The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation Class 6 Soial science Chapter 6 CBSE Notes 2025-26

In this chapter, we learn about the beginnings of Indian civilisation, especially the Harappan, Indus or Indus-Sarasvatī Civilisation—one of the world’s oldest. The Harappan society stood out for its balance, with little visible gap between the rich and the poor, according to archaeologists. This ancient community thrived mainly through mutual accommodation rather than exploitation.

A civilisation means an advanced human society. Key characteristics include a form of government and administration, urban life with proper town planning, various crafts, trade (within and outside the region), some writing system, distinct cultural ideas, and agriculture that produces surplus for both villages and cities.

• Government and management of society
• Growth of towns and cities with water and drainage arrangements
• Crafts and technology including metalwork and pottery
• Internal and external trade ties
• Some form of writing
• Art, architecture, and cultural expressions
• Productive, organised agriculture

Among these, many believe that a productive agricultural system is most fundamental, as it supports the development of all other features in a civilisation.

The area watered by the Indus River and its tributaries, covering parts of Punjab and Sindh, provided fertile land for agriculture. Around 3500 BCE, villages in this region began developing into towns, and by 2600 BCE, these towns grew into planned cities. This transformation, called the ‘First Urbanisation of India’, marks the rise of the Harappan Civilisation whose inhabitants are known as Harappans.

The name ‘Harappan’ comes from Harappa, the first city of its kind unearthed in Punjab (now in Pakistan) in 1920–21. Over time, scholars have also called this the ‘Indus’, ‘Indus-Sarasvatī’, or ‘Sindhu-Sarasvatī’ Civilisation.

Note: There seems to be a mismatch in some city-state associations; Harappa, for example, is in present Pakistan's Punjab, while Dholavira is in Gujarat.

The Sarasvatī, now a seasonal river called Ghaggar in India and Hakra in Pakistan, was also central to this civilisation. Many settlements grew along its banks. The Sarasvatī is first mentioned in the Rig Veda as both a goddess and a river, though it dried up and disappeared in later times.

Harappa and Mohenjo-daro were the first Harappan sites found, with more discovered over time including Dholavira (Gujarat) and Rakhigarhi (Haryana). Harappan cities were precisely planned, with straight, wide streets often aligned to cardinal directions, fortified boundaries, and distinct upper and lower towns. The upper town likely housed the elite, while the lower town was for common people. Houses were made with bricks and similar construction quality was maintained for both massive and modest houses.

Special large structures were built for collective use, such as warehouses for storage. One of the most interesting buildings was Mohenjo-daro’s Great Bath (12 x 7 metres), made with layered bricks and waterproofed with bitumen. It was surrounded by wells and advanced bathing areas.

The Harappans prioritised water management and hygiene. Homes had separate areas for bathing and were connected to drains running under the streets, efficiently carrying wastewater away. In Mohenjo-daro, many brick wells supplied water, while in sites like Dholavira, ponds and massive reservoirs (the largest up to 73 metres long) collected water. These reservoirs, cut into rock or made of stone, were often linked by underground drains for optimum water harvesting.

Building and maintaining such water systems required organised administration and collective effort, reflecting a sense of civic responsibility and local governance.

Major settlements were built along rivers, which was ideal for agriculture. Harappans cultivated barley, wheat, some millets, rice, pulses, and a wide variety of vegetables. They were also the first in Eurasia to grow cotton for weaving clothes. Simple farming tools like ploughs were made and used.

• Barley, wheat, millets, rice, pulses, vegetables
• Cotton grown and woven into cloth
• Domesticated animals for meat
• Fishing in rivers and the sea

Analysis of ancient pots shows Harappan diets included dairy products, turmeric, ginger, and banana—indicating a diverse, flavourful cuisine.

Harappans were skilled traders, dealing within their cities as well as with cultures inside and beyond India. They exported ornaments, timber, possibly cotton and some food items. Carnelian bead jewellery was especially popular, and craftsmen developed advanced skills in working with shells and metals such as copper and bronze (an alloy of copper and tin).

Trade routes included both land and sea. Coastal settlements like Lothal in Gujarat had large dockyards (Lothal’s dockyard was 217m x 36m) for sea trade, making it the first major maritime activity area in India.

Harappan traders used small seals, often made of steatite and inscribed with unique animal designs and writing symbols, to mark goods and perhaps identify owners. Although the script is still undeciphered, these seals remain evidence of their sophisticated trade practices.

Archaeologists have found a wide range of items in Harappan settlements, including bronze mirrors, terracotta pots, stone weights, chisels, toys, and game boards. Famous artefacts include the ‘Dancing Girl’ bronze figurine and the so-called ‘Priest King’ statue. Various seal designs display motifs still seen today, such as the swastika or depictions of deities.

Some pottery art, like the Lothal pot showing the thirsty crow’s story, hints at early storytelling and oral traditions. The use of bangles and familiar ornaments in figurines also connects Harappan culture to modern customs in parts of India.

From about 1900 BCE, the Sindhu-Sarasvatī civilisation began to decline. Cities were abandoned gradually, and people returned to rural life, probably because of drastic environmental changes. There is no evidence of warfare or invasion. Instead, major reasons include climate change (less rainfall, making agriculture hard) and the drying up of the Sarasvatī River, forcing inhabitants to leave urban centres.

Although the urban settlements disappeared, many technologies, customs, and crafts from the Harappan period lived on and later shaped subsequent Indian civilisation.

• The Indus/Harappan/Sindhu-Sarasvatī civilisation was among the world’s oldest urban cultures.
• It featured efficient water management, advanced town planning, active trade, and inventive crafts.
• Agriculture sustained cities and villages alike.
• The civilisation’s decline was linked to climate change and river shifts, not conflict.

CBSE Class 6 Social Science Chapter 6 Notes – The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation

Get the most out of your exam preparation with these Class 6 Social Science Chapter 6 notes on The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation. Designed using the latest NCERT content, these revision notes highlight important facts, events, and features of the Harappan/Indus Valley Civilisation to help you revise faster and more effectively.

These notes cover all essential points—town planning, agriculture, trade, and the major reasons for the civilisation’s decline—making it easy to recall key points before exams. Develop strong conceptual understanding with clearly presented details and simple language, ideal for quick and stress-free revision of CBSE Class 6 Social Science Chapter 6.