Question

Explain the reasons for the decline of the harappan civilization

Answer 1

The reasons for the Decline of the Harappan civilization

(i) Floods and earthquakes

⇒ It is said by the scholars that floods have led to the decline of the settlement.

⇒ Mohenjo Daro was found covered with silty clay which may have come from the flood waters.

⇒ Earthquakes may have raised the level of water of the Indus river.

⇒ This led to inundation of the settlement and people had to abandon it.

(ii) Increased aridity

⇒ The drying up of the rivers of Ghaggar , Sutlej and Yamuna led to increase in aridity of the area.

⇒ This caused change in drainage pattern and led to ecological disturbances which may have led to the abandonment of the settlement.

(iii) Deforestation

⇒ For making jewellery and other products , trees were cut.

⇒ Continuous cutting of trees or deforestation led to the problem of the people as they could not make their daily necessary items.

⇒ This could have been another cause.

(iv) Attack

⇒ Some historians believed that the Aryans had invaded the settlement.

⇒ Skeletons of people were found which gave us a hint that the place could have been attacked by the Aryans who massacred the people.

Hope it helps !

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Answer 2

ᴅᵉᶠⁱⁿⁱᵗᵉ ʳᵉᵃˢᵒⁿ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ˡᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ᵗʰᵉ ᵈᵉᶜˡⁱⁿᵉ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ɪⁿᵈᵘˢ ᴠᵃˡˡᵉʸ ᴄⁱᵛⁱˡⁱᶻᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ ⁱˢ ⁿᵒᵗ ᵏⁿᵒʷⁿ, ᵃˢ ⁿᵒ ʳᵉˡⁱᵃᵇˡᵉ ʳᵉˢᵒᵘʳᶜᵉ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ᵖᵉʳⁱᵒᵈ ⁱˢ ᵃᵛᵃⁱˡᵃᵇˡᵉ ᵃᵗ ᵖʳᵉˢᵉⁿᵗ. ᴇᵛᵉʳʸ ᶜᵒⁿᶜˡᵘˢⁱᵒⁿ ʳᵉᵍᵃʳᵈⁱⁿᵍ ᵗʰᵉ ᵈᵉᶜˡⁱⁿᵉ ⁱˢ ᵇᵃˢᵉᵈ ᵘᵖᵒⁿ ˢᵖᵉᶜᵘˡᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿˢ ᵒᶠ ʰⁱˢᵗᵒʳⁱᵃⁿˢ. ᴛʰᵒᵘᵍʰ ᵗʰᵉ ʳᵉᵃˢᵒⁿ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ᵈᵉᶜˡⁱⁿᵉ ⁱˢ ⁿᵒᵗ ᵏⁿᵒʷⁿ, ᵇᵘᵗ ᵗʰʳᵒᵘᵍʰ ᵉˣᶜᵃᵛᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿˢ ⁱᵗ ⁱˢ ᶜˡᵉᵃʳ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ᶠᵃˡˡ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʜᵃʳᵃᵖᵖᵃⁿ ᴄⁱᵛⁱˡⁱᶻᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᵒᶜᶜᵘʳʳᵉᵈ ᵇᵉᵗʷᵉᵉⁿ 1800 ʙᴄ ᵗᵒ 1700 ʙᴄ.

ɪᵗ ⁱˢ ᶜᵒᵐᵐᵒⁿˡʸ ᵇᵉˡⁱᵉᵛᵉᵈ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ᵗʰᵉ ᴀʳʸᵃⁿˢ ʷᵉʳᵉ ᵗʰᵉ ⁿᵉˣᵗ ˢᵉᵗᵗˡᵉʳˢ. ᴛʰᵉʸ ʷᵉʳᵉ ˢᵏⁱˡˡᵉᵈ ᶠⁱᵍʰᵗᵉʳˢ, ˢᵒ ᵗʰᵉⁱʳ ᵃᵗᵗᵃᶜᵏ ᵐⁱᵍʰᵗ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ˡᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ᵗʰᵉ ᵈᵉˢᵗʳᵘᶜᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʜᵃʳᵃᵖᵖᵃⁿ ᴄⁱᵛⁱˡⁱᶻᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ. ᴇᵛᵉⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᵉᵖⁱᶜˢ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ᴀʳʸᵃⁿˢ ᵐᵉⁿᵗⁱᵒⁿᵉᵈ ᵃᵇᵒᵘᵗ ᵗʰᵉⁱʳ ᵛⁱᶜᵗᵒʳʸ ᵒᵛᵉʳ ᵗʰᵉ ᵍʳᵉᵃᵗ ᶜⁱᵗⁱᵉˢ. ᴛʰᵉ ʰᵘᵐᵃⁿ ʳᵉᵐᵃⁱⁿˢ ᶠᵒᵘⁿᵈ ᵈᵘʳⁱⁿᵍ ᵉˣᶜᵃᵛᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᵒᶠ ɪⁿᵈᵘˢ ᵛᵃˡˡᵉʸ ᵖᵒⁱⁿᵗ ᵗᵒʷᵃʳᵈˢ ˢᵒᵐᵉ ᵛⁱᵒˡᵉⁿᵗ ᶜᵃᵘˢᵉ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉⁱʳ ᵈᵉᵃᵗʰ. ɴᵒʷ ᵐᵃⁿʸ ʰⁱˢᵗᵒʳⁱᵃⁿˢ, ʷʰᵒ ᵈᵒ ⁿᵒᵗ ᵇᵉˡⁱᵉᵛᵉ ᵗʰⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉᵒʳʸ, ˢᵃʸ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ᵗʰᵉ ᴀʳʸᵃⁿˢ ᵐⁱᵍʰᵗ ⁿᵒᵗ ᵇᵉ ⁱⁿᵛᵒˡᵛᵉᵈ ⁱⁿ ᵃⁿʸ ˢᵘᶜʰ ᵃᵗᵗᵃᶜᵏ.

ᴏʷⁱⁿᵍ ᵗᵒ ᵗʰⁱˢ ᶜᵒⁿᶠˡⁱᶜᵗ, ᵗʰᵉ ᵗʰᵉᵒʳʸ ᵒᶠ ᵃ ʰᵘᵍᵉ ᶜˡⁱᵐᵃᵗⁱᶜ ᶜʰᵃⁿᵍᵉ ᵒʳ ⁿᵃᵗᵘʳᵃˡ ᵈⁱˢᵃˢᵗᵉʳ ᵍᵃⁱⁿᵉᵈ ᶜʳᵉᵈⁱᵇⁱˡⁱᵗʸ. ɪᵗ ʰᵃˢ ᵇᵉᵉⁿ ᶠᵒᵘⁿᵈ ᵒᵘᵗ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ᵃʳᵒᵘⁿᵈ 2000 ʙᴄ ˢᵒᵐᵉ ᵐᵃʲᵒʳ ᶜˡⁱᵐᵃᵗⁱᶜ ᶜʰᵃⁿᵍᵉˢ ˢᵗᵃʳᵗᵉᵈ ᵒᶜᶜᵘʳʳⁱⁿᵍ ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ɪⁿᵈᵘˢ ᴠᵃˡˡᵉʸ. ᴛʰᵉˢᵉ ᶜʰᵃⁿᵍᵉˢ ʰᵃᵈ ˡᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ᶠˡᵒᵒᵈˢ ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖˡᵃⁱⁿˢ ᵃⁿᵈ ᶜⁱᵗⁱᵉˢ. ʜⁱˢᵗᵒʳⁱᵃⁿˢ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᶠᵒᵘⁿᵈ ᵉᵛⁱᵈᵉⁿᶜᵉ ᵗᵒ ᵖʳᵒᵛᵉ ᵗʰⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉᵒʳʸ ᵃˢ ʷᵉˡˡ. ᴍᵒˢᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ᶜⁱᵗⁱᵉˢ ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ʜᵃʳᵃᵖᵖᵃⁿ ᴄⁱᵛⁱˡⁱᶻᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵇᵉᵉⁿ ᶠᵒᵘⁿᵈ ⁱⁿ ᵃ ᶜᵒⁿᵈⁱᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᵃˢ ⁱᶠ ᵗʰᵉˢᵉ ʰᵃᵈ ᵇᵉᵉⁿ ᶠⁱʳˢᵗ ᵃᵇᵃⁿᵈᵒⁿᵉᵈ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵗʰᵉⁿ ʳᵉᵇᵘⁱˡᵗ.

ᴄⁱᵗⁱᵉˢ, ᶠᵒʳ ⁱⁿˢᵗᵃⁿᶜᵉ, ʷᵉʳᵉ ⁱⁿⁱᵗⁱᵃˡˡʸ ᵇᵘⁱˡᵗ ʷⁱᵗʰ ᵍʳᵉᵃᵗ ᶜᵃʳᵉ ᵇᵘᵗ ʳᵉᶜᵒⁿˢᵗʳᵘᶜᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ˢᵃᵐᵉ ʷᵃˢ ᵈᵒⁿᵉ ʷⁱᵗʰ ᵇʳᵒᵏᵉⁿ ᵇʳⁱᶜᵏˢ ᵃⁿᵈ ⁿᵒ ᵃᵗᵗᵉⁿᵗⁱᵒⁿ ʷᵃˢ ᵖᵃⁱᵈ ᵗᵒ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖʳᵒᵖᵉʳ ˢᵉʷᵃᵍᵉ ˢʸˢᵗᵉᵐ ᵈᵘʳⁱⁿᵍ ʳᵉᶜᵒⁿˢᵗʳᵘᶜᵗⁱᵒⁿ. ᴘʳᵒᵖᵉʳ ˢᵉʷᵃᵍᵉ ˢʸˢᵗᵉᵐ ʷᵃˢ ᵒⁿᵉ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ᵐᵃʲᵒʳ ᶜʰᵃʳᵃᶜᵗᵉʳⁱˢᵗⁱᶜˢ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ɪⁿᵈᵘˢ ᴠᵃˡˡᵉʸ ᴄⁱᵛⁱˡⁱᶻᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ.

ᴛʰᵉⁿ, ᵗʰᵉʳᵉ ʷᵃˢ ᵃ ᶠᵃˡˡ ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᵃᵛᵉʳᵃᵍᵉ ʳᵃⁱⁿᶠᵃˡˡ ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᶜⁱᵗⁱᵉˢ ˡᵉᵃᵈⁱⁿᵍ ᵗᵒ ᵗʰᵉ ᶠᵒʳᵐᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᵒᶠ ᵈᵉˢᵉʳᵗ-ˡⁱᵏᵉ ᶜᵒⁿᵈⁱᵗⁱᵒⁿ. ᴛʰⁱˢ ˡᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ᵗʰᵉ ᵈᵉᶜˡⁱⁿᵉ ⁱⁿ ᵃᵍʳⁱᶜᵘˡᵗᵘʳᵉ ᵒⁿ ʷʰⁱᶜʰ ᵐᵒˢᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ᵗʳᵃᵈᵉ ʷᵃˢ ᵈᵉᵖᵉⁿᵈᵉⁿᵗ. ᴏʷⁱⁿᵍ ᵗᵒ ᵗʰⁱˢ, ᵖᵉᵒᵖˡᵉ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ɪⁿᵈᵘˢ ᴠᵃˡˡᵉʸ ˢᵗᵃʳᵗᵉᵈ ˢʰⁱᶠᵗⁱⁿᵍ ᵗᵒ ˢᵒᵐᵉ ᵒᵗʰᵉʳ ˡᵒᶜᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ ˡᵉᵃᵈⁱⁿᵍ ᵗᵒ ᵗʰᵉ ᵈᵉᶜˡⁱⁿᵉ ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᵉⁿᵗⁱʳᵉ ᶜⁱᵛⁱˡⁱᶻᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ. ᴀˢ ᵖᵉʳ ˢᵒᵐᵉ ˢᶜʰᵒˡᵃʳˢ, ᵗʰᵉ ʳᵉᵃˢᵒⁿ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ᵈᵉᶜˡⁱⁿᵉ ⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᶜʰᵃⁿᵍᵉ ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᶜᵒᵘʳˢᵉ ᵒᶠ ʀⁱᵛᵉʳ ɢʰᵃᵍᵍᵃʳ-ʜᵃʳᵏᵃ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ʰᵃᵈ ˡᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ᵃⁿ ⁱⁿᶜʳᵉᵃˢᵉ ⁱⁿ ᵃʳⁱᵈⁱᵗʸ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖˡᵃᶜᵉ. ᴀʳᵒᵘⁿᵈ 2000 ʙᴄ, ᵗʰᵉʳᵉ ʷᵃˢ ᶠᵒᵘⁿᵈ ᵃⁿ ⁱⁿᶜʳᵉᵃˢᵉ ⁱⁿ ᵃʳⁱᵈ ᶜᵒⁿᵈⁱᵗⁱᵒⁿˢ. ᴛʰᵉ ˡᵒᶜᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ ʷʰᵉʳᵉ ᵗʰᵉ ɪⁿᵈᵘˢ ᵛᵃˡˡᵉʸ ᶜⁱᵛⁱˡⁱˢᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᵒⁿᶜᵉ ᶠˡᵒᵘʳⁱˢʰᵉᵈ ⁱˢ ᵃ ᵈᵉˢᵉʳᵗ ᵗᵒᵈᵃʸ.

ᴍᵃⁿʸ ᵗʰᵉᵒʳⁱᵉˢ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵇᵉᵉⁿ ᶠᵒʳᵐᵘˡᵃᵗᵉᵈ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵖʳᵒᵛⁱᵈᵉᵈ, ᵇᵘᵗ ᵃˡˡ ᵗʰᵉ ᵗʰᵉᵒʳⁱᵉˢ ᵐᵉᵗ ʷⁱᵗʰ ᵒⁿᵉ ᵒʳ ᵃⁿᵒᵗʰᵉʳ ᶠᵒʳᵐ ᵒᶠ ᶜʳⁱᵗⁱᶜⁱˢᵐ. ᴀʳᶜʰᵉᵒˡᵒᵍⁱᶜᵃˡ ᵉᵛⁱᵈᵉⁿᶜᵉˢ ᵈᵒ ᵖʳᵒᵛᵉ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ᵗʰᵉʳᵉ ʷᵃˢ ⁿᵒ ˢᵘᵈᵈᵉⁿ ᶜᵒˡˡᵃᵖˢᵉ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ɪⁿᵈᵘˢ ᴠᵃˡˡᵉʸ ᴄⁱᵛⁱˡⁱᶻᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᵇᵘᵗ ⁱᵗ ᵈᵉᶜˡⁱⁿᵉᵈ ᵒᵛᵉʳ ᵃ ᵖᵉʳⁱᵒᵈ ᵒᶠ ᵗⁱᵐᵉ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵍᵒᵗ ᵐⁱⁿᵍˡᵉᵈ ʷⁱᵗʰ ᵒᵗʰᵉʳ ᶜⁱᵛⁱˡⁱᶻᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿˢ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ᵖᵉʳⁱᵒᵈ.