Harappan Decline and Climate Change: A Review of Recent Research and Debates
হরপ্পা সভ্যতার পতনে জলবায়ু পরিবর্তনের ভূমিকা: সাম্প্রতিক গবেষণা ও বিতর্ক
Sandip Jana
State Aided College Teacher, Dept. of History
Sitananda College, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, India
Email: janasandip88@gmail.com
Page No: 41-44
 
Abstract: For a long time, the decline of the Harappan Civilization (2500–1700 BCE) was attributed to the Aryan invasion. However, recent paleo-climatological research identifies long-term climate change as the primary catalyst. Around 2200 BCE, a severe arid phase known as the “4.2 ka event” drastically reduced monsoon rainfall, a timeline confirmed by sediment cores and stalagmites. This mega-drought accelerated the drying of the Sarasvati (Ghaggar-Hakra) river system, where two-thirds of Harappan settlements existed. The collapse of water-intensive wheat and barley cultivation devastated the agrarian economy. Consequently, the Harappans adopted drought-resistant millets and abandoned major urban centers like Mohenjo-daro, migrating toward rural zones in Gujarat and the Ganga-Yamuna Doab. This de-urbanization dismantled their advanced infrastructure, shifting the civilization into a fragmented Post-Harappan culture. Ultimately, while climate change triggered the decline, socio-economic vulnerabilities exacerbated it, offering modern society a vital lesson in environmental sustainability.
Keywords: 4.2 ka Event, Climate Change, Sarasvati (Ghaggar-Hakra) River, De-urbanization, Post-Harappan Culture.