Early India Geography & Origins
Geography
Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra
The Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra are three rivers that run through India. These three rivers bring silt to India's soil, making it fertile. Because the soil is fertile, crops grown better and there is a stable amount of food for the civilization.
The picture to the left shows the Indus River Basin.
The picture to the left shows the Indus River Basin.
Himalaya and Hindu Kush
These two mountain ranges benefited Ancient India in one, useful way. The two mountains served as natural barriers to keep out intruders. In fact, The Himalayan mountains are one of the tallest mountain ranges in the world. Therefore, many ancient peoples didn't feel the need to risk their lives while crossing the mountains.
The picture to the left shows the Himalayan mountain range.
The picture to the left shows the Himalayan mountain range.
Monsoons
Monsoons helped people of Early India in many ways. These large, seasonal winds sent vast amounts of rain to India during their summer months. This way many crops in the fields were watered and lives were saved due to a sturdy food source.
Indus Valley Civilization
Citadel
Citadel or a fortress that encloses buildings like granaries, warehouses, and meeting halls were found commonly in Ancient India.Homes, workshops, and shrines were built outside of the citadel.
Streets
Ancient India had streets that ran in a gridded pattern from the north-south and east-west. They consisted of major avenues that were twice as wide as minor streets.
Indus Valley Civilization Decline
The Indus Valley civilization thrived from about 2500 BC to 2000 BC. After this, the civilization began to decline. In fact, the city of Mohenjo Daro was completely abandoned. However, no one knows the reason for the collapse of this civilization.
The Vedic Period
Sacraficing and Sacred Hymns
The people of the Vedic religion believe that fire sacrifices and chanting sacred hymns is the only way to keep order in the universe. Priests offer food and drink to the gods by placing them on the fire, like what is shown in the second picture below.