The history of ancient India. Harppan Culture - Research Paper Example

History and Political Science 08 February Research Paper Proposal:       This research paper is discusses the history of ancient India. This paper has a specific focus on the Harppan Culture. For some period of time, there was a belief that the History of India started with the Aryans. But excavations at Harappa and Mohanjo-Daro changed the complete viewpoint and old beliefs. Starting with the finding of Harappa, almost thousand conclusions with comparable characters have been exposed. Scholars named it ‘Indus valley civilization’ (Around the Indus in 90 Slides par. 1). Indus valley civilization developed at two centers-Harappa and Mohanjodaro. Harappa is in Montgomery district of the Punjab (now in Pakistan). Mohanjodaro is in Larkana district of Sind (now in Pakistan). Mohanjodaro means ‘the mount of the dead’. The distance between these two centers is 650 Kms. According to the famous archeologist Sir John Marshall, Harappan civilization is about 5000 years old.  The town planning and material life of the Harappan culture were really great. Archeologist like “Mortimer Wheeler and Stuart Piggot believed that the Harappan towns had a remarkable unity of conception” (Unit 6: Material Characteristics 21). Each town was divided into two parts. In one part, the citadel indicated where the rulers lived. In the other part of the town, the ruled, and the poor lived. “The most ancient paw marks of human actions in India go back to the Paleolithic Age, around between 400,000 and 200,000 B.C. . Stone implements and cave paintings from this period have been discovered in many parts of the South Asia” (Inda: Harappan Culture). The Harappan townships were situated on the submerge plains of rivers, on border of desolate tract or on the sea coast. So the inhabitants who lived in these diverse provinces faced unusual types of dares and tests from nature. Their adjustment to surroundings expands their thoughts of township setting up and way of life. In Harappa, Mohanjodaro and Kalibangan, the citadel areas contained large structures. These structures stood on high mud brick platform. Among these structures, is the famous “Great bath” of Mohanjo-Daro. “This brick built structure measures 11.88 x 7.01 meters long and 2.43 meters deep” (The Great Bath at Mohenjo-Daro in Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan- January 2011 par. 3). The average citizens seem to have lived in the blocks of houses in the lower city. There were variations in the size of houses.  It could be single room tenements meant for slaves. There were other houses complete with the courtyyards and having up tp twelve rooms. The bigger houses were provided with private wells and toilets. Those who lived in larger houses belonged to the rich class. Those living in barracks might have been part of a servile class of laboures. The housing model, drainage structure, social life, food, dressing styles, fashion, enjoyments. Weapons, domestication of animals etc show us that the citizens of that era were actually imaginative and systematic. The Indus valley civilization has moderately a profound implication in world history. The harappan people constructed drains. They used gypsum, lime and cement for the cosntruction of drains. Their system of drainage was on a scientific pattern. The small house drains were connected with the street drainage system which led water to pool away from the township. Drains were cleaned everyday. It is really the most striking feature of the harappan culture that they could evolve such a developed sense of sanitaion. Harappan people were both vegetarian and non vegetarian. They ate wheat, barley, rice, millet, sesame seeds, mustard and ghee. They also ate fish, beef, mutton and tortoise. We can have some ideas about their dresses and fashions a study of contemporary sculptures abd terrecota figurines. Men were wearing a dress which would be wrapped round the lower half of the body with one end worn over the left shoulder and under the right arm like the modern saree. The other dress was kilt and a shirt worn by both men and women. Both cotton and woollen clothes were used. The discovery of needles and threads confirms that clothes were also sewn. While discussing about the fashion at that time, the men arranged their hairs in various ways. They used head bands. Men used many more ornaments than the modern Indians. They wore ring, bracelets and ornaments round their neck and hands. Growing beard was fashionable but they would shave their moustaches. Women seem to have used ornaments on their waist. Women wore a large number of necklaces. Bangles too were in fashion. There was no end to the number of ways in which hair was arranged. Men and women alike had long hair. The life of harappan people was not very dull. They loved music and dancing. They also played various games such as chess. They enjoyed hunting, fishing. Bull fights and gambling. Dicing was a common pastime. Children used to play with toys made of clay. The harappan people were not lovers of wars, no defensive weaposn such as shields and armour have been found in excavations. The sword was also not seen. But various types of weapons made of copper and bronze were un-earthed from Harappa and Mohanjodaro. Their chief weapons were axe, spear and bow. Since there is no written material or historical evidence, it is quite difficult to say anything definire about the destruction of harappan culture. According to some scholars the decrease in rainfall might have turned Sind into a desert. This climate change might have compelled the harappan people to migrate from there. Some sholars are of view that the flood in the Indus river might have destroyed the Harappan culture. Some scholar holds the view that there were earthquakes or cyclones which might have caused its destruction. It is also said that the wealthy people of the Indus valley might have been invaded by the wild tribes from the hills. Moreover, the Aryans who were better equipped might have conquered the Indus valley people. Conclusion:       In this research paper, the discussions are really meaningful and important. This indicates the significance of Indian history in relation with its ancient civilization as an interesting subject to study and research.    Works Cited Around the Indus in 90 Slides. Harappa. 1996. Web. 08 February 2012. Inda: Harappan Culture. About.com. 2012. Web. 04 May 2012. Singh, Upinder. From the Stone Age to the 12th Century. Pearson Education. Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd. 2008. Print. Sources of Ancient Indian History. Facts-About-India.com. 2012. Web. 08 February 2012. The Great Bath at Moenjodaro in Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan- January 2011. Flickr. 2011. Web.    08 February 2012. < http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarfrazh/5557670205/> Unit 6: Material Characteristics. n.d. Web. 07 February 2012.        Read More