work but is absolutely wonderful at the same time. It is a step forward to understanding your society better.

Kush’s final words on the subject were “Archaeology has brought me closer to nature; it has made me more aware of people and places and the more I learn the more humbled I feel.” 

______________________________________________________________________

About the Author

Aditi, a double Masters in Psychology, finds working at The Potter’s Earth extremely exciting and fulfilling. Aside from teaching and conducting academic research, Aditi is passionate about counseling and coaching teenagers and young adults. She loves dogs and music  and her new found love for Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art/dance form, keeps her occupied in her free time!