Decline of Indus Valley Civilization

Part.1
• The decline of Harappan culture is a difficult to explain as its origin.
• Historians have different opinions regarding the causes of the decay and
disappearance of the Harappan Civilization. Various causes have been
ascribed for its weakening and then decay; increase in rainfall,
earthquake, drought, change of the course of the river, Aryan invasion etc

Part. 2
• H T Lambrik suggests that Mohenjodaro was ruined due to the change of
the course of the Indus river.
• According to Sir John Marshall and Mackay suggest that the decline of
the Harappan civilization was mainly due to the vagaries of the Indus river.
But this theory is partly true. Some of the evidence of the devastation by
floods have been found at Mohenjodaro and Lothal.
• R. L Raikes, Famous hydrologist proved that Mohenjodaro and Harappa
sank as silt was found not only on the roads but also on the walls of the
houses. And houses were built on the debris of the old one.
• According to D P Agarwal, Harappa was ruined because the Ghaggar river
was dried up completely.
• On the other hand Mortimer Wheeler pointed out that the Harappn
Culture was destroyed by the Aryans. The Aryans were move skilled at
warfare and were powerful than the Harappan. In the last phase of
Mohenjodaro, men, women and children were massacred in the streets.
Moreover ‘Hariyupiya’ words written in Rigveda indicates Harappa. The
famous god of Rigveda ‘Indra’ is called ‘Purandra’, a destroyers of forts.
• Recently an number of archeologists have emphasized the ecological
factors for the decline of Harappan civilization.

Part. 3
• But civilization continued after the decline. As decline can be understood
in the form of the decline of its urban character.
• Urban character of IVC was destroyed and became rural. The post Indus
elements can be seen in Kalibangan, Amri, and Jhokar culture.

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Various Views Regarding its Decay

Marshall, Mackay = It decayed due to vagaries of the Indus
Wheeler, Garden Child = Due to Aryan Attack
Austin = Due to scarcity of water.
Dales = It was destroyed by an earthquake
D.D Kaushambi = Fire was burnt to kill the people of
Mohenjodaro
Amlanand Ghose = Change in the climate and lack of
rains destroyed it.
R. L. Raikes = Flood