Muhammed was part of the team that excavated the site of the Babri Masjid in 1976. In a Reddit interview, he mentioned discovering the remains of a temple on the western side of the mosque, believed to be built by the Gurjara Pratihara Dynasty in the 10th and 11th centuries. His findings faced opposition, particularly from Marxist historian Irfan Habib, a significant figure in the Indian Council of Historical Research.
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Excavation that revealed the temple
Muhammed’s excavation revealed a temple’s foundation with 12 pillars arranged in the Ashtamangala symbolism. Terracotta figures of humans and animals led him to hypothesise the existence of a pre-existing temple. Despite facing criticism, Muhammed defended Prof BB Lal, who also supported these findings.
Who is KK Muhammad?
Karingamannu Kuzhiyil Muhammed is the regional director of the Archaeological Survey of India, credited with the discovery of Ibadat Khana, along with numerous Buddhist Stupas and monuments. Recognizing his significant contributions to archaeology, he was awarded the Padma Shri in 2019, India’s fourth-highest civilian honor.
KK Muhammed, born in a middle-class family in Koduvally, Calicut, Kerala, is the second of five siblings. After completing his schooling at the Government Higher Secondary School, he earned a master’s degree in History from Aligarh Muslim University. Subsequently, Muhammed received a diploma in archaeology from the School of Archaeology, Archaeological Survey of India.
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Muhammed served as a technical assistant and later as an assistant archaeologist at the Department of History at Aligarh Muslim University before being appointed as the Deputy Superintendent Archaeologist for the Archaeological Survey of India. He held various positions, including Superintendent Archaeologist, and served in different states in India. Notably, he also worked as a tour guide for prominent figures such as Barack Obama and Pervez Musharraf. In 2012, Muhammed was appointed as the regional director of the Archaeological Survey of India, retiring in the same year.
Delhi’s monuments facelift
In 2008, Muhammed was appointed as the Superintendent Archaeologist of Delhi Circle in the Archaeological Survey of India. His primary task was to refurbish 46 monuments for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
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Controversies
In 2016, Muhammed’s Malayalam autobiography, “Njan Enna Bharatiyan” (I, Indian), was released. Irfan Habib vehemently opposed the book, aligning with extremist Muslim groups. According to Muhammed, excavations at the Ayodhya site clearly indicated the presence of a temple. He accused Habib of attempting to mislead the Allahabad High Court during the controversy.
