RAS question
Rakhigarhi in Haryana is significant because:
Correct answer: (B) It is the largest IVC site in India.
Rakhigarhi in Haryana is significant because it is the largest Indus Valley Civilisation site in India.
Explanation
Rakhigarhi, in Hisar district of Haryana, matters because of its scale and archaeological depth. The District Hisar page describes it as 224 hectares and "the largest in the country", while its assessed extent of about 350 hectares makes it India's largest Indus Valley Civilisation site. The site is not treated as an ordinary Harappan settlement: the official page says Early, Mature and Late phases of the Indus Valley Civilisation have been found there, along with Hakra Ware deposits linked to very early occupation. DNA analysis of Rakhigarhi skeletons found no significant Steppe ancestry, which is why the site often appears in debates on ancient Indian population history.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Rakhigarhi's significance comes from its size and Indus-phase evidence, not from the presence of a Great Bath.
- (C) Rakhigarhi is not identified as a capital; the supported point is that it is India's largest IVC site.
- (D) Rakhigarhi's importance is grounded in its large area, strategic location and Indus Valley layers, not in a dockyard.
Concept
This tests identification of major Harappan sites and their distinctive features. RAS repeats this because Rajasthan and neighbouring Haryana fall within the wider north-western archaeology zone relevant to ancient Indian history.