Page 26 - SST Class 06

floods. It was on the citadel that most public building has also been discovered. Some people
buildings such as the granaries, town hall and the think it could have been the governor’s house.
Great Bath of Mohenjodaro were found. Lower Town : Now let us come down from the

Granaries : While the granary was the largest citadel and see what the lower town looked like.
structure in Mohenjodaro, in Harappa, there were Most of the towns had a similar plan. This was
as many as six granaries or storehouses. The the residential area where the common people
granaries were used for storing surplus grains. lived.
They lay very close to the river bank. Near the Streets : The main road was 10 meters broad.
granaries, circular brick platforms were found for The roads and streets cut each other at right
threshing grains. In fact, some blackened wheat angles. They were rounded at the edges for
and barley grains have been found in the crev- smooth flow of cart traffic. Covered drains ran all
ices. along the road. Roads and drains were paved
with bricks. Houses were built on either side of
the roads and streets.
Why do you think that the granaries were close to the
river?

Great Bath : Another important structure in
Mohejodaro was the Great Bath. What does it
look like? Look at the side walls–how tightly the
bricks are fitted–a thick layer of natural tar was
applied to stop seepage. The floor of the bath
had five layers tightly packed with bricks and
mortar. It was so watertight that even today it
holds water. There were changing rooms. What
was the bath used for? Again, there are differing
views. People probably used it during festivals Streets at Mohenjodaro
and religious functions. Food : The food of the Harappans was supplied
from extensive areas cultivated in vicinity of the
city. Rice was probably grown in the Indus valley.
The staple food of the people comprised wheat,
barley, rice, milk and some vegetables like peas,
sesamums and fruits like date palms. Beef,
mutton, pork, poultry, fish, etc. were also eaten
by the Indus people. Agriculture appears to be
the main occupation of the Indus people. The
discovery of a granary at Harappa lends support
to this.

Drainage System : The drainage system of the
The Great Bath
Harappan cities was the best known to the world
Town Hall : There was another building which in ancient times. The brickwork was tight which
looked like an assembly hall for the city govern- prevented the dirty water from leaking. Also,
ment or for people to meet. A palace-like wooden screens stopped the solid wastes from

Social Science-6 26