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Meet the keepers of India's oldest art gallery

Hindustan Times | By
May 29, 2015 01:47 PM IST

The prehistoric rock-painting sites across Madhya Pradesh and beyond form India’s oldest art gallery. Meet their keepers – ordinary folk going to extraordinary lengths to ensure that the works are recognised, celebrated and kept safe for tomorrow.

Cloth bag in hand, 62-year-old Pradyumn Bhatt is leading us up Indergarh hill. The afternoon temperature is 40 degrees. The path is more loose rock than actual trail. And every two steps, another brambly bush is in the way.

Pradyumn Bhatt, 62
* A Chemistry teacher, a few months away from retiring as a school principal in Bhanpura
* Helped discover some of the prehistoric cupules (featured here) at Daraki Chattan; is a local expert on the rock art site Chaturbhuj Nala
* Got students and forest rangers to reforest a hill to protect rock art from vandals and weathering
* Holds Stone-Age camps so kids can learn how man created fire, foraged and survived in the wild.
* Ever the teacher, he pointed to ancient rock art and asked us, “Inko kitney marks dene chahiye?

Rajeev Chaubey, 55

* Chemist, with an interest in Raisen’s rich history

* Helped the state archaeological department build a small museum to house Raisen’s ancient statues

* Works to get locals to be as interested in their history as the researchers and visitors are

* Is an expert on the prehistoric rock sites in nearby Pengavan

* Often walks 25km a day when on exploratory tours of the forests. Has worn out several pairs of shoes in the process!

Narayan Vyas, 66

* Retired from the ASI but is still stuck on prehistory

* Moved homes to Nayapura, just outside Bhopal, to study a rock-art site in Kathotia better

* Was attacked by bees at one site, spent time in the ICU, and was back on site after recovery

* Sold a home to buy a plot on which he plans to build an interpretation centre for rock art

* While posing for this picture, he asked, politely, "Yeh ‘Brunch’ shabd ka arth kya hai?"

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