Which one of the following ancient towns is well-known for its elaborate system of water harvesting and management by building a series of dams and channelizing water into connected reservoirs?
- Dholavira
- Kalibangan
- Rakhigarhi
- Ropar
Explanation
Option (a) is correct
- Dholavira is an archaeological site located on Khadir bet island in the Kachchh Desert Wildlife Sanctuary in the Great Rann of Kachchh. Also known locally as Kotada timba, the site contains ruins of an ancient Indus Valley Civilization/Harappan city.
- Dholavira is one of the two largest Harappan sites in India, and 5th largest in the subcontinent. The city was fortified and had elaborate defense systems, a citadel, gateways, streets, castles, and houses that were made of stones.
- Dholavira has one of the world’s earliest water conservation systems ever excavated.
- The city utilized a series of dams to channelize water into connected reservoirs.
- Two seasonal streams provided water, a scarce resource in this arid region, essential for the survival of the city’s inhabitants.
- The city’s water management included advanced technological elements like sophisticated reservoirs and drainage systems, demonstrating the ingenuity of the Harappan people.
- It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2021.
Option (b) is incorrect
- Kalibangan is a major site of the Indus Valley Civilisation. It is located at Pilibangān, between Suratgarh and Hanumāngarh in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan. It is particularly noted for having the earliest-known ploughed agricultural field in the Indian subcontinent. Kalibangan’s proximity to the now dried-up Ghaggar River indicates the river’s crucial role in agriculture and habitation.
Option (c) is incorrect
- Rakhigarhi is situated in the Hisar district of Haryana and is located in the Ghaggar-Hakra river plain.
- It is the largest Harappan site in the Indian Subcontinent. Earlier, Mohenjo-Daro (Pakistan) was considered to be the largest Harappan site until Prof. Vasanth Shinde and his team started fresh excavations at Rakhigarhi. The findings confirm both early and mature phases of this 5,000-year-old Harappan site of Rakhigarhi. An important find from this site is a cylindrical seal with 5 Harappan characters on one side and a symbol of an alligator on the other.
- A DNA study from skeletal remains from the cemetery at Rakhigarhi found that the Harappan people had an independent origin. The study clearly refutes the theory that the Harappans had ancestral links to steppe pastoralists or ancient Iranian farmers. Rakhigarhi provides the earliest evidence of a double burial, with the skeletons clearly male (38) and female (25).
- Union Budget (2020-21) proposed to develop Rakhigarhi (Hisar district, Haryana) as an Iconic Site.
Option (d) is incorrect
- Rupnagar, formerly known as Ropar (in Punjab), holds the distinction of being the first Indus Valley Civilisation site excavated in independent India. One of the most unique discoveries at Ropar is the burial of a dog alongside humans, highlighting distinct burial practices. The site also yielded an inscribed steatite seal bearing typical Indus pictographs, providing valuable insight into the script and symbols of the Indus Valley Civilisation. Additionally, Ropar is known for its oval pit burials, further illustrating the diverse and complex funerary customs of its ancient inhabitants.
Major Harappan sites and Rivers on which they were located
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