INDIA, April 15, 2015 (HPI): Scholar Michel Danino informs Hinduism Today that the Times of India article (“source” above) summarized recently in HPI is incorrect. Dr. V.N. Prabhakar, who was interviewed for the Times of India articles states:
*The “stepwell” is not 5,000 years old and is not bigger than the Great Bath of Mohenjo-daro. The stepwell is located inside the Eastern Reservoir at Dholavira. The Eastern Reservoir measures 73 X 29 X 10 m (L X B X H), which is bigger than Great Bath and NOT the “stepwell” which is a circular well cut into the bedrock with a flight of steps.
*The stepwell was excavated by Dr. R.S. Bisht of the Archaeological Survey of India nearly 15 years back and is NOT a recent discovery by IITGN as claimed in the report.
*The news item while reporting its location inside the Eastern Reservoir, ignores the fact that it is much smaller and circular in shape (a photograph is also published showing its circular shape), and goes on to claim that it is “rectangular.”
*Surveys are yet to be undertaken by IITGN at Dholavira and the news items mentioning that ‘surveys indicating more buried reservoirs and stepwells’ is NOT TRUE.
*IITGN is not planning excavations at the site as falsely published.