What were the Homogeneity and diversity in Indus civilization?

So far it was believed that a remarkable uniformity characterised the Indus civilization. This view, which was largely based on the data available from Mohenjodaro and Harappa, now seems to be on the verge of collapse on the basis of analysis of materials excavated from other sites.

Marcia Fentres’s comparative study of the various artefacts from Mohenjodaro. And Harappa has clearly demonstrated the far of this traditional concept of homogeneity.

The cropping pattern of the civilisation shows a variation of cereal crops-wheat and barley at Mohenjodaro and Harappa, barley at Kalibangan, and rice and millet at Lothal, Rangpur and Surkotada. Environmental factors also played a significant role in diffusion as well as cultural adaptations. Divergent traits in the lay-out plan of the cities are also present in different regions.

Mohenjodaro, Harappa and Kalibangan show an identical town lay-out plan of the metropolis – the citadel and the lower city. At Kalibangan the citadel shows a bipartite plan with no less than six mud-brick platforms. Some of these platforms have ritual structures like rows of fire altars, wells, sacrificial-pits, etc. which are not found at Mohenjodaro and Harappa.

The lower city at Kalibangan is fortified. At Dholavira the city had three main divisions – the ‘citadel’ or ‘acropolis’, ‘middle town’ and ‘lower town’. The first two are fortified, with vast open areas around them. The religious beliefs and rituals of the Indus people also varied from region to region. Divergent traits are also present in the burial practices of the Harappan people. Even the decline of the Indus civilization was irregular and different factors affected different places. Thus the monolith of the Indus civilization in terms of homogeneity stands disproved.