Lothal

(4) City of the Dead

One of the oldest of its kind known to man is the Indus Valley Civilisation, which existed around 4500 years (2500 BC) ago. We can compare it to other ancient civilisations of Egypt, Mesopotamia and China of that period. Archeologists carried out excavations at Harappa and Mohenjodaro, both based in present-day Pakistan. The remains unearthed in the year 1920 pointed to well-developed cities flourishing in the region.

The artefacts excavated at these sites suggest the ancient towns and cities were thoughtfully designed and built accordingly. The excavations showed streets and roads to be laid in cardinal directions. Attention was paid to town planning, development of sanitation facilities, water regulation and civic management. The settlers constructed bathrooms inside the home premises, but had outside drainage systems and waterways, the likes of which were seen only 2000 years later in Rome. They gave extreme importance to cleanliness and orderliness in their daily living…………….

An opportunity came knocking for us to visit Lothal during the Bharat Mala coastal bike tour while travelling from Bhavnagar to Baroda in Gujarat. Driving from the main highway and following the road signs, we passed through a pastoral landscape. Having read about the Indus Valley civilisation, I was interested in visiting Lothal to try and understand the ideologies. The reverence and love depicted for Nature and various creatures, cleanliness in the lifestyle and respect for trees and animals intrigued me and I was keen to take a look at the site.

Lothal is 85 km from Ahmedabad and the nearest cities to it are Dholka and Bagodara. Travelling by train, it is six km southeast of Lothal Bhurkhi railway station on the Ahmedabad-Bhavnagar line. It has a pending nomination as a World Heritage site of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation).

Nearing the site, we noticed scanty vegetation and dry fields. Leaving the bike in a makeshift parking space, we saw that a boundary wall circled the excavated site and a few buildings to the right of it. One building held a museum showcasing the artefacts unearthed during the excavation. The site was preserved and in excellent condition. A small entrance fee is charged for entering the museum, but the excavation site has free entry…………..