‘Oldest dock' Lothal to get heritage complex: its features, significance
- The Indian PM recently reviewed the construction of the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) site at Gujarat’s Lothal via video conferencing.
Lothal
- One of the southernmost sites of the Indus Valley civilization
- Located in the Bhāl region of Gujarat.
- A port city which is believed to have been built in 2,200 BC.
- A thriving trade in beads, gems and ornaments reaching West Asia and Africa.
- Literal meaning - “the mound of the dead”.
- Same meaning as Mohenjodaro
- Found by archaeologist SR Rao.
- Excavation work was carried out between 1955 - 1960.
- Had the world’s earliest known dock, connecting the city to an ancient course of the Sabarmati river.
- Marine microfossils and salt, gypsum crystals discovered.
- Indicated that sea water once filled the structure and it was definitely a dockyard.
- Nominated in 2014 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Application is pending on the tentative list of UNESCO.
The National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) Project
- Began in March 2022
- Will have several innovative features such as:
- Lothal mini-recreation - will recreate Harappan architecture and lifestyle through immersive technology;
- 4 theme parks
- Will also house the world’s tallest lighthouse museum
- 14 galleries highlighting India’s maritime heritage starting from the Harappan time till today
- A coastal states pavilion displaying the diverse maritime heritage of Indian states and UTs.
- Will act as a centre for learning and understanding India’s maritime history.
- Will help Lothal emerge as a world-class international tourist destination.