Prelims 2011 · archive
MediumRegarding the Indus valley civilization, consider the following statements:
- 1.It was predominantly a secular civilization and the religious element, though present, did not dominate the scene.
- 2.During this period, cotton was used for manufacturing textiles in India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2
Harappan cities show planning and trade but no grand temples or palaces, so religion is thought not to have dominated. Cotton was used for cloth, as traces at Harappan sites show.
- ✓ 1. No large temples have been found; ritual objects are modest, so the civilisation looks mainly secular.
- ✓ 2. Cotton was grown and used for textiles at Harappan sites.
Remember · Harappan civilisation: cotton textiles, little sign of dominant religion.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Ch 1 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part I, Chapter 1 “though there are traces of cotton at some Harappan sites, to find out about clothing we have to depend on indirect evidence including depictions in sculpture.”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2011, General Studies paper. UPSC did not publish an answer key for 2011: the answer shown is the generally accepted one, and the sources above explain the facts behind it. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 24 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·