Experts reconstruct Harappan technology for modern use
NEW DELHI : As part of the renewed efforts to learn from the lost Indus Valley civilisation and utilize their science, technology and the innovations to improve quality of living in our mundane life, a strong group of researchers from across the country are reconstructing the 5000-yearold science and technologies used by Harappans.
One of the significant technologies includes Harappan water harvesting and management to address the water scarcity in modern times. As part of the water harvesting techniques, they dug underground water wells to address the issue which they too faced scarcity at that time.
It does not require foreign collaborations and huge funding from abroad, the researchers say.
The renewed interest also stems from the fact that the researchers have access to better technologies to conduct in-depth studies and also available is the research money. They have started revisiting the sites again.
Prof Vasant Shinde, Vice Chancellor, Deccan College of Post Graduate Research & Training, Pune said, “We are trying to reconstruct most of the technologies used by Harappan as they had perfected most of the technologies. These technologies continued from 5000 years to modern times, till 30 years back. Pottery making, stone making in Khambat reagion of Gujarat where people are still using the same technology for making similar kind of beads.”
In metallurgy, too, cold hammering technique, also an Harppan innovation, is still in use, he said, adding most of their technologies have survived.
“About water harvesting, we are making lot of issues but we are not learning from Harappan ancestors who had devised simple and effective tech. We can use water harvesting the way they did it. They dug underground water wells that were interconnected . We don’t need foreign collaborations and funding from abroad,” said Shinde.
They claimed that Harappans had perfected in most of the technologies such as stone bead and crafts production, Indus ceramic technologies, metal and metallurgy which are being used even during the modern time.
Prof D Balasubramanian, chairman, Research Council for History of Science said,
“There is a strong and significant group of researchers who are looking afresh at the science, technology and the innovations that happened in ancient India in 3000 -4500 BC or 5000-6000 years ago. There is now renewed interest in research activity particularly groups from Deccan college Pune, BHU, Allahabad University and ASI.”
On the renewed interest, Balasubramanian said, “We now have new technologies and scientific equipment, better than when researchers discovered Indus valley civilization 150 years ago.”