Vrushabh Magdum10 Facts About the Lost City of Mohenjo-Daro
The Indus Valley Civilisation, a.k.a the Harappan Civilisation, belonged to the bronze-age society that flourished on Indian soil from the 26 century BC. Considered one of the oldest civilizations in the world, these urban settlements seemed to stand out by virtue of their architectural and modern features like excellent civil engineering and well channelled drainage patterns. The town-planning of Harappans was one of their most notable features, and many such towns had great importance due to their craftsmanship and trade.
1. The town was divided into two parts.
Mohenjo-Daro, like its contemporaries (Kalibangan and Harappa), was also divided into two parts. The western mound or the Citadel was built on a raised platform of mud-brick and consisted of all the important administrative structures like The Great Bath, granaries, and the college of priests. It was fortified by a thick mud-brick retaining wall. The Eastern or the low-lying part of the town was also fortified and was meant for the settlement of commoners. Numerous streets and small alleys ran across this part of the city. Within this section, many sub-parts were built according to the guild systems. As people settled here, a large number of artifacts and information regarding the burial practices were found in this area.
2. Mohenjo-Daro was not a perfect grid-patterned town.
Although it is believed that the Harappan roads were laid on a grid-pattern orientation, Mohenjo-Daro, despite its size and significance, doesn’t show a perfect grid system. Even though cities were perfectly planned, the roads weren’t always straight and meant to meet at right angles. It was these roads in the lower city that separated it into four blocks. They were made of mud-brick and were connected by the subordinate roads and alleys. The main road was enough to fit two bullock-carts parallel to each other!
3. It had the world’s best-channeled drainage system.
The drainage system was one of the most remarkable features of the Harappan cities. Every house was connected to the main drain that ran across the city. These interconnected drains were then integrated, and thus, the whole sewage was thrown out of the city premises. As these closed drains had to be cleaned regularly, the lids were deliberately carved out of limestones, which are relatively lighter than the other rocks. The Harappans also used bitumen in these drains, which is one of the earliest examples of waterproofing in the world.
4. There were multi-storey buildings in Mohenjo-Daro.
People of Mohenjo-Daro lived in houses that had similar features throughout the town. They consisted of a central courtyard surrounded by rooms. Almost every household had individual toilets and bathrooms. The doors and windows always opened in the alleys. The concentration of wealth in the hands of a few can be seen through the dimensions of their houses. For instance, the commoners lived in a single-storey house while the rich lived in a double or sometimes treble-storey house.
5. The Great Bath.
The Great Bath is a rectangular public pool situated in the citadel complex. Nobody knows why such public baths were present in the acropolis, but it is often opined that these baths held spiritual importance. Nonetheless, the Great Bath is a structural masterpiece having modern-day features. It had stairs and changing rooms on both sides of the pool. The bath is sloped towards one side so that the water can be drawn away regularly. The Great Bath was made water-tight by using gypsum and bitumen. Also, it is connected to a nearby well for its water supply. There are big entrances in the North and South of this complex, but who had access to it and what was the purpose of it is still unknown.
6. Mohenjo-Daro had a total of 700 wells.
Though Mohenjo-Daro was located near River Indus, the people relied on private and public wells for their needs. There are a total of 700 wells found in this area. The drains used to collect rainwater were different from the sewage ones. It can be also estimated that, in Mohenjo-Daro, every household had its private well. The Great Bath was also supplied water through one such well. Overall, Mohenjo-Daro had the largest number of wells then, while the other towns like Harappa and Dholavira had very few of them.
7. The Harappans were excellent craftsmen.
