The Urban Planning Of Mohenjo-Daro

In the ancient Indus Valley, a marvel of urban planning lay buried beneath layers of time: Mohenjo-Daro, a city that thrived around 2500 BCE. This archaeological wonder, located in present-day Sindh, Pakistan, was one of the largest settlements of the Indus Valley Civilization and showcased a level of sophistication that would astonish modern urban planners.

Mohenjo-Daro was meticulously designed with a grid layout of streets measuring about 12 meters wide, lined with houses made of baked brick. The city’s layout featured an impressive drainage system that included covered drains and soak pits, showing an advanced understanding of sanitation. Homes often had multiple rooms and were equipped with private wells, highlighting the importance of water management in this bustling metropolis.

The Great Bath, a monumental structure measuring approximately 12 by 7 meters, stood at the heart of Mohenjo-Daro, suggesting that ritual cleanliness was a significant aspect of the city’s social and religious life. Surrounding this grand public space were large, well-planned complexes, hinting at a society that valued not only utility but also communal activity.

Incredibly, Mohenjo-Daro’s engineering prowess extended to its fortifications, with thick walls constructed to withstand floods from the nearby Indus River. This city, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, remains a testament to the ingenuity and architectural brilliance of one of the world’s earliest urban civilizations, fading into obscurity yet echoing the complexity of human settlement thousands of years ago.