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The Indus Valley Civilization, one of the earliest urban cultures, arose around 3300 BCE in the fertile plains of the Indus River, encompassing parts of today's Pakistan and northwest India. It boasted of more than 1500 cities spread over 1.5 million sq. km. area. Also called the Harappan Civilization, it went through three stages: the early village phase (3200 BCE - 2600 BCE), mature urbanized phase (2600 BCE - 1900 BCE), and a late post-urban phase (1900 BCE - 1300 BCE), marked by the decline of the civilization. Notable sites include Mohenjodaro, Harappa, Kalibangan, Dholavira, Lothal, Rakhigari, Banwali, Chahundaro, Sutkagendor, and Kot Diji. Even after its decline, its influence is seen till today in the Indian civilization.
The Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) is one of the world's oldest urban civilizations located in the northwestern regions of South Asia, primarily in what is today Pakistan and northwest India.
The Indus Valley Civilization was discovered in the 1920s during archaeological excavations of Harappa by Daya Ram Sahni in 1921 and Mohenjo-Daro by R. D. Banerji in 1922.
The exact reasons behind the decline of Indus valley civilisation are not clear and often debatable. Possible reasons include a shift in monsoon patterns or a prolonged drought, drying up or shifting of rivers like the Sarasvati, invasions by the Indo-Aryans etc.
Archaeological evidence suggests human presence in the Indian subcontinent goes back as far as 70,000 years ago. Early settlements like Mehrgarh in Pakistan, dating back to 7000 BCE, showcase the transition from hunter-gatherer communities to farming societies. These early inhabitants cultivated crops like wheat and barley, domesticated animals, and built permanent dwellings. By 3300 BCE, this laid the foundation for the rise of the Indus Valley Civilization, with its impressive urban planning and advanced technologies.
The Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) is called so because it was found on the banks of Indus river. However, it is also called the ‘Harappan Civilization’ as Harappa was the first city which was discovered in modern time leading to unearthing this lost civilization. This was an urban civilization with planned towns, sophisticated culture and trading with other civilizations of the time like Egypt, Mesopotamia and China.
The central zone of this mature Harappan culture lay in Sindh and Punjab, Pakistan. It extended from the Siwaliks in the north to the Arabian Sea in the south, and from the Makran coast of Balochistan in the west to Meerut in the north-east. The settlements of Sutkagen-dor in the west on the Pakistan–Iran border; Shortughai (Afghanistan) in the north; Alamgirpur (Uttar Pradesh, India) in the east and Daimabad (Maharashtra, India) in the south are the boundaries of this civilisation.
Various discoveries from these sites help us understand the culture and conditions of living of these places.
Changes in climate, decline of the trade with Mesopotamia, and the drying of the river and water resources due to continuous drought are some of the reasons attributed by historians for the decline. Invasions, floods and shifting of the river course are also cited as reasons for the ruin of Indus civilization. In course of time, the people shifted to the southern and eastern directions from the Indus region. As the Late Harappan phase began, there was a decline in the culture:-
Harappan Civilization Continuity in Decline, Not Lost: Three other civilizations existed at the same time as the Indus Valley Civilization. These include the Egypt (Tigris and Euphrates), Mesopotamia (Nile) and China (Hwang Ho). However, the traditions of Indus continued to be incorporated and evolved till today, while there was a break in other civilizations. Markers of continuity in India include use of uniform weight and measures, continued agriculture practices, town planning are still followed till today. Even religious symbols like swastika, nature & fallus worship are continued till today.
While the Indus Valley Civilization's decline remains shrouded in mystery, its legacy transcends its physical remnants. The Harappan emphasis on urban planning, water management, and standardized weights and measures offers valuable lessons for sustainable development in the face of climate change and resource scarcity. Their sophisticated irrigation systems and flood-resistant architecture could inform modern infrastructure projects, particularly in vulnerable regions. Deciphering their script and understanding their economic models could unlock great insights of how this massive civilization was sustained 5000 years ago.
Harappan culture was followed by another great civilisation and culture known as Vedic culture. It is often stated that Indo-Aryans came from the north-west during the Vedic period after 3000BC and a new culture of Janpad formation started.
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