MUMBAI: Kālaḥ pachati bhūtāni, kālaḥ saṃharate prajāḥ kālaḥ supteṣhu jāgarti, kālo hi duratikramaḥ — the Sanskrit shloka acknowledges that time is eternal and no one or nothing can escape it, setting the tone for discovery+ ’s upcoming historical documentary that goes over a secret buried in time, only to be uncovered by time again. In collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), discovery+ is all set to launch one of the most historically relevant documentaries, titled Secrets of Sinauli: Discovery of the Century on 9 February 2021.
Narrated by the versatile national award-winning actor Manoj Bajpayee, and co-produced by Bollywood fimmaker Neeraj Pandey and Friday Storytellers, Secrets of Sinauli: Discovery of the Century uncovers the mysteries behind the excavations in the town of Sinauli. The documentary directed by Raghav Jairath from Friday Storytellers covers the timeline of the finds, the artefacts themselves and the people involved across each stage of the discovery.
An archaeological site – Sinauli, located in Baghpat district, western Uttar Pradesh, India is reported to be the largest necropolis of the Chalcolithic period (between 2000 BC and 700 BC) in India. The documentary, beautifully going over the discoveries made during the excavation at Sinauli, presents the 4,000-year old chariot, copper weapons and warrior burials. The chariots are encased in copper and are believed to be the oldest surviving physical evidence of the a ever to be discovered in the world. Alongside, there are also shields, bows and arrows, spears, swords, helmets, axes and other copper weaponry that have been unearthed from the burial sites.
Why were the swords kept in burials? Did western countries twist Indian history? Who were the people connected to these swords and chariots? Raising many theories and questions about wars in ancient India, Secrets of Sinauli: Discovery of the Century features experts, some from the Archaeological Survey of India, as historians and archaeologists revisit the historicity of the mythology and re-imagine the timeline of history. This significant discovery, using latest technology at Sinauli, will right the many misconceptions about our country’s history.
“Secrets of Sinauli: Discovery of the Century is a blend of history, science, technology and mythology. India is a country known for its rich culture and varied heritage. Exploring and unearthing new facts of our history is precisely what excited me about this project,” said Neeraj Pandey. “Discovery is known to provide its audience rich, relevant and varied content accurately. We are glad to tell a significant story, although it's not yet concluded, and we look to its continuation through discovery+.”
Manoj Bajpayee said, “History often gets interpreted in different ways through time, hence, important discoveries like that of Sinauli help us understand our past and our culture better. The documentary makes some historic revelations over the discoveries of the significant ancient chariots and different artefacts at the excavation that belong to a period of India that is very highly regarded.”
“Discovery of this ancient civilisation at Sinauli is a captivating story that needs to be seen and heard across our nation. Our latest original probes some of the most significant revelations about our rich and glorious history. Secrets of Sinauli: Discovery of the Century will enlighten our viewers and take them on a journey of Indian history that’s never been told before,” said APAC-Discovery direct-to consumer head Issac John.
