Discussed the main feature of the harappan civilization?(in 300 word)
Answers
The valley of river Indus in India was the centre of great civilization. However till the first quarter of the twentieth century the modern world was completely in dark regarding the civilisation.
In 1922, archaeological excavations were carried out at Harappa in the Montogomery district of West Punjab and Mahenjodaro in the Larkana district of Sind. Under the guidance of R.D Banerjee and Mr. Dayaram Sahani.
They could discover the ruins of a civilisation which flourished many years before the coming of the Aryans of India. Later excavations at various other sites prove that this civilisation covered some parts of the Punjab, Sind, Gujrat, and Rajasthan. The discovery of this civilisation pushed back the antiquity of the. Indian civilisation as far as 5000 B.C.
The important sites of the Harappan culture are Harappa in the Punjab, Mahenjodaro in Sind, Chanhudaro situated at a distance of 130 kilometers from Mahenjodaro, Lothal in Gujrat and Kalibangan in Gujrat and Rupar near Simla.
This civilisation in the beginning was called as the Indus Valley Civilisation .as Harappa and Mahenjodaro were situated on the Valley of the Indus. But during the subsequent periods the remains of this culture were unearthed from various places in Sind.
Rajasthan and Gujrat. So scholars named this civilisation as Harappan Civilisation as the ruins of this civilisation were first discovered at Harappa.
Historians have expressed different views regarding the date of this civilisation. According to John Marshall the civilisation flourished during the period from 3250 B.C to 2750 B.L. On the other hand Sir Martimer Wheeler has opined that this civilisation developed during the period between 2500 B.C. and 1500 B.C.
In spite of these different views most of the scholars believe that this great civilisation flourished during the period from 3000 B.C. to 2500 B.C.. More than five hundred seals have been discovered from the ruins of Mahenjodaro and Harappa but historians so far have been unable to decipher the scripts.
So the information regarding the Indus culture and civilisation is purely based on the objects unearthed from Mahenjodaro and Harappa. The Harappan Civilisation was an urban civilisation.
The people of Nile valley had constructed huge pyramids, palaces and temples but the Indus valley people had given more emphasis on their comforts of life. Scholars believe that the Dravidians were the founders of this civilisation.
Town Planning :
From the ruins of Mahenjodaro and Harappa it is known that Indus valley people lived an advanced and cultured life. The people were expert in the art of town planning.
The distance between Mahenjodaro and Harappa is about 600 kilometers. Harappa was bigger than Mahenjodaro. But the ruins of the buildings of these two places reveal similarity in style and structure.
The city of Mahenjodaro was well planned. Mahenjodaro means "The Mound of the Dead" . The ruins of the city reveal elaborate system of drainage and sanitation. All the roads and streets were straight. These roads and streets ran straight from North to South and from East to West and cut each other at right angles.
The main streets were 30 to 34 feet wide. There were covered drains on the both the sides of the main streets. The drains of the private houses were connected with the street drains. There was also arrangement for street lighting which is evident from the discovery of lamp posts in the street and lanes.
The buildings of Mahenjodaro can be divided into three groups, such as dwelling houses, public building and the Great Bath. The dwelling houses were of different size and structure.
The houses were made of well burnt bricks. Houses were mostly built on elevated or raised platforms. Those were simple and comfortable. The people of the Indus valley laid emphasis on simple and comfortable life. So they were not particular about the artistic decoration of their dwelling houses.
The houses, varied in size and structure. Each house was provided with doors, windows, bath rooms, kitchen, drains, and proper system of ventilation. The houses were generally double storeyed. There were staircases with high and narrow steps leading to upper floor.
The ruins of some spacious buildings of elaborate structure and design have also been discovered from Mahenjodaro. It is difficult to know the nature and exact purpose of these buildings. However it is surmised that these buildings were palaces, Temples or Municipal Halls.
The ruins of some great buildings have been discovered from Harappa. These buildings measure 50 feet in length and 20 feet in width. These buildings were used as granaries.
The most remarkable structure of the city of Mahenjodaro is the Great Bath was 180 feet in length and 108 feet in breadth. In the centre of the Bath which consisted of a quadrangle with galleries on all sides.