Museum of Lost Objects: The Necklace That Divided Two Nations

The Documentary Podcast

BBC

Society & Culture, Documentary, Personal Journals

4.3 • 2.6K Ratings

🗓️ 15 July 2017

⏱️ 23 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Seventy years ago, India and Pakistan became independent nations - but at a cost. People and lands were partitioned, and a once shared heritage was broken apart. Kanishk Tharoor explores the tussle for ancient history and the prized artefacts of the Indus Valley civilization. There was a bureaucratic saga over the fates of the priest-king, the dancing girl, and the jade necklace so precious to both India and Pakistan that neither country could let the other have it whole. Presented by Kanishk Tharoor Produced by Maryam Maruf Contributors: Maruf Khwaja; Saroj Mukherji; Vazira Fazila-Yacoubali Zamindar, Brown University; Sudeshna Guha, Shiv Nadar University With thanks to Anwesha Sengupta, Institute of Development Studies Kolkata Image: The Mohenjo Daro jade necklace that was cut in two. India's share on the left, Pakistan's share on the right. Credit: Archaeological Survey of India and Getty Images

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Konish Tharur and you're listening to a new series of the Museum of Lost Objects.
0:04.7	Listeners who visited our virtual museum in the past know that this is where we trace the
0:09.2	histories of artefacts, monuments and landmarks and where we explore what they mean to people in
0:14.0	the present. First of all we'll hear the chimes and then there'll be this... This time we're
0:18.4	telling stories from India and Pakistan. The house will rise in order to take the pledge. Here go the
0:24.7	chimes. This year marks the 70th anniversary of their independence.
0:36.5	Over the next few weeks we'll look at how a once shared heritage was broken apart and bitterly
0:41.3	contested and at how these new countries shaped their modern identities from a very ancient past.
0:48.1	At the stroke of 12 midnight the independent sovereign state of Pakistan will come into existence.
1:01.7	This is Pakistan Broadcasting Service. We now bring you a special program on the dawn of
1:09.5	Pakistan's independence. In August 1947 Indian Pakistan emerged from British colonial rule
1:16.6	as independent nations. I'm reporting to you from the middle of a vast sea of searing humanity
1:23.6	that's poured into the Princess Park in New Delhi. Frankly I've never seen so many people.
1:28.8	They must be here literally in their hundreds of thousands to celebrate the climax of the day's
1:33.6	excitement in New Delhi. The hosting of the new flag of the Dominion of India. Great banners bearing
1:40.1	gyne hind and hail India are all over the place. Long years ago we made a trist with destiny
1:50.5	and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge at the stroke of the midnight hour
1:59.1	when the world sleeps India will awake to life and freedom.
2:10.2	August 15th is the birthday of the independent and sovereign state of Pakistan.
2:20.7	It marks the fulfillment of the destiny of the Muslim nation which has made great sacrifices in
2:28.9	the past few years to have its homeland. And in the center on the white band the wheel of a
2:35.4	shoker, a symbolic wheel going back to the great days, pre-Christian days of Hindu glory.
	...

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