Why in News ?

To mark the centenary of the discovery of the Harappan civilization at Mohenjo-daro, the India Study Centre Trust in collaboration with the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Maharashtra, will be organising a 10-day online lecture series from October 5.

• The discovery at Mohenjo-daro is one of the most important and characteristic findings in the world.

About Harappan Civilisation

• The archaeological findings excavated for the last eight decades reveal the gradual development of the Harappan culture.
• There are four important stages or phases of evolution and they are named as

1. Pre-Harappan
2. Early-Harappan
3. Mature-Harappan
4. Late Harappan

• The most important are Kot Diji in Sind, Kalibangan in Rajasthan, Rupar in the Punjab, Banawali in Haryana, Lothal, Surkotada and Dholavira, all the three in Gujarat.
  • Mohenjodara is the largest of all the Indus cities with spread over an area of 200 hectares.

• Date of the Harappan Culture
  • Sir John Marshall estimated the duration of the occupation of Mohenjodaro between 3250 and 2750 B.C.
• Town Planning
  • Harappan culture was distinguished by its system of townplanning on the lines of the grid system.
  • The most important public place a part of town planning of Mohenjodaro is the Great Bath measuring 39 feet length, 23 feet breadth and 8 feet depth.
• Economic life
  • There was a great progress in all spheres of economic activity such as agriculture, industry and crafts and trade.
  • Wheat and barley were the main crops grown besides sesame, mustard and cotton.
  • Surplus grain is stored in granaries.
  • Animals like sheep, goats and buffalo were domesticated.
  • Artisans include goldsmiths, brick makers, stone cutters, weavers, boat-builders and terracotta manufacturers.
• Social Life
  • The dress of both men and women consisted of two pieces of cloth, one upper garment and the other lower garment.
  • Beads were worn by men and women.
  • Jewelleries such as bangles, bracelets, fillets, girdles, anklets, ear-rings and fingerrings were worn by women.
  • Fishing was a regular occupation while hunting and bull fighting were other pastimes.
• Arts And Culture
  • The figure of a dancing girl from Mohenjodaro made of bronze is remarkable for its workmanship.
  • Two stone statues from Harappa, one representing the back view of a man and the other of a dancer are also specimens of their sculpture.
  • The pottery from Harappa is another specimen of the fine arts of the Indus people.
  • The script was mostly written from right to left.
  • The chief male deity was Pasupati, (proto-Siva) represented in seals as sitting in a yogic posture with three faces and two horns.

Reason for the decline

Various theories have been postulated. Natural calamities like recurring floods, drying up of rivers, decreasing fertility of the soil due to excessive exploitation and occasional earthquakes might have caused the decline of the Harappan cities.

Source : The Hindu

Topic

GS I : Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times

Current Affairs Compilation : 28 September 2020