Town Planning and Structures of the Harappan Civilisation
Ancient History › Indus Valley Civilisation · Topic 3.2
Harappan cities were planned on a grid with a citadel above and a lower town below, built largely of standardised burnt bricks, with covered drains, house courtyards and bathrooms. Key structures are the Great Bath (11.88 x 7.01 m) and large granary at Mohenjo-daro, six granaries and working floors at Harappa, Dholavira's stone citadel with forts within forts and a large tank, and platforms at Kalibangan.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Indus Valley Civilisation
At a Glance
- Layout Citadel and lower town; grid streets
- Material Burnt and mud bricks; stone at Dholavira
- Drainage Covered drains from every house
- Great Bath 11.88 x 7.01 m, 2.43 m deep
- Granaries Mohenjo-daro one; Harappa six
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Ancient History: Indus Valley Civilisation
Where Does It Fit?
This is the second topic of the category on the Indus Valley Civilisation. The previous topic described its origin and extent, and this one describes the cities. The next topic covers agriculture and domestication of animals. Previous topic: Origin, Extent and Phases of the Harappan Civilisation.
How Were Harappan Cities Planned?
In short: Harappan cities followed a grid with a raised citadel and a lower town, and the whole layout shows central planning.
Both Harappa and Mohenjo-daro had a citadel or acropolis, possibly occupied by the ruling class, and below it a lower town with brick houses for common people. Houses were arranged on a grid, with roads cutting each other at right angles. Mohenjo-daro was ahead of Harappa in structures. The monuments symbolised the rulers’ ability to mobilise labour and collect taxes, and their huge brick buildings impressed common people with the rulers’ prestige. A civic authority perhaps controlled the town planning. Another account adds that fortification, well-planned streets and lanes and drains were noticed, that houses had multiple rooms and often a central courtyard, that some had stairs for an upper floor, and that bathrooms were paved with burnt bricks. The towns had two or three distinct localities: the citadel, a middle town perhaps for bureaucrats and merchants, and a lower town, as at Harappa, Kalibangan and Dholavira.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bricks | Baked and unbaked bricks and stone; burnt bricks were used far more than in contemporary Egypt, where sun-dried bricks prevailed, and more than in Mesopotamia |
| Drains | Every house, large or small, had a courtyard and bathroom; water flowed to street drains covered with bricks or stone slabs; Kalibangan houses had wells; Harappa’s drainage is almost unique |
| Health | No other Bronze Age civilisation paid so much attention to health and cleanliness |
What Were the Main Public Structures?
| Structure | Details |
|---|---|
| Great Bath, Mohenjo-daro | Tank on the citadel mound, 11.88 x 7.01 m and 2.43 m deep; steps at both ends, side rooms for changing, burnt-brick floor, water from a large well and an outlet to a drain; thought to be for ritual bathing; bricks laid watertight with gypsum mortar |
| Granary, Mohenjo-daro | The largest building, 45.71 m long and 15.23 m wide |
| Granaries, Harappa | Six, on brick platforms in two rows of six, each 15.23 x 6.09 m, near the river bank, with a combined floor space of about 838 sq m; to the south were circular brick threshing platforms where wheat and barley were found; two-roomed barracks perhaps for labourers |
| Kalibangan | Brick platforms in the southern part, possibly for granaries |
| Dholavira | Citadel of dressed stone with mud bricks, the most impressive Harappan citadel; forts within forts; a large tank comparable to the Great Bath; three types of stone-slab burials |
Another account cautions that the labels granary and Great Bath are archaeologists’ interpretations. Granaries seem to have played an important role in Harappan cities; grain was probably received as tax and stored for wages and emergencies. The town structure had different house sizes, with the number of rooms varying from one to twelve, which indicates social differentiation, as in Social Organisation and Polity of the Harappan Civilisation.
How Does It Compare With Other Civilisations?
Harappan cities show well-planned growth, while their Mesopotamian counterparts grew haphazardly. Rectangular houses with brick-lined bathrooms, wells and stairs are found in all Harappan cities, but this town planning is not evident in western Asian cities. Only Crete at Knossos had a comparable drainage system, and western Asian people did not match the Harappan skill in using burnt bricks. As an analytical point, uniform brick sizes, grid streets and drains over a wide area show that urban planning was a shared practice that needed organisation, which links the cities to the state described in the next topics. The agrarian base that fed such cities is in Agriculture and Domestication of Animals in the Harappan Civilisation.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Most-asked part Great Bath and granary details
- Planning Grid and drains show organisation
- Comparison Superior to contemporaries
What Came Next?
The next topic describes agriculture and domestication of animals in the Harappan civilisation. Next topic: Agriculture and Domestication of Animals in the Harappan Civilisation.
Key People and Terms
- Citadel Raised fortified part of the city
- Grid system Streets crossing at right angles
- Great Bath Tank at Mohenjo-daro
- Granary Grain store
- Gypsum mortar Watertight mortar
- Lower town Residential area below the citadel
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Great Bath: 11.88 x 7.01 m, 2.43 m deep.
- Mohenjo-daro granary: 45.71 x 15.23 m.
- Harappa: six granaries in two rows.
- Burnt bricks widely used.
- Dholavira: stone citadel, forts within forts.
Do Not Confuse With
- Citadel and lower town Raised ruler’s area versus common people’s area
- Mohenjo-daro and Harappa granaries One large building versus six units
- Dholavira and Mohenjo-daro Stone city versus brick city
Memory Hook
Citadel above, grid below, drains covered, bricks burnt; Great Bath at Mohenjo, six granaries at Harappa.
Mains Angle
Questions on Harappan towns ask for planning and civic features. These points add depth.
- Layout Grid and citadel
- Utilities Drains and bathrooms
- Public works Bath and granaries
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Describe the town planning of the Harappan civilisation and its significance.”
How to Answer
- Layout Citadel and lower town.
- Materials Bricks and stone.
- Drains House to street.
- Structures Bath and granaries.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What was special about Harappan town planning?
Harappan cities were laid out on a grid, with roads crossing at right angles, and had a citadel above and a lower town below. They used standardised burnt bricks and had covered drains, courtyards, bathrooms and wells in houses.
What was the Great Bath?
The Great Bath at Mohenjo-daro is a brick tank on the citadel mound measuring 11.88 by 7.01 m and 2.43 m deep, with steps and side rooms. It was probably meant for ritual bathing, and its bricks were laid watertight with gypsum mortar.
How many granaries were there at Harappa?
Harappa had six granaries in two rows on brick platforms, each measuring 15.23 by 6.09 m, near the river bank. Circular brick threshing platforms lay to their south, and two-roomed barracks may have housed labourers.
How good was the Harappan drainage system?
Almost every house had its own courtyard and bathroom, and water flowed to street drains covered with bricks or stone slabs. The drainage of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa was impressive, and no other Bronze Age civilisation paid so much attention to cleanliness.
What makes Dholavira distinctive?
Dholavira in Kutch had a citadel built of dressed stone with mud bricks, forts within forts and a large tank like the Great Bath. It is the most impressive Harappan citadel found so far and used stone slabs for burials.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Harappan cities followed a grid system.
Roads cut at right angles.
2 Harappan builders used mainly sun-dried bricks like Egypt.
They used burnt bricks widely.
3 Mohenjo-daro's largest building is a granary.
It was 45.71 m long.
4 Dholavira's citadel was built of stone.
It had forts within forts.
Related Topics
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