THE BEGINNINGS OF INDIAN CIVILISATION-CH 6

What is a civilisation?

Main Features of a Civilisation

Government and Administration
- Every civilisation has a system to manage people and activities.
- It helps to keep order and run the society smoothly.
Urbanisation
- Civilisations have well-planned towns and cities.
- Town planning includes roads, houses, and city management.
Crafts
- People make many useful and decorative items.
- They use materials like stone and metal to make tools and ornaments.
Trade
- People exchange goods with others.
- Trade happens within the country (internal) and with other places (external).
Writing
- Writing is used for communication and record keeping.
- It helps in sharing information and maintaining accounts.
Cultural Ideas
- Civilisations express their culture through art, architecture, literature, stories, and customs.
- It shows their beliefs and way of life.
Agriculture
- People grow enough food for both villages and cities.
- It is the main occupation in most civilisations.

Early civilisations grew near rivers because water helped farming and transportation. Example: Indus Valley Civilisation near the Indus River and Egyptian Civilisation near the Nile River.

🏛️ 1️⃣ Mesopotamian Civilization — around 4000 BCE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeZKNjo-exs

Located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (present-day Iraq).
Known as the “Cradle of Civilization.”
People invented the world’s first writing system – Cuneiform.
Built ziggurats (stepped temples).
Famous cities: Ur, Babylon.
King Hammurabi made one of the earliest law codes.

🐫 2️⃣ Egyptian Civilization — around 3000 BCE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_Tbv7anqXk

Developed along the River Nile in Egypt.
Ruled by pharaohs (kings) like Tutankhamun and Ramses II.
Built pyramids and mummies to preserve bodies for afterlife.
Used hieroglyphics as writing.
The Nile’s floods helped in farming.

3️⃣ Harappan / Indus Valley Civilisation — around 2500–2000 BCE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhDY4KJuvc0
- Located along the Indus River (India and Pakistan).
- Well-planned cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-daro.
- Drainage system, straight roads, baked brick houses.
- Used seals for trade and a unique script.
- Practised farming and trading with other regions.
From Village to City
- Around 3500 BCE, villages grew in the Punjab and Sindh plains because the land was fertile.
- These plains got water from the Indus River and its tributaries.
- To the east flowed the Saraswati River, through Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.
- By 2600 BCE, villages became towns and later cities through trade and growth.
- This period is called the first urbanisation of India.
- The civilisation is known as the Indus Valley, Harappan, or Sindhu–Saraswati Civilisation.
- The people are called Harappans because Harappa was the first site discovered (in 1920–21).
Town Planning
- Main cities: Harappa and Mohenjo-daro (Pakistan), Dholavira (Gujarat), Rakhigarhi (Haryana), Kalibangan (Rajasthan), and Lothal (Gujarat).
- City Features:
  - Cities were well-planned with wide straight streets.
  - Most cities were fortified (had protective walls).
  - Cities were divided into upper town (for officials and priests) and lower town (for common people).
  - Houses were built with bricks and had bathrooms and drains.
  - Warehouses were used to store goods.
The Great Bath of Mohenjo-daro
- A large tank (12m × 7m) made of waterproof material.
- Surrounded by small rooms and a well.
- It had a drain to empty and refill the tank.
- It may have been used for:
  - Public bathing,
  - Royal bathing, or
  - Religious ceremonies.
Water Management
- Harappans valued cleanliness and water use.
- Houses had bathrooms connected to covered drains under streets.
- Wells were built for clean water (many found in Mohenjo-daro).
- In Dholavira, large stone reservoirs were built for rainwater harvesting.
- Long Questions and Answers for Writing:

Q.1. Why does the civilization studied in this chapter have several names? Discuss their significance.
Ans: The civilization is referred to by several names – Harappan, Indus, and Indus-Sarasvati – because:
1. Harappa: This name comes from Harappa, the first city of this civilization to be excavated.
2. Indus: This name refers to the Indus River, along which the civilization initially appeared to have developed.
3. Indus-Sarasvati or Sindhu-Sarasvati: This acknowledges the significance of the Sarasvati River, as many sites have been found along its banks.
Q.2. Write a brief report (150 to 200 words) summing up some of the achievements of the Indus- Sarasvati
civilization.
Ans: The Indus-Sarasvati Civilization (c. 2600–1900 BCE) was a highly developed and urbanized society.
Some of its major achievements include:
1. Urban Planning: Cities like Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa were built with a grid system, wide roads, and divided residential and public areas.
2. Drainage and Sanitation: They had advanced drainage systems with covered drains and soak pits, and almost every house had a private bathroom.
3. Architecture: Use of uniform baked bricks for building houses and public structures like then Great Bath.
4. Water Management: Wells, reservoirs, and water channels indicated advanced understanding of water
conservation.
5. Art and Craft: Skilled artisans produced pottery, toys, beads, ornaments, and seals with animal motifs.
6. Trade and Economy: They had internal and external trade links, including contact with Mesopotamia, shown by seals and goods found in both regions.
7. Script and Seals: A unique script and numerous seals were used, likely for identification and trade purposes (though the script remains undecipherable).
8. Agriculture: Cultivated crops like wheat, barley, and cotton using advanced farming tools and irrigation methods.
Q.3. Imagine you have to travel from the city of Harappa to Kalibangan. What are your different options? Can you
make a rough estimation of the amount of time each option might take?
Ans: To travel from Harappa to Kalibangan during the time of the Indus-Sarasvati Civilization, the available options
would likely include:
1. Walking: This would be the most common method, taking several days or even weeks depending on the exact
distance and terrain.
2. Animal-Driven Carts: Using carts pulled by oxen or other domesticated animals might have been another option,
which could shorten the travel time compared to walking, but it would still take several days.
3. River Travel: If navigable rivers connected parts of the journey, using boats could have been faster, taking a few
days.
Q.4. Let us imagine a Harappan man or woman being transported to an average kitchen in today’s India. What are
the four or five biggest surprises awaiting them?
Ans:If a Harappan man or woman were brought to a typical kitchen in India today, they would likely be astonished by:

1. Modern Appliances: Electric devices like refrigerators, stoves, and microwaves, as such technology was unknown to
them.
2. Variety of Packaged Foods: The abundance of pre-packaged and processed foods.
3. Running Water and Plumbing: The ease of using taps for running water and advanced plumbing systems, compared
to their simpler water access and waste disposal methods.
Q.5. Looking at all the pictures in this chapter, make a list of the ornaments / gestures / objects that still feel
familiar in our 21st century.
Ans:Here are some ornaments, gestures, and objects from the Indus-Sarasvati civilization that still feel familiar today :
1. Bangles: Women in India still wear bangles, much like those depicted in ancient images.
2. Necklaces and Earrings: The use of necklaces and earrings is common today, as it was during the Harappan period.
3. Seals and Stamps: Although their purpose has changed, the idea of using seals or stamps for identification and
decoration is still relevant.
4. Postures of Prayer or Meditation: Gestures like folded hands in prayer or meditative poses remain a part of Indian
culture.
5. Pottery and Utensils: The shapes and designs of some pottery and utensils from that time are similar to traditional
items still used today.
Q.6. What mind-set does the system of reservoirs at Dholavira reflect?
Ans: The sophisticated network of reservoirs found at Dholavira highlights the Harappan people’s advanced and
insightful way of thinking. This water management system proves they deeply understood how to save and control water, which was crucial for survival in their dry environment.
Their skill in creating and maintaining such an complicated system shows they were committed to living sustain ably
and preparing for times of drought or water shortage. This achievement reflects their cleverness, practicality, and
ability to adjust to their surroundings.
Q.7. In Mohenjo-daro, about 700 wells built with bricks have been counted. They seem to have been regularly
maintained and used for several centuries. Discuss the implications.
Ans: The fact that Mohenjo-Daro had approximately 700 wells, constructed with bricks and kept in good condition for many years, shows that the Harappan people were quite advanced in how they managed water and planned their city.
The fact that they regularly maintained these wells for such a long time suggests a stable and organized society that
cared about public facilities and the welfare of its people.
It also highlights the Harappans’ impressive engineering abilities and their skill in building structures that could last
Q.8. It is often said that the Harappans had a high civic sense. Discuss the significance of this statement. Do you
agree with it? Compare with citizens in a large city of India today
Ans: It’s important to note that the Harappan people seemed to have a strong sense of civic responsibility, meaning
they were very committed to the well-being of their entire community.
We can see this in how well their cities were planned, with orderly streets, effective drainage, and public baths – all
pointing to a concern for cleanliness, health, and organization. When we compare this to large cities in India today, we see that even though modern cities have advanced infrastructure, they often struggle with issues like poor upkeep, littering, and a lack of respect for public areas.
This comparison suggests that the Harappans had a remarkably strong civic sense for their time, and we can still learn from their example when it comes to taking care of our communities and public resources. Underground channels helped in storing and distributing water efficiently.

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