NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Social Science (Exploring Society) Chapter 6: The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation
These Class 6 Social Science Exploring Society Chapter 6 solutions cover The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation from Exploring Society: India and Beyond, the new NCF-2023 textbook for the 2026–27 session. The chapter introduces what a civilisation is and tells the story of India’s oldest civilisation — the Indus, Harappan or Sindhu-Sarasvatī Civilisation (about 2600–1900 BCE). You will learn how villages grew into planned cities, how the Harappans managed water, what they ate, how they traded, the objects they made, and why this remarkable civilisation finally declined. Below you get step-by-step answers to all Questions, activities and projects, clear notes on key terms, extra practice, MCQs, Assertion–Reason and FAQs.
Class: 6Subject: Social ScienceBook: Exploring Society: India and BeyondChapter: 6Theme: Tapestry of the PastSession: 2026–27
Class 6 Social Science Exploring Society Chapter 6 – Overview
Chapter 6, The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation, first explains that a civilisation is an advanced stage of human society that usually has some form of government and administration, urbanism (town-planning, cities, water management, drainage), a variety of crafts, internal and external trade, some form of writing, cultural ideas expressed through art and architecture, and a productive agriculture to feed both villages and cities. It then tells the story of India’s first civilisation in the northwest, watered by the Indus and the now-seasonal Sarasvatī rivers. From about 3500 BCE villages grew into towns and, by around 2600 BCE, into well-planned cities like Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Dholavira, Rakhigarhi and Kalibangan — the ‘First Urbanisation of India’. The chapter describes their town-planning, drainage and reservoirs, their diverse food, brisk trade with distant lands (using seals and the dockyard at Lothal), and the many objects and figurines they left behind. Around 1900 BCE the civilisation declined — most likely due to climate change and the drying of the Sarasvatī — and people returned to a rural life, though much of their culture survived.
Key Concepts & Terms
Civilisation: an advanced stage of human society that has at least these features — some form of government/administration, urbanism (town-planning and cities), a variety of crafts, internal and external trade, some form of writing, cultural ideas (art, architecture, literature, customs), and a productive agriculture to feed villages and cities.
Indus / Harappan / Sindhu-Sarasvatī civilisation: India’s oldest civilisation, flourishing about 2600–1900 BCE in the northwest of the Subcontinent. It has several names; its inhabitants are called ‘Harappans’.
Metallurgy: the techniques of extracting metals from nature, purifying or combining them, and the scientific study of metals and their properties.
Tributary: a river that flows into a larger river or lake — for instance, the Yamuna is a tributary of the Ganga.
First Urbanisation of India: the growth of villages into towns and then into planned cities in the Indus-Sarasvatī region around 2600 BCE.
Fortification: a massive wall surrounding a settlement or city, generally built for protection.
Elite: the higher layers of society such as rulers, officials, administrators and often priests; the Harappan ‘upper town’ is where the elite probably lived.
Reservoir: a large natural or artificial place where water is stored — Dholavira had at least six large reservoirs, the longest about 73 metres.
Pulses: a category of crops that includes beans, peas and lentils (dal), grown by the Harappans along with cereals.
Great Bath: a small but elaborate waterproofed tank (about 12 × 7 metres) at Mohenjo-daro whose exact purpose is still debated.
Seals: small steatite objects (a few centimetres) showing animal figures and writing signs, probably used to identify goods and traders in trade.
Dockyard: a structure used to receive and send boats; Lothal in Gujarat has a huge basin (217 × 36 metres) thought to be a dockyard.
Bronze: a metal harder than copper, made by adding tin to copper; the Harappans used it for tools, vessels and figurines like the ‘Dancing Girl’.
“Questions, activities and projects” — Full Solutions
All questions below are reproduced verbatim from the NCERT textbook’s end-of-chapter Questions, activities and projects section. Answers are original, written in exam-ready style for Class 6.
1. Why does the civilisation studied in this chapter have several names? Discuss their significance.
ANSWERThis civilisation is called by several names — ‘Indus’, ‘Harappan’, ‘Indus-Sarasvatī’ or ‘Sindhu-Sarasvatī’ civilisation — because each name highlights a different fact about it.Harappan: The city of Harappa (today in Pakistan’s Punjab) was the first site of this civilisation to be excavated, way back in 1920–21. So its people are called ‘Harappans’ after the first discovered city.Indus / Indus Valley: Many early sites, including Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, were found in the plains of the Indus (Sindhu) River, so it was first named the ‘Indus’ or ‘Indus Valley’ civilisation.Indus-Sarasvatī / Sindhu-Sarasvatī: Later, archaeologists found a very large number of sites along the now-seasonal Sarasvatī (Ghaggar-Hakra) River as well. To include both river systems, the name ‘Indus-Sarasvatī’ is used. The older term ‘Indus Valley’ is now considered obsolete, because the civilisation spread far beyond the Indus region.
2. Write a brief report (150 to 200 words) summing up some of the achievements of the Indus-Sarasvatī civilisation.
ANSWERAchievements of the Indus-Sarasvatī Civilisation: The Indus-Sarasvatī (Harappan) civilisation, which flourished about 2600–1900 BCE, was one of the oldest and most advanced civilisations in the world. Its greatest achievement was town-planning. Cities like Harappa, Mohenjo-daro and Dholavira had wide streets often laid out along the cardinal directions, fortifications, and separate ‘upper’ and ‘lower’ towns. The quality of building was the same for big and small houses, and most buildings were made of standardised bricks.The Harappans were experts in water management — covered drains ran below the streets, homes had bathing areas, and Dholavira had at least six huge reservoirs (the largest about 73 metres long). They practised a productive agriculture, growing barley, wheat, millets, rice, pulses and vegetables, and were the first in Eurasia to grow cotton.They were skilled craftspeople, making carnelian beads, shell bangles, bronze tools and figurines, and they carried on a brisk trade over land, rivers and sea, using seals and the dockyard at Lothal. They also developed a form of writing that is still undeciphered. Remarkably, they appear to have been a peaceful people who built no army.
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?
ANSWERThis is an imagination activity, so different sensible answers are accepted. Harappa lies in present-day Punjab (Pakistan) and Kalibangan in northern Rajasthan (India); the two are several hundred kilometres apart. A Harappan traveller would mainly have these options:(i) On foot: Walking along village paths and riverbanks. A person can walk about 25–30 km a day, so a journey of a few hundred kilometres would take many days, perhaps two to three weeks.(ii) By bullock cart or pack animals: Using carts or animals to carry the traveller and goods over land routes. This is faster and easier than walking but still slow over rough ground — perhaps one to two weeks.(iii) By boat along rivers: Since the Harappans used rivers for transport, one could travel part of the way by boat (for example along the Sarasvatī/Ghaggar system). With a favourable current this could be quicker for parts of the route, but rivers do not run in a straight line, so it might still take about a week or more.Today, by car or train the same distance can be covered in a single day — which shows how much faster travel has become. (Reasonable estimates with clear reasons are accepted.)
Note: This is a figure/map-based activity (see Fig. 6.3). The exact distance depends on the route chosen; the estimates above are approximate and meant to compare the options.
4. Let us imagine a Harappan man or woman being transported to an average kitchen in today’s India. What are the four or five biggest surprises awaiting them?
ANSWERThis is an imagination activity; here is a model answer. A Harappan visitor would find some foods familiar (wheat, barley, rice, pulses, vegetables, dairy, turmeric, ginger and banana were all known to them), but several things in a modern kitchen would surprise them:1. The gas stove or electric cooktop — cooking with a flame that has no firewood, smoke or open hearth.2. The refrigerator — a machine that keeps food and water cold for days, even in hot weather.3. Tap water and metal/plastic pipes — clean water arriving instantly from a tap, instead of being drawn from wells, ponds or reservoirs.4. Steel and plastic utensils and packaged food — shiny steel pans and colourful plastic containers and packets, instead of their terracotta pots, bronze vessels and stone weights.5. New foods and gadgets — potatoes, tomatoes, chillies and tea (none of which existed in their diet), and machines like the mixer-grinder, pressure cooker and microwave.
5. Looking at all the pictures in this chapter, make a list of the ornaments / gestures / objects that still feel familiar in our 21st century.
ANSWERMany things shown in the chapter’s pictures still feel familiar today:Ornaments: beads of carnelian and bead necklaces; shell bangles — and the ‘Dancing Girl’ figurine wears bangles covering her whole arm, a way of wearing bangles still seen in parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan.Gestures: a terracotta figurine seated in a ‘namaste’ — the same greeting Indians use today.Objects and symbols: the comb, the bronze mirror, the chisel and other tools; a gamesboard and a whistle (toys and games still loved by children); the plough, still used by farmers; the swastika symbol; and a pot design showing the story of the thirsty crow, a tale still told to children.
6. What mindset does the system of reservoirs at Dholavira reflect?
ANSWERThe huge system of reservoirs at Dholavira reflects a careful, far-sighted and well-organised mindset. Dholavira lies in the dry Rann of Kutch, so the Harappans built at least six large reservoirs — some cut into solid rock, the largest about 73 metres long — and connected them with underground drains for efficient water harvesting and distribution.This shows they valued water conservation and planned ahead to store rainwater for the dry season. It also reflects great engineering skill, teamwork and good administration, because such large structures needed many workers, careful planning and someone to organise and maintain them. Above all, it shows a respect for cleanliness and the wise use of natural resources — a mindset we still need today.
7. In Mohenjo-daro, about 700 wells built with bricks have been counted. They seem to have been regularly maintained and used for several centuries. Discuss the implications.
ANSWERThe presence of about 700 brick-built wells in Mohenjo-daro, maintained for several centuries, tells us a great deal about the Harappans:1. They had plenty of clean water for everyone. So many wells across the city mean water was easily available to all households, not just to a few rich people — pointing to a fairly equal society.2. They were skilled builders. Wells lined with bricks last long and do not collapse, showing good engineering and a steady supply of standardised bricks.3. They had good civic management. Wells that were ‘regularly maintained’ for centuries suggest some local authority or community system that looked after public facilities.4. They valued cleanliness and water. Combined with their bathing areas and drains, the wells show that the Harappans gave great importance to water management and hygiene — and that the city was stable and well governed for a very long time.
8. It is often said that the Harappans had a high civic sense. Discuss the significance of this statement. Do you agree with it? Compare with citizens in a large city of India today.
ANSWERYes, the evidence shows the Harappans had a high civic sense. ‘Civic sense’ means caring for shared, public things and keeping the city clean and orderly. Several features point to this:Their cities were carefully planned, with wide streets often along the cardinal directions; covered drains ran below the streets to carry away waste water; homes had bathing areas connected to the drainage network; and there were public wells and large reservoirs. The fact that these were maintained for centuries shows the people followed common rules and cooperated for the good of all.Comparison with a big Indian city today: Modern cities also have planned roads, piped water and drainage, but they often face problems like litter, choked drains, traffic and pollution because not everyone keeps public spaces clean. In some ways the Harappans, with their tidy drains and shared water systems, set an example of civic responsibility that we can still learn from. So I agree that the Harappans had a high civic sense, and today’s citizens should try to match it by keeping their cities clean.
Extra Practice Questions
Short Answer Type Questions
Q1. List any four characteristics that a society must have to be called a ‘civilisation’.
ANSWERFour characteristics of a civilisation are: (i) some form of government and administration; (ii) urbanism — town-planning, cities, water management and drainage; (iii) a variety of crafts; and (iv) trade, both internal and external. (Other features are some form of writing, cultural ideas expressed through art and architecture, and a productive agriculture.)
Q2. Why are the people of this civilisation called ‘Harappans’?
ANSWERThey are called ‘Harappans’ because the city of Harappa (today in Pakistan’s Punjab) was the first site of this civilisation to be excavated, in 1920–21, over a century ago. The civilisation and its people were then named after this first-discovered city.
Q3. What was the ‘Great Bath’ and where was it found?
ANSWERThe Great Bath was a small but elaborate tank found at Mohenjo-daro. It measured about 12 × 7 metres, was made of carefully laid bricks coated with waterproof natural bitumen, and had a drain to empty and refill it. Its exact purpose — perhaps a bath for the royal family or a tank for religious rituals — is still debated.
Q4. Why were thousands of small seals made by the Harappans?
ANSWERThe seals, usually made of steatite, were mainly used in trade — to help traders identify their goods and one another. They were only a few centimetres in size and showed animal figures with a few writing signs above them. The writing and the meaning of the animals are still not understood.
Q5. Name any two crops grown by the Harappans, and state what they were the first in Eurasia to grow.
ANSWERThe Harappans grew cereals such as barley and wheat (also millets and sometimes rice), along with pulses and vegetables. They were the first in Eurasia to grow cotton, which they wove into clothes.
Long Answer Type Questions
Q1. Describe the town-planning of the larger Harappan cities.
ANSWERThe larger Harappan cities, such as Harappa, Mohenjo-daro and Dholavira, were built according to precise plans. They had wide streets, often oriented to the cardinal directions, with houses lining the streets and smaller lanes. Most cities were surrounded by fortifications (massive walls) and were divided into two distinct parts — an ‘upper town’, where the local elite probably lived, and a ‘lower town’ for common people (Dholavira even had three zones). Some large buildings, such as warehouses, were used for collective purposes, and individual houses came in various sizes — yet, remarkably, the quality of construction was the same for small and big houses. Most buildings were made of standardised bricks. Water management was central to the plan: covered drains ran below the streets, homes had bathing areas, and there were wells and reservoirs. This careful planning is why the period is called the ‘First Urbanisation of India’.
Q2. Explain how the Harappans carried on their trade.
ANSWERThe Harappans were engaged in a very brisk trade, both within their own civilisation and with distant lands. They exported ornaments, timber, objects of daily use, and probably gold and cotton; their most favoured ornaments were beads of carnelian, a reddish stone found mostly in Gujarat, and beautiful shell bangles. In exchange they imported goods such as copper, which was not common at home. To carry goods they used land routes, rivers and the sea — this was India’s first intensive maritime activity, and many Harappan settlements lay along the coasts of Gujarat and Sindh. Lothal in Gujarat had a huge basin, about 217 × 36 metres, believed to be a dockyard for receiving and sending boats. To identify their goods and each other, traders used thousands of small steatite seals showing animals and writing signs. All this shows the Harappans were active and well-connected traders.
Q3. What caused the decline of the Indus-Sarasvatī civilisation? Did its culture disappear completely?
ANSWERAround 1900 BCE, the Sindhu-Sarasvatī civilisation began to fall apart, and the cities were abandoned one by one. Archaeologists once thought warfare or invasions destroyed it, but there is no trace of warfare — the Harappans seem to have kept no army and to have been a relatively peaceful people. Today, two factors are agreed upon. First, a climatic change from about 2200 BCE brought reduced rainfall and a drier phase, making agriculture harder and cutting the food supply to the cities. Second, the Sarasvatī River dried up in its central basin, so cities along it, such as Kalibangan and Banawali, were suddenly abandoned. People then returned to a rural lifestyle, which gave easier access to food and water. However, the culture did not vanish completely: much of the Harappan culture and technology survived and was passed on to the next phase of Indian civilisation. This reminds us how much we depend on climate and the environment.
MCQs & Assertion–Reason
1. The most ancient civilisation of India is also known as the:
For each Assertion–Reason question, choose: (A) Both true and the Reason correctly explains the Assertion; (B) Both true but the Reason is not the correct explanation; (C) Assertion true, Reason false; (D) Assertion false, Reason true.
A-R 1. Assertion: The Harappan civilisation is also called the Indus-Sarasvatī civilisation.
Reason: Many of its sites have been found along both the Indus and the Sarasvatī (Ghaggar-Hakra) rivers.
A-R 2. Assertion: The term ‘Indus Valley civilisation’ is now considered obsolete.
Reason: The civilisation extended much beyond the Indus region.
A-R 3. Assertion: The Harappans were a war-like people who kept a large army.
Reason: Excavations have found large numbers of weapons of war at Harappan sites.
A-R 4. Assertion: The Harappans gave great importance to water management.
Reason: They built covered drains below the streets, wells and large reservoirs.
A-R 5. Assertion: The Harappan civilisation declined around 1900 BCE.
Reason: Climatic change and the drying up of the Sarasvatī River made life in the cities difficult.
Answer key: 1-(A), 2-(A), 3-(D), 4-(A), 5-(A).
Exam Tips & Common Mistakes
How to score full marks in this chapter
Memorise the seven features of a civilisation and be ready to give one example of each. Learn the key dates — villages from about 3500 BCE, cities by about 2600 BCE, decline around 1900 BCE — and the several names of the civilisation with their reasons. Link each major city to one fact (Harappa = first excavated; Mohenjo-daro = Great Bath and 700 wells; Dholavira = reservoirs; Lothal = dockyard; Kalibangan = wide streets/Sarasvatī basin). For long answers, use the textbook’s own examples and numbers (Great Bath 12 × 7 m, Lothal basin 217 × 36 m, reservoir 73 m) to show you have studied the chapter. Remember the two agreed reasons for decline: climate change and the drying of the Sarasvatī.
Common mistakes to avoid
Calling it only the ‘Indus Valley’ civilisation — that term is now obsolete because the sites spread far beyond the Indus.
Writing that invasions or warfare destroyed the civilisation — there is no trace of warfare; the agreed reasons are climate change and the drying of the Sarasvatī.
Confusing the cities — the Great Bath is at Mohenjo-daro, the dockyard at Lothal, the rock-cut reservoirs at Dholavira.
Saying the Harappan culture vanished completely — much of it survived and passed to the next phase of Indian civilisation.
Mixing up the dates — cities grew by about 2600 BCE, decline began around 1900 BCE.
Leaving imagination/activity questions (Q3, Q4, Q5) blank — write your own sensible answers with reasons.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chapter 6 of Class 6 Social Science Exploring Society about?
Chapter 6, The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation, explains what a civilisation is and tells the story of India’s oldest civilisation — the Indus, Harappan or Sindhu-Sarasvatī civilisation (about 2600–1900 BCE). It covers its planned cities, water management, food, trade, crafts and the reasons for its decline.
Why does this civilisation have several names?
It is called ‘Harappan’ after Harappa, the first site excavated (1920–21); ‘Indus’ or ‘Indus Valley’ because many sites lay in the Indus plains; and ‘Indus-Sarasvatī’ or ‘Sindhu-Sarasvatī’ because a large number of sites were also found along the Sarasvatī (Ghaggar-Hakra) River.
What is the exercise heading for Chapter 6 of Exploring Society?
The end-of-chapter exercise in Exploring Society: India and Beyond Chapter 6 is headed Questions, activities and projects and contains 8 numbered questions, all answered step by step on this page.
