The Union Budget 2020-21 has recently advocated the development of Rakhigarhi, located in the Hisar district of Haryana, as an iconic site. This initiative is not exclusive to Rakhigarhi. Four other archaeological sites in Hastinapur, Uttar Pradesh, Shivsagar, Assam, Dholavira, Gujarat, and Adichanallur, Tamil Nadu are also being developed into iconic sites. This will be complemented by onsite museums that will further enrich the understanding of these significant sites.
The Significance of Rakhigarhi
Rakhigarhi holds a particular importance as it is the largest Harappan site in the Indian subcontinent. The other major sites of the Harappan civilization include Harappa, Mohenjodaro, and Ganveriwala in Pakistan, and Dholavira in Gujarat, India. The site at Rakhigarhi is currently under excavation, aimed at tracing its beginnings and studying its gradual evolution from 6000 BCE (the Pre-Harappan phase) to 2500 BCE. The site was initially excavated by Amarendra Nath of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Discoveries at Rakhigarhi
Several significant objects and structures have been unearthed during the ongoing excavations at Rakhigarhi. These findings not only shed light on Harappan life and culture but also provide insights into the urban planning and architecture during that era.
Settlements and Architecture
The excavations have resulted in the discovery of well-planned townships that come from the mature Harappan phase. These settlements comprised houses made of mud-brick and burnt-brick, complete with proper drainage systems. This indicates a considerable degree of sophistication and commitment to hygienic living conditions.
Artifacts and Antiquities
Other noteworthy finds at Rakhigarhi include a cylindrical seal inscribed with 5 Harappan characters and an alligator symbol, red ware pottery including dishes-on-stands, vases, and perforated jars, and other antiquities like blades, terracotta and shell bangles, semi-precious stone beads, copper objects, animal figurines, toy cart frames and wheels, bone points, and inscribed steatite seals and sealings.
Rituals and Burial Practices
The site also offers evidence of the ritual systems of the Harappans through the discovery of animal sacrificial pits lined with mud-brick and triangular and circular fire altars on mud floors. The excavations have also yielded a few extended burials which are believed to be from a much later stage, perhaps medieval times.
Recent Findings
One of the most intriguing recent discoveries at Rakhigarhi is related to the DNA study of skeletal remains excavated from the Harappan cemetery. The results of this study suggest that the people of the Harappan civilization have an independent origin, debunking the theory that the Harappans had Steppe pastoral or ancient Iranian farmer ancestry.
Harappan Civilization: An Overview
The Harappan civilization, also known as the Indus Valley civilization, thrived around 2,500 BC in the western part of South Asia, specifically modern-day Pakistan and Western India. This civilization was one of the four ancient urban civilizations, alongside Egypt, Mesopotamia, and China. During the 1920s, the Indian Archaeological Department carried out extensive excavations in the Indus valley, discovering the ruins of two significant cities, Mohenjodaro and Harappa.
