<h1 class="ql-align-center">Dara Shikoh&nbsp;</h1> <h2>Context:</h2> <ul><li>Ministry of Culture recently set up a seven-member panel of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to locate the grave of the Dara Shikoh&nbsp;</li></ul> <h2>Dara Shikoh:</h2> <ul><li>He (1615-59) was the eldest son of Shah Jahan. He is described as a “liberal Muslim” who tried to find commonalities between Hindu and Islamic traditions&nbsp;</li></ul> <ul><li>In 1655,&nbsp;his father declared him the Crown Prince but&nbsp;was defeated by Aurangzeb, his younger brother, in 1657&nbsp;after Shah Jahan fell ill.</li><li class="ql-indent-1">According to the&nbsp;Shahjahannama, after Aurangzeb defeated Dara Shikoh, he brought the latter to Delhi in chains. His head was cut off and sent to Agra Fort, while his torso was buried in the Humayun’s Tomb complex</li></ul> <ul><li>His most important works which are devoted to the cause of establishing connections between Hinduism and Islam&nbsp;are:</li><li class="ql-indent-2">Majma-ul-Bahrain (Mingling of Two Oceans)</li><li class="ql-indent-2">Sirr-i-Akbar (Great Mystery),</li><li class="ql-indent-2">He&nbsp;translated into Persian the Bhagavad Gita as well as 52 Upanishads</li></ul> <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Archaeological Survey of India (ASI):</h2> <ul><li>ASI, under the&nbsp;Ministry of Culture,&nbsp;is the premier organization for the&nbsp;archaeological research and protection of&nbsp;the cultural heritage of the nation.</li></ul> <ul><li>It administers more than 3650 ancient monuments, archaeological sites, and remains of national importance.</li></ul> <ul><li>Its activities include carrying out surveys of antiquarian remains,&nbsp;exploration,&nbsp;and&nbsp;excavation&nbsp;of archaeological sites,&nbsp;conservation,&nbsp;and&nbsp;maintenance&nbsp;of protected monuments, etc.</li></ul> <ul><li>It was founded in 1861 by&nbsp;Alexander Cunningham-&nbsp;the first Director-General of ASI. Alexander Cunningham is also known as the&nbsp;“Father of Indian Archaeology</li></ul>