Indus Valley Civilization Notes

🏞️ Indus Valley Civilization – Notes for Competitive Exams

    Introduction:  
    The Indus Valley Civilization (2500 BC – 1750 BC) is considered the earliest urban civilization of India.  
    This civilization was spread across present-day Pakistan and western India.  
    It is also known as the Harappan Civilization because its remains were first discovered at Harappa in 1921.  
    Every year, 4–5 questions from this topic are asked in Railway, SSC, UPSC, and State-level examinations.
  

📍 Important Sites

Harappa – Punjab (Pakistan) → Granaries.
Mohenjo-daro – Sindh (Pakistan) → Great Bath.
Lothal – Gujarat → Dockyard.
Kalibangan – Rajasthan → Fire altars and bone remains.
Dholavira – Gujarat → Advanced water management system.

📌 First Excavations: 1921 (Harappa – Daya Ram Sahni) and 1922 (Mohenjo-daro – R.D. Banerjee)

🏙️ Town Planning

Cities were divided into two parts → Upper Town (Citadel) and Lower Town.
Streets were straight and intersected each other (Grid System).
Houses were built with baked bricks.
Well-developed drainage system.

⚒️ Economic Life

Agriculture was the main occupation → wheat, barley, oilseeds, cotton.
Animal husbandry → bull, cow, sheep, goat.
Trade → trade relations with Mesopotamia (seals and inscriptions).
No use of coins; barter system was followed.

🎨 Art and Culture

Sculptures → Dancing Girl (bronze), Male Torso (stone).
Terracotta seals → animal figures and script.
Ornaments and toys made of metal and clay.
Religious life → worship of Mother Goddess and Pashupati Mahadev.

🔠 Script

The Indus Valley script was a pictographic script, which has not been deciphered till date. It was generally written from right to left.

🌍 Causes of Decline

Floods or natural disasters.
Change in river courses.
Aryan invasion.
Economic and social disintegration.

🎯 Important Points for Exams:
✦ Great Bath → Mohenjo-daro.
✦ Granaries → Harappa.
✦ Fire altars → Kalibangan.
✦ Dockyard → Lothal.
✦ Water management → Dholavira.
✦ Bronze Dancing Girl → Mohenjo-daro.

❓ Expected MCQs

Q1. By which other name is the Indus Valley Civilization known?
➡️ Answer: Harappan Civilization

Q2. Where was the Great Bath discovered?
➡️ Answer: Mohenjo-daro

Q3. Lothal is famous for what?
➡️ Answer: Dockyard

Q4. What type of script was used in the Indus Valley Civilization?
➡️ Answer: Pictographic script

Q5. Kalibangan is famous for which discovery?
➡️ Answer: Fire altars

🏆 Conclusion

The Indus Valley Civilization was the first urban civilization of Indian history. Its town planning, art, culture, and economic life are still subjects of research. This topic is extremely important for competitive examinations.

📝 Practice Quiz

Practice questions based on this topic and strengthen your exam preparation.

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