Dholavira - Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

Although some of the well-known Indus Valley Civilization sites such as Harappa and Mohenjo Daro have come within Pakistan since the Partition in 1947, India herself has a number of excellent examples of the IVC in places such as Lothal, Kalibangan, Dholavira, Ropar, Rakhigarhi and others. Of these Dholavira, which has been dated to about 3000 BCE, has justly been included recently as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Situated in the northern fringes of the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, about 200 kilometres from the town of Bhuj, Dholavira is approached by a drive of about 4 hours across almost endless salt-flats. On the way, one may well find one of the nomadic families of the Rann on their way to a new destination.

It is best to leave quite early in the morning, as otherwise the drive and the walking around at the site can become quite tiresome. Dholavira is fairly large, somewhat square shaped with one side over 700 metres long, and the other over 600 metres. It is located on a low hillock with its central citadel in the middle and with dwellings on either side somewhat lower down.

Just below the citadel, on the western side, will be found this board with a number of the IVC lettering as specimens. While several scholars have attempted to decipher this, no commonly accepted version has yet been generally ackowldged. The most interesting part of Dholavira are the "step-tanks" at the bottom of the hillock for storing water, partly from the nearby stream, and partly from the rain-water run-off from the top of the hillock, for which stone channels had been made.

All in all, Dholavira fully justifie its designation as a World Heritage site, and hopefully more people will become aware of it and try and visit the location.