Discuss the main features of the city of Mohenjodaro
Introduction
Mohenjodaro, one of the principal cities of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization (c. 2600–1900 BCE), is a prime example of early urban planning and advanced civic amenities. Discovered in the 1920s, Mohenjodaro’s ruins in present-day Sindh (Pakistan) have fascinated historians, archaeologists, and urban scholars for its sophistication, organization, and scale. It offers a window into the earliest phases of South Asian urbanization and has been central to debates about early city life in the subcontinent.
City Layout and Planning
Mohenjodaro was laid out along a grid pattern—a hallmark of planned urban design. Streets ran perpendicular to each other, dividing the city into rectangular blocks. This orthogonal street pattern reveals a high degree of centralized planning, which is rare for such an ancient period.
The city appears to have been divided into two distinct parts:
- The Citadel (Western Mound): This elevated area likely housed important public structures such as the Great Bath, a granary, and possible administrative buildings. Its location on a raised platform indicates concern for protection from floods and possibly symbolized authority.
- The Lower Town (Eastern Mound): This area was more densely populated and contained residential houses, workshops, and smaller streets. Houses were often two-storied, made of baked bricks, and had standardized designs with private wells and toilets, reflecting attention to individual household needs and public health.
Water Management and Drainage
One of the most remarkable features of Mohenjodaro is its sophisticated water management system. The city had over 700 wells, numerous public and private baths, and a centralized drainage system. The drains were covered and laid alongside the streets, connected to soak pits and cesspools, ensuring efficient waste disposal.
This focus on sanitation reflects a deep understanding of urban hygiene, which surpasses many contemporary civilizations. The presence of bathrooms and toilets within private homes, with sloped floors leading to covered drains, highlights the importance of cleanliness in daily life.
Public Architecture: The Great Bath and Granary
The Great Bath, a large, sunken tank made of baked bricks and waterproofed with bitumen, is perhaps Mohenjodaro’s most iconic structure. Surrounded by colonnades and changing rooms, it likely served ritual or ceremonial purposes. The sophistication of its construction demonstrates not just engineering skill but also the centrality of collective activities and possibly religious practices.
The granary, another large structure with air ducts and platforms, suggests organized storage and possibly centralized control over food distribution. These public buildings underscore a communal civic life, administrative regulation, and potentially religious authority.
Residential and Domestic Life
Residential buildings in Mohenjodaro varied in size, suggesting socio-economic stratification. Most houses were built using standardized baked bricks and featured courtyards, kitchens, and latrines. Access to individual wells in many houses also indicates a relatively high standard of living.
Artifacts such as toys, tools, pottery, seals, and ornaments recovered from the site provide insight into the daily lives of the city’s residents. The prevalence of standardized weights and measures suggests commercial regulation and trade. The seals, often bearing animal motifs and undeciphered script, may have served administrative or identification functions.
Craft Production and Trade
Mohenjodaro was a centre for various crafts—pottery, bead-making, shell ornamentation, metallurgy, and seal carving. Workshops within residential quarters indicate household-based production. The discovery of materials not native to the region (lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, shells from the Arabian Sea) confirms long-distance trade networks.
The city’s strategic location near the Indus River also facilitated trade and transportation. Scholars believe that Mohenjodaro was a key node in the broader Indus Valley trade system, possibly linked to Mesopotamian civilizations.
Social and Cultural Life
While there are no clear signs of palaces or temples, the uniformity in building standards and civic amenities suggests a degree of social cohesion and possibly egalitarianism. The presence of figurines, terracotta toys, and musical instruments implies a vibrant cultural life. However, the absence of monumental religious structures has led some scholars to suggest that religion may have been decentralized or practiced in domestic spaces.
Historiographical Perspectives
Early interpretations, especially during colonial times, viewed Mohenjodaro as a mysterious and lost civilization. Post-independence scholars, including Irfan Habib and Romila Thapar, emphasized its secular and civic nature. More recent studies focus on environmental sustainability, resource management, and resilience to floods. Some also argue that Mohenjodaro’s decline was linked to changing river patterns or internal administrative collapse, rather than external invasions.
Conclusion
Mohenjodaro remains a vital case study in early urbanism, representing a sophisticated level of planning, public utility management, and socio-economic organization. Its legacy lies in demonstrating that even 4,000 years ago, urban centres could exhibit features we associate with modern cities—clean water, organized governance, commerce, and communal life. As one of the earliest known urban settlements in the Indian subcontinent, it provides foundational insight into the origins and evolution of city life in South Asia.