Documentary pays tribute to unsung father of Indian prehistory

CHENNAI: It was a turning point in the history of India when British geologist

Robert Bruce Foote

dug up a primitive hand-axe in Tamil Nadu's

Pallavaram

in 1863.The axe was strong evidence of the presence of man more than two million years ago in India. It was just a beginning of a journey which eventually led Foote to many identical tools and prehistoric sites in the south. Unfortunately, Foote is mostly known only for his first discovery.

Many excavations, mappings and studies that he did later are not much known to the outside world.

Ramesh Yanthra

's 28-mi nute-long documentary titled “The Father of Indian Prehistory“ reveals the many roles played by Foote (1834-1912) who was fascinated by India's rock formations, hills and naturalness.It was while doing a documentary on Gudiyam Caves, a prehistoric site near

Poondi

reservoir, that Ramesh got to know more about Foote's discoveries and excavations, including his valuable books and collections.

“Many know Foote as the man who dug up the prehistoric axe, but he was more than that,“ said Ramesh, who has explored the contributions Foote made when he was working with the then Geological Survey of India (GSI).

“I learned that the Gudi “I learned that the Gudi yam Caves had first been discovered by Foote, who documented his research in a way that opened the doors to the study of prehistory. I later read the will that he executed, his detailed notes on his discoveries, and his vast collection which was handed over to the Madras Go vernment Museum in 1904,“ he said.

Ramesh finished the post-production work on the documentary a week ago, and is planning to release it in a couple of months.

“It took more than two years for me to finish my research work. Getting the details were not easy. I even approached some foreign agencies to get the documents such as the will that he executed. Foote's personal collections were not given to his heirs in the will. It was challenging,“ said Ramesh, an artist turned filmmaker.

Being an artist, what Ramesh tried to do was intro duce Foote not as a geologist alone, but as an artist, archaeologist and paleontologist as well. “There is no easy way to define Foote. His footprints traversed the whole of India. I have visited all the sites with the sketches that he made. It was a great feeling,“ he said.

The documentary in English and Tamil portrays various stages of Foote's life. Born in

Cheltenham

(England), he had dedicated his life to unearthing India's past and wished his ashes to rest in Yercaud.

“This documentary is my tribute to the father of Indian prehistory,“ said Ramesh.