Harking Back: Path to research mysteries of our real ancient history.

Just how old is Lahore? This is a question that boggles not only the minds of its dwellers, as well as those who love the ancient city, as also serious scholars. Which is the way forward to solve this 'mystery'?

The normal academic solution is to depend on a number of routes, they being written texts, mythological pointers and archaeological proof of a 'possible minimum age'. Beyond this there are few pointers. Last week an Iranian newspaper carried a story about the search for the fabled Laodicea Temple in Nahavand, Iran, for which an impressive budget has been allocated by the government. 'Our ancient culture is our most important asset', said a spokesman for the Iranian government.

Archaeological digs over the last three years at the Iranian site have uncovered Greek bronze statues among other finds. The city of Nahavand is probably among the oldest city in Iran, and the example given is that it could be as old as the city of Lav (Lahore) in the sub-continent's Punjab. It makes me wonder whether our ancient culture is the most important asset for our different shades of rulers.

Just for the reader's guidance the Laodicea Church in Laodicea, Turkey, is one of seven first Christian churches in Asia. At least the 'Book of Revelation' (3.14-22) claims so. It is near Troy of 'Helen of Troy' fame. This was the first of seven churches in Asia and the search for another one in Nahavand in Iran is part of that effort. What does this mean for Lahore? There is a reference to the city of Lav in these descriptions. Given we know a lot about our city's Chajj rulers, especially Bhandara the Great and his Sun Temple of Lahore of the pre-Islamic age, there is a need to concentrate on discovering our real ancient history, which is our real culture.

But first let us see just what is available in written form as well as the myths that abound around it. The oldest written mention is in the Islamic era in Baihaqi's 'Tarikh-e-Baihaqi' as well as in Firishta's 'Al-Yaruq'. But to my mind the very oldest mention is in the Veda's describing Ramayana wherein Ayodhya seems located where Lahore is. The very word 'Ayodhya' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'yudh' meaning to fight a battle. It is the city where Rama was born, as were Lav and Kush. Lahore is named after Lav and Kasur after Kush. Indian nationalist scholars seriously dispute this. Vedic pointers to this effect indicate so, but then they are indicators only.

The 'Dasanrajan', or Battle of Ten Kings, in...