Dravidian Thesis In Deciphering The Indus Script Is Not Possible

This article is being written, by keeping the news item carried out in ‘the Hindu newspaper, dated, April, 15, 2010, under the caption,'deciphring the Indus script; challenges and some head ways', in mind that the current work on Dravidian hypothesis of Dr.Asko Parpola who has undertaken, the work, for which he has been selected for Tamil award for the year 2009. And the Tamil award to him to be presented by the chief minister of Tamilnadu, Sri M. Karunanidhi at the world classical Tamil conference to be held from June23 to 27, 2010 at Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India.

The identification of language of the Indus valley civilization and its affiliated family of the languages is a very problematic one to identify the real nature of the script and the nature of society. No doubt that it is an urbanized life the people enjoyed at that time they lived. Well advanced and modernized system of usage of sign boards in their habitations. We cannot calculate the standards of the civilization in all the way of farming the lands, canalizing the water ways to the lands, calculations of the time, days, months, years, measurements of bricks, sizes, steps of the staircases, accounts of the food grains, live stock, cutting of the woods, leather works, waving of the cloths, coloring the cloths, handicrafts' works,  gold, iron, silver, copper, with other metallic tools, tools of rural artisans, digging of the reservoirs, calculations of the wages to the workers, or any system they were followed while carrying out the community level works, domestication of animals, security systems for the protection of the life  from the wild animals, and from poisonous reptiles, engaging the men for spiritual works, food habits from the animals to vegetables and other items they used to eat, like birds and fish, social relations in giving and receiving the exchanging systems of house hold articles, without comparative study of the rig Vedic society through the verses of Rig-Veda only as a source of its own in finding out the composition of the social classes at that time they lived within their limited territory of Indian subcontinent.

While comparing nature of the two societies in the Indian sub continent on the difference of the time on the world scale of time lines, we cannot arrive at any concrete convictions from the mysteries of the script systems of all world civilizations without going through the techniques of the decipherments, if that are the scripts with all the requirements of calling them scripts.

The rig Vedic language, Sanskrit, off course it is in the list of extinct languages, because it has no native speakers at that of its origin, here in India .
For the first time the word ‘family' of Dravidian language was used in 1816, by Francis Ellis, who made a list of related languages to Dravidian. Four languages, Tulu, Kodagu, Malto including Dravidian, he named as the family of the Dravidian languages. Soon after, in 1856, Robert cold well added several languages to the list, such as Kota, Toda, Gondi. Kui, Kurush, and Brahui, as all these languages were brought under one umbrella and tagged it as the Dravidian language family in India. All these languages have its roots prior to the period of 1500BC. Harappan site and symbols came out when the British authorities were engaged in construction work with the Harappan bricks for railway line from Karachi to Lahore in Pakistan in 1857, sir john Marshall who had carried out exaction work and discovered the further details of civilization in1912, and process of excavations were taken place in little way.
The relationship and comparison of the words from any language to any language through translations for the meanings would never establish the direct relations or indirect influence in confirming the claims in the history of the languages in the world. In 1963, Dr. N. Lahovary, who provided the list of hundreds words published, by orient Longman publishers from page no 164 to167, under the caption 'Dravidian origins and the west' in which hundreds of words he composed with the meanings of the Basque and Dravidian comparisons. And made everybody to feel that the Basque and Dravidian languages are inseparable from each other and have the common origin from the common place with having the genetic relationship of its speakers for a longtime. The original place of Basque speakers is in between the border of France and Spain . It has been stated that the Basque spoke before arrival of indo-Europeans there prior to 5years.

The Indus valley civilisation had more than one language at that time and Sanskrit has no role in that whole period of its life from 3100 to 1500 b .c.
Of the two or more scripts, one may be related to Dravidian languages. The common source of the Dravidian languages could never be either Brahvi or Kharosthy
 Here is the case of d. Mc Apin, Who proposed the Dravidian language family in his hypothesis through 'Proto-Elamo-Dravidian ' believing and expecting positive results by working on his proposal, many researchers adopted. They were immediately back stepped due the soviet teams' findings on the structures of ‘fixes' of the Indus writings. .the language of Mohenjo Daro belonged to the Monda family of languages, but the chances for finding its relationship with the Indus script are not bright. So no researcher would initiate for further findings.
The researchers and the writers have repeatedly written lot about the Indus valley civilization without any newness and their findings did not move further with their methodological changes on the same objects already available at all museums. And they are not coming with new theoretical proposals on the same subjects and its issues. However I hope his courage for working on the Dravidian bases thesis is very courageous and proves step advancement in deciphering the script and its related mysteries for the whole world. So it is too early to comment on his work before its release.

Harappa's Civilization

Archaeologists discovered two 4000 year old cities lying 400 meters away from each other on the bank of the River Indus. Harappa is one of the largest and most important cities of the Indus Civilization. It is one of the best known sites in Pakistan and is located on the bank of the Ravi River in Punjab Province. It is believed that this city was occupied around 3300 and 1500 BC and covers an area of 250 acres. Like Mohenjodaro, several well built structures displaying great architectural skills have been discovered at Harappa. These include the remains of a citadel, a granary and some cemeteries. The people of Harappa lived in strong brick houses that were often up to three stories high and the city also had an excellent drainage system. The entire city plan is proof of the fact that the people who lived here were civilized and lived in a proper societal setup.
The Harappan civilization was basically urban and the society consisted of many traders who traded with southern India and Afghanistan.
Much of the artwork from this civilization was small and made for personal use. The first objects discovered from this ancient site were small stone seals made of steatite which had pictures of animals, both real and imaginary. Carvings of an ancient script have also been found on the seals. It is believed that the seals may have had some sort of a religious or symbolic significance. Female figurines made of terra cotta have also been unearthed from Harappa. These figures are often crudely made with females wearing huge head dresses with spaces for small lamps on the sides, which indicate the dress code of that time and place. Jewellery items made of shell or semi precious stones have also been excavated from this ancient site.
The Harappan civilization reached its zenith around 2500 BC and began to decline about 2000 BC. The causes of its downfall are uncertain. Some historians suggest that the Aryans may have conquered the territory while others suggest that the people dispersed and became nomads possibly because the soil had lost its fertility so agriculture became difficult.
Despite the fact that it is in ruins, the city still serves to be an attraction for historians, students as well as a number of tourists because of its grandeur and its excellent architecture. To cater to tourists and students, a souvenir shop which offers a large variety of items, is located within the city so that visitors can send gifts to Pakistan and also take something back with them as a reminder of the secrets buried within the ruins. In fact, the shop also offers courier facilities through which Pakistan gifts can be sent to relatives and friends so that they too, can get a glimpse of what the historical site has to offer. It must be remembered that Harappa is an ancient site and therefore it is uncertain as to how long it will remain. Therefore, it would be wise to give your loved ones an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of this ancient city with you by sending them souvenirs and Pakistan gifts that they will actually cherish

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Mohenjodaro's Civilization & Culture

Mohenjodaro, which was discovered in 1922 and is situated in the Indus Valley, is truly a treasure for the history of Pakistan. This city was built around 2600 BCE and was one of the earliest urban settlements that mankind has a record of. In fact, it is no doubt that it was perhaps one of the most modern cities. The covered drainage system, the granary and other similar structures which display excellent architectural abilities bear testimony to that fact. Many other items that either served decorative purposes or were used in daily life have also been discovered. These include bangles, seals, utensils and figurines that were often carved rather skillfully with either clay or metals like bronze. While the ruins of the city have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is in danger of being lost because the government has taken little action to prevent the damage that can be caused by heavy rains. Moreover, the salt from the soil is another danger to the ruins because it accelerates the process of corrosion. This is rather unfortunate because the city bears the remains of one of the most advanced cities of its time and would serve to be a treasure chest for most historians who are attempting to understand and study previous civilizations. However, the government has succeeded in building an airport near the ruins to cater to the visitors who choose to come and has also out an image of the city on the rupee note. But keeping in mind the general economic state of the country, the Pakistani government cannot afford to spend too much of its funds on the ancient city and therefore most of the finances have been provided by external sources who wish to preserve the knowledge that these ruins contain. Despite the precarious position of the ruins, with respect to its preservation, the city still serves to be an attraction for historians, students as well as a number of tourists. To cater to tourists and students, a souvenir shop which offers a large variety of items, is located within the city so that visitors can take something back with them as a reminder of the secrets buried within the ruins. In fact, the shop also offers courier facilities through which Pakistan gifts can be sent to relatives and friends so that they too, can get a glimpse of what the historical site has to offer. This is important because as mentioned, the state of the city is somewhat teetering on the edge and who knows when it might collapse especially since the Pakistani government has not shown much interest in dispersing funds for a historical site. Keeping this in mind, it would be wise to give your loved ones an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of this ancient city with you by sending them souvenirs and Pakistan gifts that they will actually cherish. . .

Ancient Immigration Control System in Indus Valley

Today many countries like the United States have immigration policies and quota systems. Only educated people with a certain minimum qualification are allowed for immigration; obviously, no country would like to have illiterate people streaming into its borders. The immigrants should be conversant in a certain language - English in United States for example. Also, only a certain fixed number of immigrants are allowed per year. In some theocratic nations, bringing in idols of other faiths is prohibited. So, the extent and type of immigration is strictly regulated by a certain set of erudite policies that are formulated with a view to ensure that the socio-economic and cultural balance of the country accepting the immigrants is not disturbed.
Suppose for a minute that it is not possible to control immigration to the extent that it is being done today. The country's borders are hill terrained with a large number of immigrants streaming into your society in an uncontrolled manner. Large number of migrants speaking all sorts of languages descend on to your society - you might need to converse in an extra-ordinarily large number of languages in order to be able to function. Huge number of people of different races come and descend on to your society and construct temples and shrines of a large number of denominations to an extra-ordinarily large number of Gods - your own religion and god is lost in the mire. Illiterate people, not possessing a single valuable skill, come and swamp your society, expecting their needs to be taken care of. Can you imagine the chaos and utter confusion that would result from such an uncontrolled migration?
Such chaos and confusion formed part and parcel of one civilization for more than ten thousand years! That civilization is that of Indus Valley - comprising of present day India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
Ever since ice age peak ended about fifteen to twenty thousand years ago, deglaciaton started all across the planet, especially so on the Indian subcontinent. The mighty Himalayan mountain ranges on the north of India started disgorging enormous amounts of waters into the sea. Huge and gargantuan river systems started wetting and inundating the northern plains of India. While most of the rest of world was still covered with ice, places like Egypt, India, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia were the chosen places for civilization. India, especially, with its mighty river systems, was the chosen land for civilization - an immigrant's haven. Large number of immigrants migrated from all over the world onto the Indian subcontinent every now and then in droves.
And, there was no country of India then! There were only a large number of small small societies and kingdoms scattered all over. So they did not have any immigration policies and quota systems to control immigration. Each small society and kingdom had to deal with this menace of uncontrolled immigration in its own manner. Large number of tribes, many of them illiterate, with all sorts of languages, gods, customs and what not descended onto Indian subcontinent, threatening to destabilize the socio-economic and cultural balance of the natives. Some sort of a regulatory system was necessary in order to provide a semblance of sanity against on the onslaught of this unfettered immigration.
One of the main constraints of forming an efficient society is the language. One needs a common language across the society to function properly and efficiently. When a society faces a huge amount of migration from outside, with several races bringing in scores of languages by the day, a society needs to ensure that its language does not get destroyed by the deluge of outside languages that descend upon it. We cannot have a community with a hundred languages in operation and with many more to descend; it would result in complete chaos and would lead to a highly dysfunctional arrangement. So, when outsiders are incorporated into the society, it becomes mandatory to ensure that each and every intruder speaks the language of the existing society. In case of India, it was Sanskrit. So it becomes mandatory that all those who come in should forsake their own language and adapt to the common language of the community. They are free to speak their language inside their homes, but outside, they are strictly to speak the common language.
The next most important thing is religion. After thousands of years of religious development taking the religion to quite an advanced form, a civilized society cannot have tribal deities in dozens and scores swamping their temples, with the idols of those tribal gods sitting alongside their own gods. If the incoming religions are not more than handful, it is fine; But, in the case of hundreds of them coming in, one can understand the problem that this would bring. That would simply not be acceptable and would even be repulsive to any civilized society. The civilized society would then enforce strict religious laws to safeguard its own religion. The incoming people who would be accepted into the society would have to give up their religion and their customs outside the gates and would have to adapt to the religion of the society they were entering. Would this always be possible? Maybe not always be. The tribal, who would start slapping his/her cheeks and murmuring sweet nothings when he/she sees figures like triangles, cannot be made to forget his/her deity as soon as he/she comes in. It would be too difficult to implement such a task. Moreover, the society itself might consist of a couple of competing sects, and it would not be easy to decide as to which incoming tribal should join which sect. The best way to enforce sanity from the religious perspective would be to have a separate sub-community that would have the exclusive right to religious practices at the places of worship. That sub-community, from generation to generation, would be responsible for taking care of the conduct of religious rituals and other related practices. So, as long as the ritualistic practices are saved from being tampered with, it does not matter who worships whom. For example, a tribal might take a small seal out of his pocket and worship it at his home. As long as he is not allowed to install an idol of that tribal deity at a formal public worship place, he can continue to worship whoever he wants. Since the rights over religious practices are given over to a certain priestly community, and as long as that community does not entertain common worship places for new tribal deities, the religion is saved.
We save language, we save religion. What else is required? Well, law and order has to be maintained? And just as we have in today's business organizations, some code of conduct, and some customs and traditions need to be maintained; there needs to be a code of conduct that does not change as more and more outsiders get incorporated into the society. And to maintain all of these, a ruling class is required.
So, we see that we have come up with the requirement of having two classes: a priestly class and a ruling class. And the most important requirement is that this class of people should not be tinkered with; otherwise, the purpose of incorporating the classes is lost. For example, if some new intruder coming from outside with a different language is made part of the ruling class, he then might want to change the language of the society, and this would destroy the very purpose of having such a class. So, we need to have a fixed set of people who act as ruling class or priestly class, and whose position is not to be tinkered with. Only a descendant of a priest becomes a priest, and only the son of a ruler becomes a ruler or an administrator.
With two classes in tow, and with a few rules and regulations in place, we then come to the issue that is at the core of all of this discussion. How to distribute the incoming migrators? Well, create two more classes-one class for incoming people who are to some extent civilized, and another class for those who are uncivilized. Civilized intruders who come in are allowed to occupy themselves with various trade and agricultural activities that contribute to the wealth of the society. And uncivilized people who come in are taken in as a servant class of people. All the rules are strictly enforced. All newcomers into society have to learn the language of the society; they are not supposed to start any public places of worship of their own but are supposed to get their religious activities performed by the priestly class, and have to abide by other rules of the society. A society can only take in a certain limited number of people - for example, most countries today allow only a fixed number of immigrants per year. So, excess number of migrators, especially the uncivilized people, are left out as untouchables. These untouchables are not allowed inside the boundary walls of community, contact and interaction with them is prohibited.
This is how the much defamed and vilified Indian four-caste system, along with untouchability, originated. Members of the priestly class are called Brahmins; those of the ruling class are called Kshatriyas; those of the trading class are called Vaishyas; and those of the servant class are called Sudras.
As per Indian scriptures, India was made up of four castes - Kshatriyas, Brahmins, Vaishyas, and Sudras. Add the class of untouchables to this. Normally, any class system is frowned upon by liberal minded people as it bestows certain undue advantages for some people over others. Since this class system is mentioned in important scriptures of Indian religion, the ills of Indian class and caste system are normally attributed to Indian religion. Indian religion is attributed with certain amount of characteristic bestiality that gave rise this sort of class system, where the arrangement of the society favored certain upper castes over the lower castes. However, I think that the real significance of this Indian four-class caste system along with untouchability has never been understood by historians.
The Indian four-class caste system has arisen out of the need to control thousands and thousands of years of migration onto the Indian subcontinent! India has been an immigrant's haven ever since the snow fed rivers started wetting the Indian lands. It has ceased to be so only in the last couple of millennia. Since most of the scriptures that talk about this four-class caste system, including Vedas, are Sanskrit based, it means that Indian language of Sanskrit and Indian scriptures of Vedas are extremely ancient, and are a byproduct of ice age fluctuations. The history of the civilized man can be traced back to the ice age peak.

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From Indus Valley to Bollywood: The Curious History of Indian Sarees

The sari or saree is the most admired garment worn by Indian women. Though the exact history of Indian sarees is unknown, according to researchers its origin dates back to 3000 BC in the Indus Valley Civilization. The word ‘saree’ has its origin in the Sanskrit word ‘Chira’ meaning cloth. Indian sarees are still the most preferred garment for most women and in this respect they have stood the test of time. In spite of the popularity of other western garments such as salwars and churidars, the sari still has a place of its own.

During the times of the Indus Valley Civilization, female priests used to wear pieces of cloth draped in the form of a saree. The sari divided the two legs and looked like a pair of trousers during those days. Sarees were worn in this way traditionally by temple dancers too because this allowed for better movement while dancing while helping them maintain their modesty. It is believed that the oldest Indian garment ‘dhoti’ was the foundation behind the sari. Both men and women till the 14th century wore dhoti.

According to the history of Indian sarees, they were draped in a sensual manner as revealed by the various statues of divinities made in the early times. The saree was fastened at the waist, covered the legs and came down as a decorative drape in front of the legs. The upper part of the body was partially covered or left bare during ancient times. In Kerala, a southern state of India, the traditional Indian sarees still comprise a two-piece garment, consisting of a shawl and a lungi. The petticoat or ghagra was introduced with the arrival of Muslims when clothes began to be stitched.

Earlier, Hindu sarees came unstitched as piercing of clothes with needles was considered an act of sacrilege by the Hindus. This was the time when blouses were also introduced. Since then, many new styles of sarees have been experimented with and the sari has come of age. Some Indian fashion components, such as the blouse and the petticoat, still remain the essential elements to complete the saree look. The saree is the perfect garment to accentuate the beautiful curves of the Indian woman and has been used by women to enhance their beauty since time immemorial.

The sari can be worn in a flattering range of styles ranging from the nine-yard saree worn in the ancient days to the 6-yard, glittering Bollywood sarees of today. Indian traditional sarees come in exquisite designs. The rich traditional Kanchipuram Sarees in vibrant colors are still the hot favorite with many brides in South India. India which has a rich variety of sarees produced in several states. You can also choose from a range of cotton sarees to georgette saris, print silks to colorful bandhanis.

The history of India goes back to some 5000 years ago when Indus Valley civilization started,Himalayan mountain,India is one country which has rich historical background. The history of India goes back to some 5000 years ago when Indus Valley civilization started. This great historical legacy has been carried on from one era to another. India was ruled by many kings and queens during most part of its existence. These ruler were known for their lavish and grandeur lifestyle. They built many majestic monuments which today have become the biggest source of tourist attraction. The unique feature and their historical importance have led them to being billed as world heritage site. India boasts many historical monuments which are incredibly worth praising. These monuments defines the artistic flavor of former kings and rulers. Magnificent ancient sites are testimony to glorious bygone era and are globally famous for its architectural splendor. Some of the popular world heritage sites of India are Ajanta and Ellora Caves, Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Sun Temple at Konark, Qutub Minar, Khajuraho temples, Agra Fort, group of monuments at Hampi etc. Taj Mahal, the most popular world heritage site of India, today finds its name among the elite group of seven wonders of the world. UNESCO has also listed some of the popular toy trains of country like Nilgiri, Kalka-Shimla and Darjeeling Himalayan Railway as world heritage sites. This will help to preserve the beauty and charm of these majestic historical trains. India sees lot of diversity in its ecology. While northern region is home to majestic Himalayan mountain, central and southern area are engrossed with sub-tropical forest. The beauty and diversity of country's forest area have made them an important conservation centre. Some of these forest area house rare and endangered flora and fauna. The natural world heritage site of India are Sundarbans National Park,korbett trip,Kaziranga National Park, Manas Wild life Sanctuary, Keoladeo National Park and Nanda Devi National Park. Kaziranga national park located in the eastern state of Assam is an important among them as it is the home of endangered one horn Rhino. It has world's largest one horned Rhinoceros population. Take a trip to enjoy a wonderful vacation planned around world heritage sites of India. Bharat Darshan is an independent guide to tourist attractions in India.India is one country which has rich historical background. The history of India goes back to some 5000 years ago when Indus Valley civilization started. This great historical legacy has been carried on from one era to another. India was ruled by many kings and queens during most part of its existence. These ruler were known for their lavish and grandeur lifestyle. They built many majestic monuments which today have become the biggest source of tourist attraction. The unique feature and their historical importance have led them to being billed as world heritage site. India boasts many historical monuments which are incredibly worth praising. These monuments defines the artistic flavor of former kings and rulers. Magnificent ancient sites are testimony to glorious bygone era and are globally famous for its architectural splendor. Some of the popular world heritage sites of India are Ajanta and Ellora Caves, Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Sun Temple at Konark, Qutub Minar, Khajuraho temples, Agra Fort, group of monuments at Hampi etc. Taj Mahal, the most popular world heritage site of India, today finds its name among the elite group of seven wonders of the world. UNESCO has also listed some of the popular toy trains of country like Nilgiri, Kalka-Shimla and Darjeeling Himalayan Railway as world heritage sites. This will help to preserve the beauty and charm of these majestic historical trains. India sees lot of diversity in its ecology. While northern region is home to majestic Himalayan mountain, central and southern area are engrossed with sub-tropical forest. The beauty and diversity of country's forest area have made them an important conservation centre. Some of these forest area house rare and endangered flora and fauna. The natural world heritage site of India are Sundarbans National Park,korbett trip,Kaziranga National Park, Manas Wild life Sanctuary, Keoladeo National Park and Nanda Devi National Park. Kaziranga national park located in the eastern state of Assam is an important among them as it is the home of endangered one horn Rhino. It has world's largest one horned Rhinoceros population. Take a trip to enjoy a wonderful vacation planned around world heritage sites of India. Bharat Darshan is an independent guide to tourist attractions in India.

India is one country which has rich historical background. The history of India goes back to some 5000 years ago when Indus Valley civilization started. This great historical legacy has been carried on from one era to another. India was ruled by many kings and queens during most part of its existence. These ruler were known for their lavish and grandeur lifestyle. They built many majestic monuments which today have become the biggest source of tourist attraction. The unique feature and their historical importance have led them to being billed as world heritage site.

India boasts many historical monuments which are incredibly worth praising. These monuments defines the artistic flavor of former kings and rulers. Magnificent ancient sites are testimony to glorious bygone era and are globally famous for its architectural splendor.  Some of the popular world heritage sites of India are Ajanta and Ellora Caves, Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Sun Temple at Konark, Qutub Minar, Khajuraho temples, Agra Fort, group of monuments at Hampi etc. Taj Mahal, the most popular world heritage site of India, today finds its name among the elite group of seven wonders of the world.

UNESCO has also listed some of the popular toy trains of country like Nilgiri, Kalka-Shimla and Darjeeling Himalayan Railway as world heritage sites. This will help to preserve the beauty and charm of these majestic historical trains.

India sees lot of diversity in its ecology. While northern region is home to majestic Himalayan mountain, central and southern area are engrossed with sub-tropical forest. The beauty and diversity of country's forest area have made them an important conservation centre. Some of these forest area house rare and endangered flora and fauna. The natural world heritage site of India are Sundarbans National Park,korbett trip,Kaziranga National Park, Manas Wild life Sanctuary, Keoladeo National Park and Nanda Devi National Park. Kaziranga national park located in the eastern state of Assam is an important among them as it is the home of endangered one horn Rhino. It has world's largest one horned Rhinoceros population.
Take a trip to enjoy a wonderful vacation planned around world heritage sites of India.
Bharat Darshan is an independent guide to tourist attractions in India

River Indus – the Mother of an Entire Civilization

A large land mass of south Asia is popularly referred to as the Indian subcontinent. It enfolds in its ambit a conglomeration of a chunk of countries. Although these countries exercise much of geographical and political independence yet they are bound by a common bond of lying on the same Indian tectonic plate. Countries such as India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and portions of Afghanistan lie on the continental crust of the tectonic plate while island country Sri Lanka lie on the continental shelf whilst Maldives is perched on a high above the oceanic crust.

India has always honored the Grand River Indus. So much so that India takes its name from this greatest river appearing to adorn the crown of its head for a large distance of 1,114 km. The Sanskrit meaning of Sindhu is river. Indus and thus India is the Latin variant and Hindu that of Arabic. In fact the population living in the vicinity of the mighty Sindhu was referred to as by the Arab travelers and traders as Hindus and the region as Hindustan. Indus River is the cradle of the supreme ancient urbanized civilization with its spread from the Balochistan on the highlands through Roper, Harappa and Mohenjo Daro to arid Lothal in Gujarat.

The mighty river finds its origin in the lap of the high southwestern Tibetan plateau very close to the revered Mansarover Lake popular in Tibet as Ngangla Ringco. Rivers Satluj and Brahmaputra are the other two rivers that find their inception at the Mansarover. This area is some what near to the region where the Tibetan rivers Gar and Sangge merge and consume on the Gangdise Shan and Nganglong Kangri mountain ranges. The River Indus is a natural guard protecting boundaries while giving the unified India its unique makeup. It takes its long journey northwest, into the Indian subcontinent through Ladakh-Baltistan region flowing into the Gilgit area located at the foot of the spur of the Karakoram ranges in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and other northern areas. It runs its course towards the southern direction along Peshawar and Rawalpindi until its confluence in the Arabian Sea near Karachi in Pakistan. The river is joined by the Kabul River at Attock and Panjnad River at Mithankot. Historical evidences point to the alteration in the course of flow of this river. It has gone westwards from its otherwise course that earlier spread into the swampy Rann of Kutch.

It’s rising from the glaciers peaked at the highest regions of the world contribute to the huge drainage area spread across 450,000 sq. miles. This is twice of that of another great river Nile and liberally replenishes the arid countryside, plains and the temperate forests that fall in the vicinity of this 3200 kilometers river set on a tedious trip. The river basin is a rich hub of 20 tributaries making the region a fertile land. The river is generously fed by the melting snow and the glaciers of the north western belts of the Great Himalayan ranges, the Karakoram and the Hindukush ranges. It does much to substitute for the agricultural economy of Pakistan and helps forming the breadbasket that Punjab and otherwise arid Sindh area are renowned for. The river is also known to display tidal bores. River Indus forms the illustrious and sacred sapta-sandhu delta when it joins hands with rivers Jehlum, Ravi, Chenab, Beas, Satluj and the now extinct Saraswati River in the Sindh region of Pakistan. Ironically the Indus delta is the driest in the world and lies in the neighborhood of the Thar Desert in Rajasthan.

The river on its long journey is a witness to a variety of climatic changes from sky kissing mountains covered under the blankets of thick snow on the higher ranges to the hot plains of Punjab and Sindh to the marshes, creeks, extensive swamps and mangroves before dispersing into the shallow levels of the Arabian Sea. The river is distinctive in not only feeding very important ecosystems that have emerged especially in the delta region in its last course. River Indus also supports a rich aqua life with the endemic fishes, shrimps and prawns and also gives life to many distinctive cultures and people of varied stock and ethnicities. Platanista minor is the now blind and endangered species of dolphin that is indigenous to the cloudy waters of Indus besides Macrobrachium species which is a large fresh water shrimp and other fishes on the like of hilsa, Rita cat fish etc.

Top Ten Things to See and Do in Pakistan

Who says nobody can have fun in Pakistan? With so many beautiful places and virtually unlimited possibilities for hiking, trekking, mountaineering, and other sports, a trip to Pakistan can be your ultimate Pakistani escape. Here's where you can go when your plane stops on this side of the globe.

1.) Moenjodaro

Located 350 kilometers off Karachi, Moenjodaro was considered one of the most spectacular cities of the ancient times. The ruins of this ancient city in the Indus Valley never fail to give travelers knowledge of the ancient life and the marvel of early systems of town planning. Walk along the remains of this olden city and witness the way of life, the culture and the traditions early Pakistani lived by.

2.) Ansoo Lake

See the famous teardrop-shaped lake of Pakistan. Located some 14,000 feet above sea level, Ansoo Lake is can be found in Kaghan Valley in the Himalayan Range. Be ready for some serious hiking though because there are no forms of transportation available except for some mules and horses which may not be able to carry you all the way up.

3.) Karachi

Who said that the urban life will spoil Karachi's beauty? Karachi hosts a number of museums, shops, islands, clubs, beachfronts, colonial buildings, amusement parks, and more. So strap on that sturdy shoes and head out and find your own adventure in the busy streets of Karachi.

4.) Abbottabad

Abbottabad is a popular summer resort that can be found at the end of Murree-Abbottabad hill tract. Find your place to rest in its pine-covered hills, lush parks and gardens, and superb golf courses. Travel here and discover the gateway leading you to your next adventure rally point.

5.) Deosai National Park

Located in the Karakoram Range near the Indian border and southeast of Skardu, Deosai National Park is located in one of the highest plateaus in the world - the Deosai plains. Doesai National Park serves as home for the Himalayan brown bear, ibexes, red foxes, wolves, urials, snow leopards, and some native and migratory birds. Travel to the Deosai Plains and experience nature as it unfurls 13,500 feet above sea level.

6.) Taxila

Founded some time in the 6th or 7th century BC, Taxila is an ancient city and a center for Buddhist learning. A 30-kilometer drive northwest from Islamabad will take you back in the times of legendary warrior leaders like Alexander the Great, Asoka and Kanishka. Follow the trail around this ancient city and discover religion, culture, tradition and history as it bare itself for you.

7.) Hunza Valley

Hunza Valley is located in the Northern Areas of Pakistan with an elevation of some 2 438 meters. This makes Hunza Valley a place for viewing some of the most astounding and majestic mountains the world has. Take a trek to this valley and see the sceneries that keep on revealing themselves with your own eyes.

8.) Harappa

Relive the Indus valley history and the lives of its people by going in this historical place in Punjab. Walk along the partly-buried city and discover for yourself the beauty of this lost city. Visit its site and marvel at the extensive planning and learn more about the civilization almost forgotten by the world.

9.) Trekking and Mountaineering

Travel to the Northern Areas of Pakistan and find yourself in the midst of numerous climbing, mountaineering and trekking options. This region in Pakistan is where three mountain ranges - the Karakoram, Himalayas and Hindukush - meet, and that means three times the fun. Hold your jaw, fasten your harness and test your ropes because your trip to this side of Pakistan will give you your ultimate high altitude fun.

10.) Basant Festival

Go to the city of Lahore in the beginning of spring and let the million flying kites welcome you in this colorful festival. Kite flying is the major activity for this festival and as many as 100,000 from all-over Pakistan and other neighboring countries go to Lahore and have their stake in the sky. Don some colorful clothes, party in gardens and rooftops and watch equestrian events, this event should never be missed.

New Dimensions Of Ancient Heritage Explored In Soan ValleyA team of Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations, Quaid-i-Azam University, has embarked on a gigantic project to explore new dimensions of Pakistan's rich heritage in the Soan valley. Under the supervision of internationally-known anthropologist, historian and scholar Dr Ahmad Hassan Dani, the Indusians Research Cell (IRC) consisting of geo-physicists, anthropologists, archaeologists, historians, chemists, biologists, economists and young researchers, are devoted to bring new dimensions of research about the heritage. The 86-year-old anthropologist is still energetic to work for building theological ground of ancient Pakistan. Quaid-i-Azam University is one of the leading research institutes of the country having its natural as well as social sciences departments where multidimensional research work is going on. The QAU Vice-Chancellor Dr U.A.D. Esani is kind enough to encourage research activities in the university. Under the slogan ‘Save civilization, save mother earth', the IRC team has recently started surface collection at eight sites at Soan valley, which is considered as the laboratory for geological, anthropological and archaeological studies. Earlier remains of ‘anthropoid ape' and ‘Potoharmans', discovered by German scholars S.B. Leakey and her husband in the valley have been declared as the grandfather of human race. The IRC team had set up its camp at a small town, Chakbeli Khan, about 60km southwest of Rawalpindi. Chakbeli Khan has an important central position in the area, wherefrom traders, travellers of the surroundings are connected with small villages of the area. The first site was Bains or Vains as called by the local people, a 16-feet mound, spreading on an area of about four acres, surrounded by rich agricultural land. The others sites are Dhudhumber, Salmoon, Pind, Ghai, Gheela Kalan, Khai Dhok, and Banian. The landowners are extending their fields towards the mound. A mosque has recently been constructed near the mound. There are remains of foundation walls of a complete room and two independent walls. A piece of conglomerate block is also distinguished on the surface. Pottery pieces are scattered on and around the mound even in the fields. People have found coins, pottery, jewellry and statues of various kinds during their agricultural work. During the surface collection materials like coins, pottery, terracotta, bones etc., of about three different periods were found. Many pieces of bones of humans and animals have been collected that will need expert suggestions of physical anthropologists who may be able to determine the age and sex of individuals. It will also help us understand biological interpretations about their diet. Numismatics of the Bains consisted of three dynasties — Muslim, the Hindu Shahi and the earliest Kushan periods. Thirty-two coins have been collected while more searches are going on. Among the other finds the main assemblage of artifacts is pottery. The entire surface of the site is littered with herds of pot shreds, bases, rims, glazed dishes, jars etc. Clay of the area is fine, making it easy to work on its surface in an artistic manner. A huge quantity of pottery painted with animals, plants and other motifs on them tells the epic stories. It is easy to say that pottery manufacturing process consisted of quality of the clay, which are well levigated and extremely well-fired and burnt. The thickness of the pottery is 0.3 to 1.1cm. Lingam pieces were also found during the surface collection. Terracotta of the area has significance due to its affinities with Harrapan style. Constructional remains: Three walls appear on the surface having about 5-6 feet depth in the mound, though the remaining walls are completely out of sight. One foundation of a room, measuring 8×14 feet has four walls clearly appeared on the surface, while the width of the wall is 1.5 feet. Miscellaneous findings: though our objects were spreading around we searched unique material to join the missing links. A rich cultural complex of artifacts opened up many other dimensions in this regard. The pot shreds of various kinds had a great similarity to Kotdijian style. Like other findings our miscellaneous objects were beads, buttons, terracotta cakes, jewellry, lamps, bangles, nip of an arrow etc. The material findings at Bains leads to many periods, survived in its dead mound, stories of different dynasties, ranging from the mature Indus valley civilization to Kushan, Hindu Shahi and Muslims. A proper chronological order of the area could be made through institutional efforts. More attention from the government, concerned ministries, local people and scholars is needed for its protection and preservation to save the rich nationaA team of Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations, Quaid-i-Azam University, has embarked on a gigantic project to explore new dimensions of Pakistan's rich heritage in the Soan valley. Under the supervision of internationally-known anthropologist, historian and scholar Dr Ahmad Hassan Dani, the Indusians Research Cell (IRC) consisting of geo-physicists, anthropologists, archaeologists, historians, chemists, biologists, economists and young researchers, are devoted to bring new dimensions of research about the heritage. The 86-year-old anthropologist is still energetic to work for building theological ground of ancient Pakistan. Quaid-i-Azam University is one of the leading research institutes of the country having its natural as well as social sciences departments where multidimensional research work is going on. The QAU Vice-Chancellor Dr U.A.D. Esani is kind enough to encourage research activities in the university. Under the slogan ‘Save civilization, save mother earth', the IRC team has recently started surface collection at eight sites at Soan valley, which is considered as the laboratory for geological, anthropological and archaeological studies. Earlier remains of ‘anthropoid ape' and ‘Potoharmans', discovered by German scholars S.B. Leakey and her husband in the valley have been declared as the grandfather of human race. The IRC team had set up its camp at a small town, Chakbeli Khan, about 60km southwest of Rawalpindi. Chakbeli Khan has an important central position in the area, wherefrom traders, travellers of the surroundings are connected with small villages of the area. The first site was Bains or Vains as called by the local people, a 16-feet mound, spreading on an area of about four acres, surrounded by rich agricultural land. The others sites are Dhudhumber, Salmoon, Pind, Ghai, Gheela Kalan, Khai Dhok, and Banian. The landowners are extending their fields towards the mound. A mosque has recently been constructed near the mound. There are remains of foundation walls of a complete room and two independent walls. A piece of conglomerate block is also distinguished on the surface. Pottery pieces are scattered on and around the mound even in the fields. People have found coins, pottery, jewellry and statues of various kinds during their agricultural work. During the surface collection materials like coins, pottery, terracotta, bones etc., of about three different periods were found. Many pieces of bones of humans and animals have been collected that will need expert suggestions of physical anthropologists who may be able to determine the age and sex of individuals. It will also help us understand biological interpretations about their diet. Numismatics of the Bains consisted of three dynasties — Muslim, the Hindu Shahi and the earliest Kushan periods. Thirty-two coins have been collected while more searches are going on. Among the other finds the main assemblage of artifacts is pottery. The entire surface of the site is littered with herds of pot shreds, bases, rims, glazed dishes, jars etc. Clay of the area is fine, making it easy to work on its surface in an artistic manner. A huge quantity of pottery painted with animals, plants and other motifs on them tells the epic stories. It is easy to say that pottery manufacturing process consisted of quality of the clay, which are well levigated and extremely well-fired and burnt. The thickness of the pottery is 0.3 to 1.1cm. Lingam pieces were also found during the surface collection. Terracotta of the area has significance due to its affinities with Harrapan style. Constructional remains: Three walls appear on the surface having about 5-6 feet depth in the mound, though the remaining walls are completely out of sight. One foundation of a room, measuring 8×14 feet has four walls clearly appeared on the surface, while the width of the wall is 1.5 feet. Miscellaneous findings: though our objects were spreading around we searched unique material to join the missing links. A rich cultural complex of artifacts opened up many other dimensions in this regard. The pot shreds of various kinds had a great similarity to Kotdijian style. Like other findings our miscellaneous objects were beads, buttons, terracotta cakes, jewellry, lamps, bangles, nip of an arrow etc. The material findings at Bains leads to many periods, survived in its dead mound, stories of different dynasties, ranging from the mature Indus valley civilization to Kushan, Hindu Shahi and Muslims. A proper chronological order of the area could be made through institutional efforts. More attention from the government, concerned ministries, local people and scholars is needed for its protection and preservation to save the rich nationa

A team of Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations, Quaid-i-Azam University, has embarked on a gigantic project to explore new dimensions of Pakistan's rich heritage in the Soan valley. Under the supervision of internationally-known anthropologist, historian and scholar Dr Ahmad Hassan Dani, the Indusians Research Cell (IRC) consisting of geo-physicists, anthropologists, archaeologists, historians, chemists, biologists, economists and young researchers, are devoted to bring new dimensions of research about the heritage. The 86-year-old anthropologist is still energetic to work for building theological ground of ancient Pakistan.
Quaid-i-Azam University is one of the leading research institutes of the country having its natural as well as social sciences departments where multidimensional research work is going on. The QAU Vice-Chancellor Dr U.A.D. Esani is kind enough to encourage research activities in the university. Under the slogan ‘Save civilization, save mother earth', the IRC team has recently started surface collection at eight sites at Soan valley, which is considered as the laboratory for geological, anthropological and archaeological studies.
Earlier remains of ‘anthropoid ape' and ‘Potoharmans', discovered by German scholars S.B. Leakey and her husband in the valley have been declared as the grandfather of human race.
The IRC team had set up its camp at a small town, Chakbeli Khan, about 60km southwest of Rawalpindi. Chakbeli Khan has an important central position in the area, wherefrom traders, travellers of the surroundings are connected with small villages of the area.
The first site was Bains or Vains as called by the local people, a 16-feet mound, spreading on an area of about four acres, surrounded by rich agricultural land. The others sites are Dhudhumber, Salmoon, Pind, Ghai, Gheela Kalan, Khai Dhok, and Banian. The landowners are extending their fields towards the mound. A mosque has recently been constructed near the mound.
There are remains of foundation walls of a complete room and two independent walls. A piece of conglomerate block is also distinguished on the surface. Pottery pieces are scattered on and around the mound even in the fields. People have found coins, pottery, jewellry and statues of various kinds during their agricultural work. During the surface collection materials like coins, pottery, terracotta, bones etc., of about three different periods were found.
Many pieces of bones of humans and animals have been collected that will need expert suggestions of physical anthropologists who may be able to determine the age and sex of individuals. It will also help us understand biological interpretations about their diet.
Numismatics of the Bains consisted of three dynasties — Muslim, the Hindu Shahi and the earliest Kushan periods. Thirty-two coins have been collected while more searches are going on. Among the other finds the main assemblage of artifacts is pottery. The entire surface of the site is littered with herds of pot shreds, bases, rims, glazed dishes, jars etc. Clay of the area is fine, making it easy to work on its surface in an artistic manner.
A huge quantity of pottery painted with animals, plants and other motifs on them tells the epic stories. It is easy to say that pottery manufacturing process consisted of quality of the clay, which are well levigated and extremely well-fired and burnt. The thickness of the pottery is 0.3 to 1.1cm.
Lingam pieces were also found during the surface collection. Terracotta of the area has significance due to its affinities with Harrapan style. Constructional remains: Three walls appear on the surface having about 5-6 feet depth in the mound, though the remaining walls are completely out of sight. One foundation of a room, measuring 8×14 feet has four walls clearly appeared on the surface, while the width of the wall is 1.5 feet.
Miscellaneous findings: though our objects were spreading around we searched unique material to join the missing links. A rich cultural complex of artifacts opened up many other dimensions in this regard. The pot shreds of various kinds had a great similarity to Kotdijian style. Like other findings our miscellaneous objects were beads, buttons, terracotta cakes, jewellry, lamps, bangles, nip of an arrow etc.
The material findings at Bains leads to many periods, survived in its dead mound, stories of different dynasties, ranging from the mature Indus valley civilization to Kushan, Hindu Shahi and Muslims.
A proper chronological order of the area could be made through institutional efforts. More attention from the government, concerned ministries, local people and scholars is needed for its protection and preservation to save the rich national heritage.