What is Indus Valley Civilization / Harappan culture /
Haddappa Sanskruti ?
The Indus Valley Civilization (also known as the Harappan
culture) has its earliest roots in cultures such as that of Mehrgarh, approximately 6000 BCE. The
two greatest cities, Mohenjo-daro and
Harappa, emerged circa 2600 BCE along the Indus River valley in Punjab and Sindh. The civilization,
with a possible writing system, urban centers, and diversified social and
economic system, was rediscovered in the 1920s after excavations at Mohenjo-daro in Sindh near Larkana, and Harappa, in west Punjab south of Lahore.
A number of other sites stretching from the Himalayan
foothills in east Punjab, India in the north, to Gujarat in the south and east,
and to Pakistani Balochistan in the west have also been discovered and studied.
Although the archaeological site at Harappa was damaged in 1857 when engineers
constructing the Lahore-Multan railroad (as part of the Sind and Punjab
Railway), used brick from the Harappa ruins for track ballast, an abundance of
artifacts has nevertheless been found. The bricks discovered were made of red
sand, clay, stones and were baked at very high temperature. As early as 1826
Harappa located in west Punjab attracted the attention of a British officer in
India, gets credit for preliminary excavations in Harappa.
Gujarat & Indus Valley Civilization
Indus
Valley Civilization was one of the worlds first great civilization. It is also
known as Harapan civilization. In Gujarat Rangpur in Limdi Taluka of Ahmedabad
district was the first site which was re-exacavated after independence as it
was suspected to be a Harappan outpost. Rangpur represented a late phase of the
mature Harappan culture. Further surveys of the peninsulas of Saurashtra and
Kutch and the mainland of Gujarat from 1954 to 1958 brought to light different
phases of the Harappan civilization and thereby added a new province to the
Indus Empire. The discoveries extended the civilization by 500 Km upto the
north of the river Kim where another small Harappan part, Bhagatrav, gives
access to the agate bearing mines and forest hills of the Narmada Tapi Valleys.
Around
2500 B.C., the Harappans probably started infiltrating into Kutch and settled
down there with an amazing speed and strength. So far 60 Indus settlements have
been found in Kutch. Out of them about 40 belong to the 'early' phase and the
remaining represent the late phase of the mature Harapan culture.
Only five
settlements of the 'early phase' continue into the 'late phase' and the
remaining are new settlements of the late Harappans.
On the
basis of general evidence coming up from Kutch and parts of Gujarat it appears
that the Harapans brought here their full blown culture and lived almost a full
life before their culture declined and fragmented causing large scale migration
from Kutch to the hinterland of Gujarat and also perhaps Saurashtra.
Dholavira
Of all the Harappan sites the site of Dholavira locally known as Kotada,
in the Khadir island of Kutch, stands apart. It is remarkable for its
magnificent planning and enormity of area and deposit. On the present showing,
it is one of the two largest settlements in India and the fourth or fifth
largest in the subcontinent, the others being Mohenjo-daro, Harappa, Gharo
Bhiro (all in Pakistan) and Rakhigarhi (in India). No wonder, if it was the
metropolis of the entire Kutch or even a larger area.
Dholavira enjoys the unique distinction of yielding and inscription of
ten large-sized signs of the Harappan script: indeed the oldest sign-board of
the world. A variety of funerary structures is yet another feature of exceeding
importance throwing new light on the socio-religious beliefs, thereby
indicating the presence of campsite ethnic groups in the Indus population if
Dholavira.
Dholavira which presents a Harappan city par excellence, measures about
600m. on the north-south axis and 775 m. on the east-west. Inside the general
fortification, there are three distinct complexes-An Acropolis, a middle town
had been further furnished with their own appurtenant defense-work, gate ways,
built--up areas, street-system, wells and large open spaces. The kith within
the general fortification accounts for 48 hectares. Besides, there are
extensive structure-bearing areas though outside yet intimately integral to the
fortified settlement. If put together, the total area goes well beyond 100
hectares in expanse. Amazing indeed!
Considerable pre-planning seems to have gone into the layout and
construction of the 'ACROPOLIS'. It is the most carefully guarded as well as
impressive and imposing complex in the city of which it appropriates the major
portion of the southwestern zone. The towering 'castle' stands majestically in
fair insulation and is splendidly defended by double ramparts. It admeasures
about 140 m. along east-west and 120 m. north-south and registers a maximum
height of more than 16 meters. Nearly in the center of each of the eastern,
western and northern sides of the double defenses a big gate is provided to
give access to the 'castle' through a flight of steps.
Middle
Town :
The
embattled 'middle town' admeasures about 350 m. east-west and 180 to 200m.
north-south and rises to a height of 8.60 m. from the general ground-level. There
were two or three more gates in the enclosure which facilitated
intercommunication normally with the 'lower town' in the east and the open
spaces on other sides.
Lower
Town :
The
built-up area of the 'lower town' occupies nearly 2/3 part of the eastern half
of the fortified city. It measures 300 m. east-west and 350 m. north-south,
approximately attaining the height of 7.50 m. Like the 'middle town' this too
reveals a constructed area having several built up projections and open
recesses at least on the north east and south where the latter merges with the
general open area which reins around.
Lothal
Lothal is
the name of an ancient mound situated in the revenue jurisdiction of Sarajwala Village
in Dholka Taluka of Ahmedabad District in Gujarat State. The word 'Lothal'
meaning 'Place of the dead' in Gujarati language is said to have to have been
formed by combining the words Loth and thal (sthal).
Lothal is
essentially a single culture site. The Harappan Culture in all its variant
forms is well represented here.
The
Harappans were attracted to Lothal not only by its sheltered harbor with a rich
cotton-and rice-growing hinterland but also by its bead-making industry.
The Indus
dichotomy of dividing the city into a citadel or Acropolis and a Lower Town was
followed in planning Lothal. The Ruler and his entourage lived in the acropolis
where houses were built on 3 m high platforms and provided with all the civic
amenities including paved baths, underground drains and a well for
potable water.
The Lower
Town which also enjoyed civic amenities was subdivided into two sectors. The
north-south arterial street flanked by shops was the main commercial center in
which the rich merchant and ordinary craftsmen lived together. The residential
sector lay to the east and west of bazaar.
While
planning the town, Lothal engineers accorded high priority to two other needs.
The fulfillment of which depended the economic prosperity of the inhabitants.
The first one was a dock for berthing ships and the second a warehouse for
storing and examining cargo. The dock built on the eastern flank of the town is
an engineering feat of the highest order. Its very location away from the main
current avoided shifting the same time ships could have access to the docking
high tide.
The
second need, namely the warehouse, arose from the large volume of cargo which
Lothal had to handle. Hence, a warehouse was built close to the acropolis on a
3.5 m high podium of mud-bricks to serve as a clearing house for incoming and
outgoing cargo.
With the
birth of a planned Harappan port-town in Phase II (2350 BC) Lothal enjoyed
great prosperity owing to foreign trade. It became a busy industrial center
importing pure copper and producing bronze Celts, fish-hooks, chisels,
spearheads and ornaments which were supplied through normal trade channels all
over the western province and beyond.
Surkotda
Around
2300 BC, the Harappans came to Surkotada and built a fortified citadel and
residential annex, made of mud brick, mud lumps and rubble containing houses
with bathrooms and drains. They had painted pottery with Indus alphabet painted
on the pots chest blades and cooper objects, a typical Harappa seal has also
been found. Other interesting finds are clay lingo like objects evidently of
cult significance. A piece of charred rope adds to the variety of the finds.
Bones of the Equips from the earliest levels are the other important discovery
in that they show the animal was known to the Harappans. Some important finds
are a typical Harappan terracotta seal, a heavy copper chisel, a hoard of
copper beads and bangles and terracotta toys, tanks and beads besides animal
skeletal remains of the horse, camel, elephant and sheep.
The
harappans buried the bones of their dead in small oval pits and put jars and
dishes on a stand probably for keeping food etc. and covered it with a huge
slab. This practice is unprecedented in the Harappan burial tradition.
The
excavations have revealed that the Harappans lived here along with an
antecedent culture with all their typical modes of habitation and cultural
assemblage and continued even after the mature phase was over.
How to reach ?
|
Dholavaria
: It is a small
village situated near the north-western extremity of Khadir, which is a large
island in the great Rann of Kutch. The village is approachable from Bhuj via
Rappar by a good road on which plies a regular bus service.
Nearest Airport Bhuj
Distance from Bhuj
to Dholavira 140 Km. (Approx.)
|
Lothal
: Situated at a distance of 6 Km from Lothal-Bhurkhi Railway Station on
the Ahmedabad Bhavnagar meter gauge section of the Western Railway. It is
well connected by an all weather road with Bhurkhi, Ahmedabad, Dholka and
other major towns such as Bhavnagar and Rajkot. Nearest airport is Ahmedabad.
|
Surkatada
:
Approachable from Bhuj by road and a regular bus service is available.
Nearest
Airport bhuj
Distance from Bhuj to Surkotda
85 Km. (Approx.)
|
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