RAS question
Kalibangan, an important Indus Valley Civilization site in Rajasthan, is located on the bank of which river?
Correct answer: (D) Ghaggar.
Kalibangan, an important Indus Valley Civilization site in Rajasthan, is located on the left bank of the now-dry Ghaggar river in Hanumangarh district.
Explanation
Kalibangan is linked to the Ghaggar because the ASI excavation report places the ancient site on the left bank of the now-dry Ghaggar river in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan. The report also notes that Ghaggar is the river's present name in the Kalibangan region. This matches the standard RAS fact: Kalibangan was first discovered by Luigi Tessitori in 1917 and later identified as a Harappan site by Amlanand Ghosh in 1952. Its importance comes from being one of the major Indus Valley or Harappan sites on the Indian side, so the river-bank association is a core location marker rather than a peripheral detail.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Chambal flows in southeastern Rajasthan, while Kalibangan is placed in Hanumangarh district on the left bank of the now-dry Ghaggar.
- (B) Luni is a western Rajasthan river, but the ASI report identifies Ghaggar as the river name in the Kalibangan region.
- (C) Banas is associated with the Ahar-Banas cultural context, whereas Kalibangan is identified here as a Harappan site on the Ghaggar bank.
Concept
This tests the site-location mapping of Rajasthan's Harappan archaeology. RAS repeats such questions because rivers, districts and archaeological cultures are used to fix ancient sites in Rajasthan's historical geography.