Everything you need to know about Indus Valley Civilization
One of the greatest civilization on earth Indus Valley Civilization existed between 2500–1700 BC. During the time of ancient, other great civilizations also flourished such as Mesopotamia and Yellow River. India and world can still learn a lot from Indus Valley civilization as they presented a near to perfect society where women and men had equal rights (this can be contented but as far as the archaeological survey shows, it seems quite evident). Let’s understand India’s past by decoding this ancient civilization.
5 features Indus Valley is remembered for
1. Town Planning
All the Indus Valley towns were divided into two parts Upper town and Lower Town, as the French divided Pondicherry (India) in 18th century in two: White Town and Black Town. The Upper Town was for merchants and noble and the second, belonged to common people. Note, it was not a caste/varna system; it comes with Aryans.
All streets and roads in IVC were straight and cutting each other at 90 degree angle. India as aspiring to create 100 smart cities in future, may be it should learn to the basics right as those people did it 4500 years back. All the roads were built using the burnt bricks and the each brick had size in the ratio of 4:2:1. The tremendous work for that time!
Houses were made in different shapes and sizes, perhaps representing social hierarchy. Houses with single, double and more rooms were found in many of the IVC sites. They also had an excellent drainage system.
2. Citadel
It was kind of fort but not exactly a fort. It seems some ruling or priestly class lived there as only 6 citadels have been found. One interesting fact is that every 6 of them was found in the upper level of the city. However, a citadel doesn’t mean that there lived a king.
3. Great Bath
Great Bath found at Mohenjodaro was kind of a modern swimming pool. It was a rectangular structure with stairs to in. Interestingly, there were also three showers just near the Great Bath. It shows they probably was concerned about hygiene.
4. Great Granary
One of the biggest granaries in IVC sites was found in Mohenjodaro. Almost all the IVC sites had granaries. Mostly, staple food such as Rice, Wheat and Barley were stored. Probably, it was a public distribution system meant to distribute food grains in times of calamities as Indus river was prone to flood.
Religion: Animism and Nature
Indus people were more into worshiping nature. They feared everything which frightened them and thus they worshiped.
Some of the sites had sun and moon drawing so it seems they were Sabians. They also worshiped snake, pigeon and other animals.
It seems they regarded highly to humped bulls as all houses had seal of it.
In Harappa, a seal was found where a man was in meditating position. He was surrounded with Buffalo, Rhino, Elephant and Tiger with two deer at his feet. He was sitting under a Pipal tree and was called Pashupati. Probably, he was Indian God Shiva.
Also, a Harappan seal depicted 5 men were holding a humped bull. So, may be Jalikattu (the annual festival of Tamil Nadu where Pulikulam or Kangayam breed is left free in the crowd and people try to grab the large hump on the bull’s back) started from here.
A terracotta image depicting a plant erupting from a woman’s womb was also found. Probably, depicting fertility and they might worshiped because infant mortality rate was high that time as many sites have infant babies put up in a pot and buried.
Harappan Script
Indus or Harappan script has total 400 signs written in pictograph. Nobody has been able to decipher the book and the way it is written it seems they knew geometry.
It is a small introduction about the great Indus Valley Civilization. They have left a legacy which still can be emulated.
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Thanks for reading!
