Dholavira World Heritage and Water Management

Dholavira has been on my wish list for a long time. Since childhood, visiting the Indus Valley sites of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro has been a dream. Given the political realities of our time, it remains a dream. However, thanks to recent archaeological discoveries, I was lucky enough to visit Lothal and Rupnagar a few years ago, explore Rakhigarhi last year, and finally experience Dholavira this year.

Our journey began from Narayan Sarovar, on the western tip of India, heading towards Dholavira via the magnificent Kadia Druh Gorge. By late evening, we reached the famous 31-kilometre road, often called the “Road to Heaven,” that connects Khudir Bet Island to the mainland. Dholavira is uniquely located on an island surrounded by the pure white expanse of the Rann of Kutch.

The next morning, we walked from our resort to the heritage site of Dholavira. The wide, empty roads reflected a weak tourist season, making for a quiet and enjoyable outing. The site opens at sunrise, and we arrived just as the sun appeared. The guards were still preparing for the opening, the museum was closed and no guides were available early in the morning. Undeterred, we simply entered and immersed ourselves in the documentary photographs lining the walkway.

What is Dholavira?

Dholavira is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is located on the Tropic of Cancer. It is the sixth largest site in the Indus Valley in the Indian subcontinent and the second largest site in India after Rakhigarhi. It was officially discovered by Jagatpati Joshi in 1967-68 after it was discovered locally, and excavations continued until 2005. The site was named after a nearby village.

Archaeologists reveal that Dholavira was a well-planned city and inhabited for at least 1,500 years. It is located between two seasonal rivers, Mansar and Manhar, and features a castle-like structure and complex water management systems. Evidence suggests that it was a center of manufacturing and trade with far-reaching trade links, especially with western Asia.

Build

Spread over an area of ​​54 acres, Dholavira’s design forms a parallelogram sandwiched between the Mansar River to the north and the Manhar River to the south. The site is divided into three main parts – the castle, which is also divided into the castle and bailey, the middle town, and the lower town. Fortification likely began around 3000 BC, with the city being fully developed by around 2600 BC. Both the castle and the middle city were fortified, while the lower city remained open. Ceremonial grounds separate the castle from the central city. Archaeologists discovered 17 gates, including the northern and eastern gates, which are the most elaborate and were probably used for ceremonies. A tomb with chambers carved into the rock is located southwest of the city, although no skeletal remains have been found there.

For the visitor, the first thing that catches the eye is the majestic castle that rises above ground level. As I stood in front of the eastern entrance at sunrise, it reminded me of Borobudur Temple in Indonesia, a site I had also visited early in the morning. The castle has four main gates aligned with the cardinal directions. The North Gate once featured a massive wooden door and a large ten-letter sign, perhaps the oldest known sign in the world. Although the text remains undeciphered, some scholars believe interpretations are possible.

We entered through this northern gate. The banner is now preserved in the museum. The portal corridor is lined with rooms likely occupied by guards. The staircase, currently a temporary wooden structure for the safety of visitors, leads to the top where the entire site can be seen against the sky.

At first, the stone formations look random, but the southeastern part, up the hill, was the castle. However, over time, the distinction between this field and other fields has become blurred.

Continuity of civilization

What struck me most were the circular foundations which bear a striking resemblance to the traditional bhunga huts of Kutch. This earthquake-resistant design may reveal a connection between the ancient inhabitants of the Indus and the current local population. Some of the foundations include a small stone resembling a central pillar, suggesting that they were used to extract oil with animals such as bulls – kulhu in Hindi.

The eastern gate probably led directly into the castle, and excavated limestone columns 2-3 km away are still visible. Throughout the Indus sites, rooms tend to be remarkably small, which leads me to wonder whether they served as residences or storage spaces for trade goods. Adjacent to the western gate is a bead factory, which may have served as an administrative or commercial office. The Western Fort area, called Beli or Upa Prasad in Hindi, was probably home to the non-royal elite. Nearby are four square granaries.

Water management in Dholavira

The most impressive feature of Dholavira is its advanced hydraulic engineering. Located between the seasonal Al-Mansar and Al-Manhar rivers, archaeologists have discovered several check dams used to channel water into large reservoirs via stone-carved waterways. These dams are unique to Dholavira among the Indus Valley sites.

As you enter, a huge water tank emerges with stairs descending 30 steps at three corners. The tank has rock wells and stone steps, perhaps the earliest prototypes of step wells like Rani ki Vav. Nearby, a statue of a rhinoceros signifies the ceremonial importance of the reservoir to people.

Above the site are two large wells and a circular well, the latter four meters in diameter and probably the largest well discovered in Indus Valley sites. Rope marks on a stone slab indicate the use of a pulley system to draw water.

Even more impressive are the Southern Water Management Reservoirs, a series of five interconnected tanks for storing and filtering water. The first two tanks manage the descaling process, the third central tank is three times larger than the great bath at Mohenjo-daro, and the fourth tank features a ramp to access wheeled carts reminiscent of Sirajkund. The fifth tank directs water to the western tanks.

These reservoirs are excavated on a rocky plateau and topped with brick and masonry dams.

Imagine a city surrounded by water, expertly capturing river flows and rain to maintain an adequate supply year-round. Archaeologists have unearthed at least 16 water tanks, confirming the old proverb “Jal hai jeevan hai” – water is life.

Fossils and artifacts

Excavations at Dholavira have uncovered ceramics, beads, pillar fragments, shell objects, semi-precious stones, copper objects, seals, clay unicorn figurines, stone bracelets, gold, hooks, copper alloys, jars and pottery. Many items indicate strong trade links with West Asia.

A visit to Dholavira is like stepping into a vibrant chapter of history that continues to teach us valuable lessons.

Travel tips for Dholavira

• Allow about two hours to explore the site thoroughly.
• Entrance is free, and the site is open from sunrise until sunset. Early morning visits provide the best lighting and a comfortable atmosphere for photography.
• Evidence is available but not in the early morning hours.
• The museum is closed on Fridays, so plan accordingly.
• Many resorts surround Dolavira, offering attractive rates during lean seasons but higher rates during the Kutch festival.