Town Planning & Architecture

A Planned Urban Layout

The most striking feature of the Harappan civilisation was its town planning. Unlike the haphazard growth of many modern cities, Harappan cities followed a grid system.

Structural Features

1. Bipartite Layout: Most cities were divided into two parts:
   • Upper Town (Citadel): Built on a raised platform, often fortified. Likely used by the elite or for public purposes.
   • Lower Town: Larger area where common people lived.
2. Streets: Wide streets oriented to cardinal directions (North-South, East-West), cutting each other at right angles.
3. Bricks: Buildings were made of baked bricks of a standardized ratio (1:2:4). The quality of construction was uniform across small and big houses.

The Great Bath (Mohenjo-daro)

Located in the Citadel of Mohenjo-daro, this structure is a masterpiece of engineering.

• Dimensions: Roughly $12 \text{ m} \times 7 \text{ m}$.
• Construction: Watertight brickwork sealed with natural bitumen (tar).
• Features: Steps leading down from two sides, surrounded by rooms (for changing), and a large drain to empty the tank.
• Purpose: Likely used for special ritual baths on religious occasions.