Describe the following features of Harapan civilization in
the scenes
House 2. Roads 3.Public bath
Answers
Answer:
The two most important Harappan cities are - Harappa in Montgomery district of Punjab and Mohenjodaro in Larkana district of Sindh. A third city lies at Chanhudaro. The fourth city is at Lothal in Gujarat. The fifth city lies at Kalibangan in Rajasthan and the sixth called Banawali is situated in Hissar district in Haryana.
The main characteristics of town planning were the following:
i) Each city was divided into two parts-the raised area called the 'Citadel' and the 'lower town.'
ii) The main streets followed a grid pattern running from north to south or from east to west.
iii) The houses at street corners were rounded to allow carts to pass easily.
iv) House drains emptied all waste water into the street drains.
v) The streets crossed the main road at right angles, dividing the city into square or rectangular blocks.
URBAN PLANNING DURING HARAPPAN CIVILISATION -
The two most important Harappan cities are - Harappa in Montgomery district of Punjab and Mohenjodaro in Larkana district of Sindh. A third city lies at Chanhudaro. The fourth city is at Lothal in Gujarat. The fifth city lies at Kalibangan in Rajasthan and the sixth called Banawali is situated in Hissar district in Haryana.
HOUSES OF HARAPPAN CIVILISATION -
1. The residential buildings were built on a high mound in order to protect them from floods.
2. The sizes of the house varied from single room tenants to bigger houses with courtyards, upto twelve rooms, private wells and toilets. Each house had covered drains connected with street drains.
3. The houses were made of brick and wood with each house having doors, windows and ventilators.
MONUMENTAL ARCHITECTURE OF HARAPPAN CIVILISATION
The contribution of the Harappans is evident from the following public buildings.
a) The Great Bath: It is one of the largest public buildings at Mohenjodaro. It measured twelve metres long, seven metres broad and 2.5 metres deep. The outer walls of the bath had the width of 7 to 8 feet and there was also a provision of separate changing room. There was also provision of disposal of used water and bringing in clean water in the bathrooms.
b) Granaries: Evidence of several granaries, massive buildings with solid brick foundations and sockets for wooden superstructures have been found in excavations of Harappa, Mohenjodaro, and Rakhigarhi. All the granaries were built close to the river bank so that with the help of boats, grains could be easily transported. The Great Granary at Harappa also had a series of working platforms with circular bricks nearby that were probably used for threshing grain.
TRADE IN HARAPPAN CIVILISATION -
There is abundant evidence that the Harappans traded not only with other parts of India but also with many countries of Asia. The Harappans carried on considerable trade in stone, metal, shell, etc., within the Indus civilisation zone. They did not use metal money but carried on all exchanges through barter. Harappans had commercial contacts with their western neighbours. The Harappan merchants were exporting to and importing goods from the west and Central Asian sites.
ART AND CRAFT IN HARAPPAN CIVILISATION -
All the works of Harappan art, including figurines of clay and terracota, stone and bronze sculpture, seals and beads, are products of skilled craftsmen. Harappans produced their own characteristic pottery which was made glossy and shining. The Harappan artists were skilled sculptors. The statue of a bearded man and the bronze statue of dancing girl are masterpieces of Harappan art. The sculpture in metal wax was done through the special lost wax process. The goldsmiths made jewellery of silver, gold and precious stones which were worn by both men and women such as necklace, armlets, earrings. Toys of birds, animals, figurines, carts and whistles were also made.
DECLINE OF THE HARAPPAN CIVILISATION -
The Harappan civilisation declined sometime around 1800 B.C. Some of the likely causes for the decline are following:
a) Floods and earthquakes
b) Increased aridity
c) Deforestation
d) Attack
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OF THE HARAPPANS -
Most of the information about the religious beliefs of the Harappans comes indirectly from the seal impressions, terracotta and metal figurines, cemeteries, etc. It has been inferred that the Harappan people had many features of later Hinduism, such as worship of mother Goddess, Pashupati (Shiva), sacred animals, trees, etc.
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