Kalibangan : World’s first furrowed field

"Well-regulated streets (were) oriented almost invariably along with the cardinal directions, thus forming a grid-iron pattern. (At Kalibangan) even the widths of these streets were in a set ratio, i.e. if the narrowest lane was one unit in width, the other streets were twice, thrice and so on...Such a town-planning was unknown in contemporary West Asia." - B.B. Lal

The Indus Valley Civilization site of Kalibangan is situated on the southern bank of the Ghaggar (Sarswati) river in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan. Here we find evidence of the world’s first furrowed field. Traces of pre-Harappan culture have also been found. The excavations at Kalibangan were conducted by BB Lal and BK Thapar from 1961-69.

Fire worship was prevalent in Kalibangan where rows of distinctive fire alters with the provision of ritual bathing have been found.

Like other Indus Valley towns Kalibangan was divided into two parts, fortified town and a lower town. The lower town at Kalibagnan was also fortified.

Desiccation of Ghaggar

The decline of Kalibangan is attributed to the drying of the river Ghaggar (Sarsvati). The inhabitatnts of Kalibangan seem to have deserted the settlement around 1700 B.C. Unlike the other major Indus Valley Civilization cities located on the Indus river, Kalibangan was located on a different river.

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