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William Faulkner once said that the past is never dead. It is not even past. There are few takers for this philosophy in India — a country which, ironically, is celebrated by the world outside for its hoary history and ancient civilisation. Every year the ASI unearths ruins of what were once bustling cities, busy ports or great centres of learning. There are rich cultures, lifestyles, thoughts and fantastic dreams buried below the ground we walk on. But what do we do? Many of the sites, some 6,000 years old, rot in neglect or are allowed to be invaded by builders and encroachers. The Chinese believe we have to consider our past to divine our future. And from the look of it, they have figured out things better than we have. TOI-Crest digs deep to bring you what’s been found and what may be lost