Three Divisions of Dholavira
Dholavira town is divided into three parts.
The Citadel
- Raj Mahal of the Raja, which is at height was built here. It was enclosed by strong defenses collectively. There were four gates in this fort. A series of nine reservoirs were built to the east and south of the Citadel. The Citadel was in the walled city. A ramp that runs for 30-40 feet turns left into the citadel. To the right side of the ramp, there is a large region of open area, which has been recognized as a stadium. On each side of the stadium, there are remnants of the audience stands.
- Through the sacred gates of the Citadel, we can find raised platforms on each side and a rectangular hall on the right. There is a flat area of land on which several houses were built. There was a courtyard for the children to play in. Two pillars were embedded in the ground on the far left. There were wells from which the water was drawn. There were big water bags to draw water from the well, and the people used bulls to pull the ropes. These implementations have been passed on to the next generations.
- There were reservoirs, which were built partially on stone beds, and partially mason-made. The tanks were fed by water pipes which were used to collect water from different parts of the city. These reservoirs were of two levels. The higher level stored the clean water, and the lower level, which was a step-down, was used to allow deposition, in which the dust would settle at the bottom of the reservoir. The Middletown and Lowertown were located on the east side of the site.
The Middletown
It was the habitat of other officers. It also had a defense wall and two to five rooms. The Middle town is comprised of a central street running down a slope with houses or shops on each side. There were well-laid drainage systems. Earthen pots were found submerged in the ground and also covered in rust.
The Lowertown
The brick-built houses of ordinary town residents were built here. Working class people used to stay in the Lower town. There were remains of many houses.
Dholavira: Harappan Civilization
Dholavira is an archaeological site that provides insights into the ancient Harappan Civilization, also known as the Indus Valley Civilization. Located on the Khadir island of the Rann of Kachchh, Gujarat, India, Dholavira is one of the five largest Harappan sites, showcasing the advanced urban planning and engineering skills of this ancient civilization.
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