An Introduction to the Indus Valley Civilization

The National Museum, New Delhi welcomes thousands of visitors every year from all states of the country and abroad. Our discerning visitors are curious to know about ancient civilizations and cultures that were in existence in India and whose glimpses can be seen in our galleries. The obvious question they have in their minds is: Did India have any civilization comparable to those in Egypt, Mesopotamia or China? The simple answer to the question is YES. The oldest civilization of India is known as the Indus-Saraswati Civilization, which is popularly known as the Indus Valley or Harappan Civilization and it was contemporaneous with the above-mentioned old civilizations of the world. The Harappan gallery is one of the most important galleries in the National Museum. The gallery throws light on the proto-historic civilization of the Indian subcontinent and has rich collections on display. However, curious visitors often need more information and explanations to understand objects and their contexts better.

I am happy to present the Second Reprint of this publication, 'An Introduction to the Indus Valley Civilization' which has found immense popularity amongst knowledge-seeking readers. The first print was presented for sale in the month of June, 2015 and almost 90 percent of its copies were sold out within ten months from the Museum's sale counter. Given the demand, The first reprint was published in 2016. In presenting the second reprint as an improved version, I agree with the view of my predecessor, Dr Venu Vasudevan, that it will cater to this need and will be useful and enjoyable for visitors, both students and the general public alike. I am grateful to authors, Shri Sanjib Kumar Singh and Shri Gunjan Kumar Srivastava for taking this initiative. They have explained in detail about the archaeology, art and lifestyle of the Harappan Civilization. Presented in a very simple and lucid manner, this book will hopefully be understood and appreciated by curious novices as well as scholars.