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Dholavira, Gujarat,
India
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The remains of Dholavira, a major city of the Harappan civilization, were
discovered in 1967-68 by J. Joshi. Though hundreds of Harappan sites have
been identified in Gujarat, Dholavira is among the five biggest known to us
in the Indian subcontinent. "The excavation at Dholavira brought to light a
remarkable city of exquisite planning, monumental structures, aesthetic
architecture and amazing water management system." Indeed, to the casual
visitor, the most notable feature of this metropolis of the 3rd millennium
BCE is its water
management acumen. Sixteen reservoirs of various sizes have been identified,
of which five have been excavated fairly well. There is extensive water
harvesting throughout the site. The ingenuity in handling water is evident
in the waterways and channels that crisscross the site.
(read
more) [—Apr 06]
Update: Read my article on Dholavira in The Himal Southasian.
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The citadel (more)
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South-east
corner
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Eastern walls
of the citadel
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East entrance
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Water tank (1,
2)
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Steps down the
tank
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Water tank (1,
2, 3)
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More water
tanks (1, 2)
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A granary
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South entrance
to citadel
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The Bailey
(servant homes)
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Top of the
citadel
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The well
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Bathing area (more)
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Water tank
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Remains of
citadel rooms
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Shard-studded
wall
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Corridor
inside citadel
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Circular rooms
(more)
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Former royal
chamber?
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Eastern
entryway
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Passageway
inside citadel
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Passageway
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Brickwork from
two eras
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Water
harvesting conduit
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Water
harvesting conduit
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A fine pillar
base
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Tourist bungalow
from the citadel
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North-eastern
corner
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Northern wall
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Northern wall
(1, 2)
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Northern wall
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North entrance
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Writing over
the north entrance,
"the oldest signboard in the world"
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Stadium from
north entrance
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Stadium from
middle town
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Middle town
ruins
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Market street
(more)
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Market street
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Four-way
intersection
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Side street
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Waste
receptacle
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Fragments of
the past
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Fragments of
the past
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Cemetery area
(local flora)
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The largest
water tank (more)
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The largest
water tank (more)
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Women near the
ruins
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Dholavira
signpost
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Across the
Great Rann of Kutch
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Saline
mudflats (more)
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Great Rann of Kutch
(more)
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Rabari
tribeswoman (more)
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Rabari
tribeswomen
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Local woman
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Local woman
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Local women
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Local women (more)
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Local women
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Tribal family
(more)
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Path to the
excavated site
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Traveling hundreds of miles in summer to this isolated site near the western
edge of India, I encounter this sign put up by the Archaeological
Survey of India (ASI). Shaking my head in disbelief, I ask: Why?
What can possibly be the rationale for prohibiting photography here? ASI
ought to be marketing this site, a global cultural heritage, and providing
better facilities (e.g., a site museum, a brochure, guides). I recall that
the ASI also bars photography at nearly all of its site museums, of works
with long expired copyright claims. Why? Nobody ever has
a good answer ('orders from above' is the most common). 'Apply for
permission in Delhi,' they say. If this isn't the product of a bureaucratic
mind I don't know what is. Annoyance again wells up
within me. Stupid rules need not be followed, I tell myself, and resolve to flout the injunction, if need be by cajoling
or bribing the lone
caretaker on site, or sneaking in behind his back. [-- Shunya] |
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