Indus
Valley Civilisation was one of the world's early
Civilisations. It is also known as Harappan
Civilisation. The two major important cities
where Civilisations flourished include
Lothal
Lothal is the name of an ancient mound situated
in the revenue jurisdiction of Saragwala village
in Dholka Taluka of Ahmedabad district. The
word 'Lothal' meaning 'place of the dead' in
Gujarati language is said to have been formed
by combining the words Loth and Thal (sthal).
Lothal is essentially a single culture site.
The Harappan culture in all its various forms
is well represented here.
The Harappans were attracted to the Lothal not
only by its sheltered harbor with a rich cotton
and rise growing hinterland by also by its bead
making industry. The Indus dichotomy of dividing
a city into a citadel or Acropolis and a lower
town was followed in planning Lothal. The ruler
and his entourage lived in the acropolis where
houses were built on 3m high platform and provided
with all the civic amenities including paved
baths, underground drains and a well for potable
water.
The lower town, which also enjoyed civic amenities,
was subdivided into two sectors. The North-South
Arterial Street flanked by shop was the main
commercial center in which the rich merchants
and ordinary craftsmen lived together. The residential
sector lay to the east and west of bazaar.
How to reach
Situated at a distance of 6 kms from Lothal-Bhurkhi
railway station. It is well connected by road
with Bhurkhi, Dholka and other major towns like
Bhavnagar and Rajkot.
Dholavira
Of all the Harappan sites the site of Dholavira
locally known as Kotada, in the Khadir Island
of Kutch stands apart. It is remarkable for
its magnificent planning and enormity of area
and deposit. Spread across an area of 600m,
the site presents a Harappan city par excellence.
On the present showing, it is one of the two
largest settlements in India and the fourth
or fifth in the subcontinent. It also enjoys
the unique distinction of yielding an inscription
of ten large-sized signs of the Harappan script.
Considerable pre-planning seems to have gone
into the layout and construction of the Acropolis.
The embattled 'middle town' admeasures about
350m east-west and 180 to 200. North-south and
rises to a height of 8.60m from the general
ground level. The built-up area of the 'lower
town' occupies nearly 2/3 part of the eastern
half of the fortified city. It measures 300m
east-west and 350m. north-south approximately
attaining the height of 7,50m. Like the 'middle
town' this too reveals a constructed area having
several built-up projections and open recesses
at least on the north-east and south.
How to reach
It is a small village located near the north-western
extremity of Khadir. It is approachable from
Bhuj via Rappar by a good road.
|
