The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation Class 6 Questions and Answers

The Big Questions

Question 1: What is a civilisation?
Answer:
A civilisation is a large group of people who live together in cities and have developed systems of government, culture, technology, and writing. It includes:

  • Cities: Where people live and work.
  • Government: Leaders who make rules to organize society.
  • Writing: People use writing to keep records and share information.
  • Technology: Tools and machines that help make life easier.
  • Culture: Traditions, beliefs, and art shared by the people.

Question 2: What was the earliest civilisation of the Indian Subcontinent?
Answer:
The earliest civilisation in the Indian Subcontinent was the Indus Valley Civilisation. It was in the north-western parts of India and Pakistan. It is famous for its well-planned cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. They had a smart system of drainage, well-built homes, and even a form of writing. The people traded goods and made beautiful crafts.


Let’s Explore

Question 1: For each characteristic in the list (on page 86), can you make a list of professions or occupations that might exist in such a society?
Answer: Here’s a list of jobs or professions that might exist in a civilisation with these features:

  • Government and Administration:
    • Kings/Leaders: To rule the people.
    • Officials: Help with managing the city.
    • Judges: Solve problems and conflicts.
    • Tax Collectors: Collect money for the government.
  • Urbanism (Town Planning):
    • Architects: Design buildings.
    • Engineers: Build roads and bridges.
    • Plumbers: Take care of water and drainage systems.
    • Builders: Build houses and public places.
  • Crafts and Production:
    • Blacksmiths: Make tools and weapons.
    • Potters: Make clay pots.
    • Weavers: Make clothes and textiles.
    • Jewelers: Make jewelry.
  • Trade (internal and external):
    • Merchants: Sell goods in markets.
    • Traders: Move goods from one place to another.
    • Shipbuilders: Make boats and ships for travel.
    • Customs Officers: Check goods at borders.
  • Writing and Record-Keeping:
    • Scribes: Write down information.
    • Accountants: Keep track of money.
    • Historians: Record history and important events.
  • Agriculture:
    • Farmers: Grow crops.
    • Animal Keepers: Take care of animals.
    • Irrigation Workers: Set up systems to bring water to fields.

Question 2: Some of the important cities of this civilisation are marked in the map (Fig. 6.3 on page 89). Can you match these cities with the modern states or regions?
Answer:

Harappan city Modern state/region
Dholavira Gujarat
Harappa Punjab
Kalibangan Rajasthan
Mohenjo-daro Sindh (Pakistan)
Rakhigarhi Haryana

Question 3: Have a debate in class about the last two interpretations. Can you think of any others?
Answer:
This one can be done by yourself, where you discuss different ideas and try to understand the interpretation of evidence. You can come up with your own thoughts about the Harappans.


Question 4: Measure the length of your classroom, school corridor, or playground and compare with the length of the largest reservoir in Dholavira.
Answer:
This question needs you to measure the spaces around you. You can use a measuring tape to find the size of your classroom, corridor, or playground and compare it with the reservoir’s length at Dholavira.


Question 5: Imagine you cook a meal in a Harappan house. What dishes would you prepare?
Answer:
If I were cooking a meal in a Harappan house, I would use ingredients they grew, like barley and wheat, to make porridge. I could make a vegetable stew using things like turmeric and ginger. I would also make a rice and dal dish, as they grew rice and pulses. For dessert, I might prepare a banana salad, as they had fruits like bananas. For protein, I could cook fish or meat curry with spices.


Question 6: Looking at three Harappan seals with some writing signs, what do you think they represent?
Answer:
The Harappan seals with animals and writing might have special meanings.

  • The unicorn could be a sacred or special animal, maybe a symbol of strength or protection.
  • The bull might represent fertility, as bulls were used for farming.
  • The horned tiger could be a symbol of power or strength.

The writing on the seals suggests they were used to record important things, like trade or ownership. The seals may have been used to mark items or identify people.


Question 7: Complete the story found on the Lothal pot. How was this story remembered for more than 4,000 years?
Answer:
Once, a crow was thirsty and found a pot with only a little water. It couldn’t reach the water, so it dropped pebbles into the pot one by one. As the pebbles filled the pot, the water level rose, and the crow was able to drink.

This story was remembered for a long time because:

  • It teaches us the importance of being smart and clever.
  • The story was passed down by people telling it to each other.
  • It was painted on pots, so people could see and remember it.
  • The story has moral lessons, so it was popular for teaching values.

Question 8: Consider the ‘Dancing Girl’ figurine. What do you think of her attitude? What do the bangles on her arm tell us?
Answer:
The Dancing Girl figurine shows confidence and grace. The way she is posed suggests that dancing and expressing yourself through movement was important to her culture.
Her bangles cover one arm completely, showing how much they liked to decorate themselves. This style of wearing bangles is still common in places like Gujarat and Rajasthan today.
This tells us that some traditions, like wearing many bangles, have lasted for thousands of years. The Dancing Girl also shows us that people in the Indus Valley were skilled in making beautiful and detailed artwork.


The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation – Exercises

Question 1: Why does the civilisation studied in this chapter have several names? Discuss their significance.
Answer:
The Indus Valley Civilisation is called by different names because of its different important sites and rivers:

  • Indus Valley Civilisation: Named after the Indus River, where many cities of this civilisation were located.
  • Harappan Civilisation: After Harappa, one of the first cities found.
  • Mohenjo-daro Civilisation: After Mohenjo-daro, another major city.
  • Sarasvati Civilisation: Based on the Sarasvati River, which is mentioned in ancient texts.
  • Indus-Sarasvati Civilisation: Combines both the Indus and Sarasvati Rivers, reflecting the civilisation’s spread across both regions.

Question 2: Write a brief report (150 to 200 words) summing up some of the achievements of the Indus-Sarasvati civilisation.
Answer:
The Indus-Sarasvati Civilisation achieved many important things.
They were very good at urban planning. Cities like Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, and Dholavira had grid-like streets, advanced drainage systems, and brick houses. They also built reservoirs and wells to manage water.
In agriculture, they grew crops like wheat, barley, and cotton. They were among the first to grow cotton.
The people were skilled in craftsmanship. They made beautiful jewelry, pottery, and seals with animal symbols.
They also traded with Mesopotamia and other regions.
Their achievements in planning, farming, art, and trade show how advanced and important this civilisation was.


Question 3: Imagine you have to travel from the city of Harappa to Kalibangan. What are your different options? Can you make a rough estimation of the amount of time each option might take?
Answer:
To travel from Harappa to Kalibangan, I might use these options:

  • Walking or Animal Cart: This would take about 20-30 days, since travel is slow.
  • Camel Caravan: With more animals, it might take around 15-25 days.
  • Boat: If I can travel by river, it might take around 10-15 days, depending on the river’s speed.

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