Question

Write a short note on the city planning system of the Indus valley civilization.

Answer 1

Instructions: The answer to this question can be broken into 3 main parts:

1. Describe the division of city - Upper town and lower town.
2. Mention the features of the houses and city - streets, drainage, etc.
3. Explain other significant structures - Great bath and granary.

Solution:

• One of the most appreciated features of the Harappan civilization was their city planning. Cities such as Harappa, Mohenjodaro and Lothal were divided into two parts. A part of the city to the west was higher and was called the Citadel. Here the important people, such as the rulers or the administrators, lived.
• The part of the city to the east constituted the lower town used by the common people, such as merchants, farmers, etc. These cities had well-planned streets.
• Houses of varying structures were built on both sides of the streets. Some houses had just one room, while some had many rooms with a courtyard and a well. Every house had a toilet. They had an underground drainage system. The drains from the houses were connected to the main drain of the street.
• A huge tank called the Great Bath was discovered in Mohenjodaro, which serves as evidence of the architectural skill of the people of that period. The Harappans used burnt bricks in buildings and constructions.