NEW DELHI: If there is any treasure hidden beneath the palace of king Rao Ram Baksh Singh in Unnao’s Daundia Khera village, it must have been buried in or before the 17th century.



According to Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officials, who would start excavation for 1,000 tonnes of gold from October 18, the king’s palace was constructed by a talukdar, Tilak Chandi Rajput, in the 17th century.



According to the initial study of the ASI, the lakhauri bricks of the palace belong to the 17th century. This means the talukdars first buried the treasure and then constructed a palace on it.



The ASI has also confirmed that they have decided to excavate the area on the basis of a series of researches, including a study of the soil on the spot.



Sensitive matter



PK Mishra, Superintending Archaeologist of Lucknow circle, told MAIL TODAY over the telephone on Tuesday that he wouldn’t be able to divulge much about the study as it is a sensitive matter. “I cannot tell you much because it is a very sensitive matter. It is related to 1,000 kg of gold,” he said.



When asked what was the basis behind believing that there could be a hidden treasure under the palace except for a dream of Swami Shobhan Sarkar, a popular seer from the area, Mishra said: “The ASI has its own way to confirm such things. All I can tell you at the moment is that we will reach the village on October 17 and start excavation next day.”



Noble cause



Swami Shobhan Sarkar saw the spirit of king Rao Ram Baksh Singh, a descendant of the talukdar of Daundia Khera, in his dream. The king told him that there was 1,000 tonnes of gold buried under his palace and asked him to dig it out.



The Swami then wrote to the Prime Minister, the finance minister and the Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) about the treasure and asked them to recover it and use it to improve the economy of the country.



The last talukdar of the village, Rao Ram Baksh Singh, used to attack and confiscate money and arms from the British army. When he was finally captured by the British army during the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, they preferred to hang him to death and eliminate his family members.



According to Sarkar, Rao’s soul was restless and wanted someone to use the gold for the country. “The spirit of Rao communicated his wish to my gurus too. I requested my gurus and they allowed me to reveal the secret to the government,” Swami had MAIL TODAY on Monday.



Excavation to being on Oct 18



A team of ASI experts visited the area on Sunday and drilled two holes at a point shown by Swami Shobhan Sarkar, the seer who dreamt about 1,000 tonnes of gold buried underneath the palace.

About 20 metres deep, the drilling machine hit something that seemed different from earth. “There is something about 20 metres under the soil. We can establish it’s the treasure only after we dig that deep. Several teams of experts have visited the place and given positive signals. We have been asked to bring digging equipment and camp here. The ASI will start digging properly from October 18,” said Deepak Chaudhary, an ASI supervisor.



The exercise has generated curiosity among the people in the village as well as those who had migrated in search of greener pastures. Virendra Verma, who used to work as a mechanic in Delhi has returned to his village. “My father asked me to return because very soon we will have every opportunity here in the village. Swamiji speaks truth only.



He has said 20 per cent of the recovered gold should be used for the development of the area. I will also benefit. I have a big plan for my future,” he said.



Baba’s economic concern



While the villagers are looking for gold, the seer is only worried about the “collapsing economy of India” that compelled him to write a letter to the Prime Minister and the Governor of Reserve Bank of India about the “hidden treasure”.



“I cried the day I realised that India is going to collapse economically. I talked to my gurus, Late Bhaskaranandji and Late Satsaganandji Maharaj, in my dream. I told them that the spirit of the king still roams around the palace and pleads to me to liberate it by digging out 1,000 tonnes of gold buried beneath his palace. My gurus laughed at me. I argued that it may be nothing for them but it is a hidden treasure for the country. They finally agreed with me and I wrote the letter to the Prime Minister,” Sarkar told MAIL TODAY at his ashram in Doodhikagar in Fatehpur district.



Sitting on a mat under a peepal tree, Sarkar claimed that the king’s spirit would soon be liberated from the cycle of birth and death because his last wish would be fulfiled.



For the record, Rao Ram Baksh Singh, the king of the area, was hanged to death by the British rulers during the revolt of 1857.



“Officials of the Archaeological Survey of India and the Geological Survey of India started working here in the first week of this month. Since the area is spread over 60 acres they failed to locate the point. Then I went with them and pointed out the spot,” Sarkar said.



“They made two holes there and realised that there was a possibility of huge stock of gold buried in the earth,” he added.



Since Sarkar does not like to talk to everyone, he communicates with the central government officials through his disciple Swami Om Jee. But the state government is also alert. Suresh Babu, a lekhpal of Bighapur area, and Ajay Pal Singh, husband of the village chief Sheela Singh, are keeping a constant vigil on every activity of the ASI and GSI officials.



“I have been asked to camp here because whatever is buried in the earth actually belongs to the state government,” said Suresh Babu.



Sarkar, however, is not bothered about who would take the gold. “The ASI may reach the point where 1,000 tonnes of gold is buried, but they cannot touch the treasure without the permission of my gurus. If at all they try to ignore my suggestion, the gold will vanish from there,” he claimed.



Insisting that his claims are not baseless, Sarkar said: “My entire spirituality is at stake. Suppose there is no gold at all. What will happen to me? The government may dub me a fake sadhu. My followers would desert me. Don’t think that I am not aware of such possibilities.



Still I have written the letter. And it is my promise that if the government follows my suggestion, it will get the gold there,” he said. He claimed that if his suggestions are followed, the value of rupee would be on a par with dollar soon. “ I even say rupee would be stronger than dollar.” People may think all this is hocus- pocus, but the strength of Sarkar’s vision is driving the agenda for the present.



Reproduced From Mail Today. Copyright 2013. MTNPL. All rights reserved.

















































































































