Which of the following is the most unique feature of the Harappan civilisation?

The correct answer is Town Planning.

• Harappa is located near the Ravi River, which is a tributary of the upper Indus region.
• The most prominent feature of the Harappan era architecture is the drainage system. It shows how important cleanliness was for them.
• It was achieved through having a series of drains running along the streets that connected to larger sewers in the main streets.
• Town planning was amazing in nature. A few cities have citadels to the west on a higher platform and to the east of which is the hub of a residential area.
• The uniformity is noticed in the layout of the towns, streets, structures, brick size, drains, etc.
• Harappan city sites, including Mohenjo Daro, Harappa, Kalibangan, and Surkotada were having large gateways at various entry points of the city.
• Important Features.
  • ​The grid system of town Planning.
  • Citadel ( for administrative and religious purpose) and lower town ( residence of common people).
  • large-scale use of burnt bricks and absence of stone buildings.
  • Houses had many rooms with a square courtyard, private wells, kitchens, and bathing space.
  • Well laid out underground drainage system.

Key Points

•  Types of Buildings.
  • ​Excavations have uncovered many types of houses and public buildings at both large and small settlements.
• The architecture may be grouped into three categories with some variations:
  • ​Private houses.
  • Private houses surrounded by smaller units.
  • Large public structures.
• Materials Used in Buildings.​
  • Most settlements were situated in the alluvial plains where the most common building materials were mud-bricks and kiln-fired-bricks, wood and reeds.
  • Doors and windows were made up of wood and mats.
  • Floors of houses were generally hard-packed earth that was often plastered.
  • Drains and bathing areas were made with baked bricks or stone.
  • Roofs were probably made of wooden beams covered with reeds and packed clay.