The farmers of Bhachau ( a place in Gujarat ) became suspected when they started finding different things while ploughing. One time, out of curiousity, they sent those items to a lab and it was then the world found the city of Dholavira. Dholavira is the fifth largest site of Harappan Civilisation among thousands of found till present. Other 4 being Mohenjodaro, Ganeriwala, Harappa, and Rakhigarhi. It was one of the flourished southern centre located on an island Khadir, in Bhachau Taluka amidst the Great Runn Of Kutch. The city flourished sometimes around 3000-1500 B.C.E.
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A UNESCO World Heritage Site
In 2020 Dholavira became the 40th UNESCO world heritage site from India along with Ramapaa Temple of Telangana. The decision was taken in a virtual meeting of UNESCO World Assembly. Dholavira became the fourth site from Gujarat to get the tag but the only from Indus Valley Civilization.
City Blueprint
Locally Dholavira is called Kotada – a large fort, among the common folks. It lies north west of Khadir Bet and spreads in an area of about 100 hactares. The island remains flooded in the monsoon but in rest of the months is well above the flood line.
The actual site of Dholavira was discovered in 1967 by the Archaeological Survey of India but its systematic excavation started in 1990. The credit for its discovery goes to Jagat Patil Joshi. Excavation activities were undertaken under the supervision of Ravindra Singh Bisht until it finally completed in 2005.
There are two streams running across the city – in the North is the Mansar and Manhar in the south. These streams locally called as nallah, provided water supply to the city.
The city was a citadel model of town planning. It implies that the society was stratified among different classes. The citadel encloses ceremonial grounds and have an outer wall as well. The citadel lies to the south of the city, very similar to Banawali. This was a different layout than big cities like Mohenjodaro, Harappa and Kalibangan. The citadel used to have a bailey to the west and castle to the east, on line with Surkotada and Kalibangan. The castle surrounds heavy defence and drainage water system prevailed in those times.
A series of reservoirs are located in the east and south of the citadel.
There is also remains of cemetry. It has cenotaphs of almost 6 types. A peculiarity of the graves is that there is no mortal remains of humans presence but they are only memorial in nature. This make Dholavira stand apart from other Indus Valley Civilisation sites. J. P. Bisht has mentioned that they found no bones or ashes but only the presence of ritualistic offerings of precious stones and others.
There are remains of two multi-purpose grounds sites, most probably for festivals and market related acitivities. Also remains of a Buddhist Stupa is observed here. It implies that the city was inhabited during he Mauryan times as well.
Dholavira is known for its excellence in technologically built water management system. A water storage like structure is found that may be for water harvesting purpose. It indicates how Dholavira was an urban site.
Dholavira had a well developed system of water drainage. The houses were connected with drains and these drains were in turn joint to a central drain. The bathrooms of people were located on the street end of the house for better drainage facility.These drains were generally covered with stone slabs. The houses were made of sandstone and somewhere limestones as well. They techniqued burnt bricks of geometrically sound shape.
A large stadium like structure is also found at the site with facility of seating as well. A large granary for storage of grains is also earthed at the site. It was located at the south-east corner of the bailey inside the citadel. 4 such structures were found.
Industry and Trade Prevailing at those times
Dholavira is known for its commercial and manufacturing activities in the Harappan Civilization. The evidence of beads found and bead making sites has been excavated. The beads were as small in size as of mustard seeds. These kind of beads has been found in the royal graves of Mesopotamia, indicating an established trade between the two civilizations. The trade started declining as a result of decline of Mesopotamia (present day Iraq).
Apart from bead-making, the people of Dholavira were well acquainted with metallurgy, especially copper. They imported copper from mines of Rajasthanan, Oman and UAE. In exchange they exported finished goods. This is evidenced from the seals of Harappan Civilization found in other areas. Jwelleries made of shells and semi-precious stones along with timber was exported on sufficient scale.
The trade flourished for about 1500 years before it started declining and eventually got ruined in 1500 B.C.E.
The death of the city
Evidences of the necropolis stage are found to be around 1500 B.C. Further in 2000 B.C.E climatic conditions changed drastically. The climate became arid and nearby rivers started dryinp us. This led to a drought like situation forcing people to migrate toward the northern plains of Gnages, south of Gujarat and also to Northern Maharashtra. The sea receded gradually around the Khadir Bet area making Runn of Kutch a marsh land which used be flooded with water in some point of history.
How to Reach
Dholavira is about 250 kilometres from Bhuj via the route of Bhachau and Rapar village. If you are heading from Ahmedabad, then it is a 7 hours drive of 335 kilometres. The nearest railway station for the train travellers is Bhuj only.
On the way to Dholavira you can encounter a diversity of wildlife including Chinkara, nilgai – antelope, flamingos and also various flora adapted to the saline climatic conditions of the marshes
Museum
The ASI has built a museum at Dholavira. This displays many remains of Harappa Civilization that has been found during excavations. Numerous artifacts such as teracotta pottery, gold and copper ornaments , beads, seals, animal figurines, urn etc are displayed. There are 10 signboards which have not been deciphered yet.
Fossil Park
Khadir Bet Fossil Park is a must visit. It is a piece of antiquity. Here you can see Jurassic age fossils of plants dating back to about 176-187 million years ago.
Dholavira along with Lothal, iare the only two sites of Harappan Civilization that shows evidences from all seven stages of civilization process – genesis to death of a city. Every brick and stone speaks volumes and you can definitely hear them telling their stroy of ages. The soothing site of sunset turns the Rann area into a silvery landscape which is poured upon with red. The best time you should head to this magnifiscent place is between August to November.
