RAS question
Dholavira, a Harappan site in Gujarat's Rann of Kutch, is notable for:
Correct answer: (B) Multi-layered fortification, water management system, and a signboard with Indus script.
Dholavira is notable for its multi-layered stone fortification, elaborate water-management system and a large signboard bearing ten Indus-script signs.
Explanation
Dholavira stands out among Harappan sites because its urban layout and survival strategy are visible together. The city had a three-part division into citadel, middle town and lower town, protected by multi-layered stone fortification. Its water management was especially important in the Rann of Kutch setting: the site is associated with an elaborate system of 16 reservoirs and water-conservation structures. The other key identifier is the large signboard with ten Indus-script signs, a distinctive clue often used in exam questions. These features explain why option B fits better than a single monument or treasure-based answer: Dholavira is remembered for planned urbanism, hydraulic engineering and Indus writing evidence.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) The iron pillar is not the identifying feature of Dholavira; this Harappan site is tested for fortification, water management and Indus-script evidence.
- (C) A gold treasure is not a notable Dholavira feature; its importance lies in its planned settlement, reservoirs and signboard.
- (D) A Buddhist monastery belongs to a different historical and religious context, whereas Dholavira is a Harappan urban site of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
Concept
This tests the Indus Valley Civilisation through site-specific features, a frequent RAS pattern because Harappan questions often ask candidates to match places with urban planning, craft or archaeological clues.