Class 6 History – Chapter 3: In the Earliest Cities
(Harappan Civilization: Complete Detailed UPSC/IAS Guide)

1. Chapter Introduction: First Urbanisation

Hello friends. In the previous chapter, we saw how humans became ‘farmers’. In this chapter, we will take a giant leap. We will go back about 4700 years, when cities were established for the first time in the Indian subcontinent. This is called “First Urbanisation” or “Harappan Civilization” in history. For UPSC, this chapter is extremely important as it reflects the roots of our Urban Planning, trade, and craftsmanship.

2. The Story of Harappa: How was it Discovered?

The discovery of Harappa was accidental.

• Railway Line: About 150 years ago, when railway lines were being laid down for the first time in Punjab (present-day Pakistan), engineers stumbled upon an old ruin. They thought it was a rich source of ready-made bricks. They carried off thousands of bricks from the walls of the old buildings to build railway lines, destroying many buildings in the process.
• Archaeological Discovery: About 80 years ago, archaeologists found the site again and realized that this was one of the oldest cities in the subcontinent. Dayaram Sahni (1921) discovered Harappa and Rakhaldas Banerji (1922) discovered Mohenjodaro.
• Naming: Since this was the first city to be discovered, all other sites where similar buildings were found were described as ‘Harappan Civilization’. These cities developed about 4700 years ago (2700 BC).

3. Features of these Cities: Town Planning

The biggest identity of the Harappan Civilization is its amazing ‘Town Planning’. Most cities were divided into two parts:

Walls and Bricks: The walls of both parts were made of Baked Bricks. The bricks were so well baked that they have lasted for thousands of years. The bricks were laid in an ‘Interlocking’ pattern, which made the walls strong.

4. Special Buildings: The Great Bath

In the citadel of Mohenjodaro, a very special tank has been found, which archaeologists call the ‘Great Bath’.

• Construction: It was lined with bricks, coated with plaster, and made water-tight with a layer of natural tar (Charcoal).
• Structure: There were steps leading down to it from two sides, while there were rooms on all sides.
• Water: Water was probably brought in from a well and drained out after use.
• Significance: Perhaps important people took a dip in this tank on special occasions (Ritual significance).

5. Houses, Drains and Streets (Infrastructure)

The drainage system of these cities rivals even modern times.

• Houses: Houses were generally one or two storeys high, with rooms built around a courtyard. Most houses had a separate bathing area, and some had wells to supply water.
• Drains: Many of these cities had Covered Drains. These were laid in straight lines. Each drain had a gentle slope so that water could flow through it.
• Grid Pattern: Streets and drains cut each other at right angles (90 degrees), dividing the city into rectangular blocks.
• Manholes: As the drains were covered, inspection holes (Manholes) were provided at intervals to clean them.

6. Social and Religious Life

Harappan society was well-organized and comprised different classes.

Social Structure:

1. Rulers: People who planned the construction of special buildings in the city and sent people to distant lands to get precious stones and metals.
2. Craftspersons: Bead makers, seal makers, weavers, and metallurgists.
3. Workers/Farmers: Those who lived in the lower town or villages and supplied food.

Religious Beliefs:

Harappans were nature lovers and idol worshippers, though no temples have been found.

• Mother Goddess: Many terracotta figurines of women have been found, considered to be the goddess of fertility.
• Pashupati Mahadev (Proto-Shiva): A seal depicts a yogi-like figure surrounded by animals (elephant, tiger, rhino, buffalo). This is considered an early form of Shiva.
• Nature Worship: The Peepal tree and the one-horned animal (Unicorn) were considered sacred. Seals of the Humped Bull are very common.

7. New Crafts and Artifacts

Most of the things that have been found by archaeologists are made of stone, shell, copper, bronze, gold, and silver.

• Copper and Bronze: Used to make tools, weapons, ornaments, and vessels.
• Gold and Silver: Used to make ornaments and vessels.
• Weights: Precise weights made of ‘Chert’ stone. These were in multiples of 16.
• Beads: Beautiful beads were made by cutting red ‘Carnelian’ stone.
• Seals: Rectangular seals made of stone (Steatite). These usually have an animal carved on them.

8. Search for Raw Materials

Some raw materials (like clay, wood) were available locally, but copper, tin, gold, silver, and precious stones had to be brought from distant places. This list is very important for UPSC:

Material	Source Location
Copper	Rajasthan (Khetri) and Oman (West Asia)
Tin	Modern Iran and Afghanistan (Mixed with copper to make Bronze)
Gold	Modern Karnataka (Kolar region)
Lapis Lazuli	Afghanistan (Shortughai)
Precious Stones	Gujarat, Iran, and Afghanistan

9. Food for People in the Cities

People living in the cities depended on farmers and herders in the villages for food.

• Crops: Wheat, barley, pulses, peas, rice, sesame, linseed, and mustard.
• Plough: The use of the ‘plough’ to dig the earth was a new thing. Real ploughs were made of wood (and have not survived), but toy ploughs made of terracotta have been found in Banawali (Haryana).
• Irrigation: Since this region receives less rainfall, water was stored and supplied to the fields.
• Herding: Cattle, buffalo, sheep, and goats were reared. In dry months, herders took their animals to distant places in search of grass and water.

10. Harappan Towns in Gujarat (Dholavira & Lothal)

(A) Dholavira – Kutch

Located on Khadir Beyt in the Rann of Kutch, Dholavira was a unique city.

• Three Parts: Unlike other Harappan cities which were divided into two parts, Dholavira was divided into three parts (Citadel, Middle Town, Lower Town).
• Water Management: Massive reservoirs and dams have been found here, showing advanced water conservation techniques.
• Script: Large letters of the Harappan script were found carved out of white stone (Signboard). This is unique because Harappan writing is usually found on small objects like seals.

(B) Lothal – Port City

It stood beside a tributary of the Sabarmati, in Gujarat, close to the Gulf of Khambhat.

• Industry: It was an important centre for making objects out of stone, shell, and metal. A bead-making factory has been found here.
• Dockyard: A huge tank has been found, which was likely a dockyard where ships coming in from the sea docked.
• Fire Altars: Ritualistic fire altars have been found here.
• Double Burial: Evidence of two people (male and female) being buried in a single grave has been found here.

11. The Mystery of the End

Around 3900 years ago, we find the beginning of a major change. Cities were abandoned. Writing, seals, and weights were no longer used.

Main Theories of Decline:

• Floods: Scholars like John Marshall and Mackay believed that recurring floods destroyed the cities (especially Mohenjodaro).
• Drying up/Shifting of Rivers: The drying up of the Saraswati (Ghaggar-Hakra) river is considered a major cause.
• Ecological Imbalance: Deforestation for fuel (baking bricks) and grazing by large herds destroyed the green cover, making the land barren.
• External Invasion (Aryans?): Scholars like Wheeler suggested an Aryan invasion based on the mention of ‘Purandara’ (destroyer of forts) in the Rigveda, though this is less accepted now.

12. Elsewhere: Pyramids of Egypt

Around 5000 years ago, kings ruled over Egypt and built Pyramids.

• When kings died, their bodies were preserved and buried in these pyramids (Mummies).
• A large number of objects were buried with them: food, drink, clothes, ornaments, utensils, musical instruments, weapons, and sometimes even servants.
• This is the grandest example in world history of wealth spent on burials.

13. UPSC / BPSC Critical Analysis

• Secular Structure: No massive temples were found in Harappa (unlike Mesopotamia or Egypt). Only the Great Bath and Fire Altars (Kalibangan/Lothal) suggest ritualistic significance, not organized religion.
• Balance of Trade: The dockyard at Lothal and the finding of seals in Mesopotamia are proofs of international trade.
• Mystery of Script: The Harappan script remains undeciphered to this day. It was Pictographic and likely written in the Boustrophedon style (right to left, then left to right).

14. Practice Questions (20 Practice MCQs – UPSC Prelims Level)

15. Mains Analytical Question

Question: Describe the main features of the Town Planning of Harappan Civilization. How was it different or similar to modern cities?
Answer Hint: Harappan town planning was based on the Grid System where streets cut each other at right angles. Covered drains, manholes, use of baked bricks, and the division of the city into two parts (Citadel and Lower Town) were its main features. Similarity: Even today we use drainage and grid systems. Difference: Today, the classification of cities is not as distinct as Citadel and Lower Town, and we use diverse materials (concrete, glass).

16. Chapter Summary (Conclusion)

The Harappan Civilization is a golden chapter in Indian history. 4700 years ago, when many parts of the world were still living a primitive life, organized cities, trade, and art were flourishing in India. The water management of Dholavira and the trade of Lothal introduce us to the scientific thinking of our ancestors. Even though this civilization mysteriously ended 3900 years ago, its legacy is still alive in our culture today.

17. Golden Points for Revision

• Time Period: 4700 – 3900 years ago.
• Town Division: Western Citadel (Small/High) and Eastern Lower Town (Large/Low).
• Great Bath: Mohenjodaro (Layer of Natural Tar).
• Fire Altars: Kalibangan and Lothal.
• Dockyard: Lothal (Gujarat).
• Dholavira: City divided into three parts, Signboard.
• Raw Materials: Copper (Rajasthan/Oman), Tin (Iran/Afghanistan), Gold (Karnataka).
• Faience: Artificially produced material (Beads/Bangles).
• Seals: Pictures of animals, Script undeciphered so far.
• Artifacts: Bronze Dancing Girl, Bearded Priest, Pashupati Seal.

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