Lost cities & whispers of the Indus

THE AREA AROUND Dholavira in Gujarat is so pristine that when we decided to explore the ruins of this ancient city, the aim was to leave a minimum carbon footprint, and that could only have been achieved with an electric car.

- VIKRAM CHAUDHARY

But driving an electric car in the middle of nowhere can be risky—where to find chargers? Unless it's a car with a good range, like the Hyundai Creta Electric.

Where is Dholavira?

Located in the north of Gujarat, in the Kutch district, Dholavira is among the southernmost points of the Indus Valley Civilisation (also called the Harappan Civilisation).

But it isn't on the Indus.

It isn't, and yet is considered part of the Indus Valley Civilisation because of its architectural, cultural, and design similarities with Indus cities such as Harappa and Mohenjo-daro (now in Pakistan).

What's called the Indus Valley Civilisation wasn't spread only on the Indus River, but the entire region. Dholavira, for example, is on the Luni River, which originates in Rajasthan. There are sites further south on the Arabian Sea, such as Lothal, and cities in the north such as Kalibangan (on the banks of the Ghaggar River) and excavations near Ropar (on the Sutlej).

How to reach?