The world knows that India is highly rich in History, which tells us that the country has seen many prehistoric societies and settlements on the banks of the many rivers. However, those ancient old cities have been lost over the centuries and completely abandoned, submerged into the sea, land, or soil, or have been destroyed. But only a few cities have been discovered over now, not all of them, it is believed that there are hundreds of cities that might be, but as of now archaeologists only discovered a few of them completely. Those cities that have been found are ancient lost cities as old as 3700 BC and today these are legendary lost cities that are among the top places of heritage in India that attracts thousands of travelers, treasure seekers, and history buffs from all across the globe. It would be very interesting and fun to know more about those ancient old lost cities, right? Let’s explore it together, and also there are some spectacular caves in India dating back to as early as 6000 BC, historians & archaeologists have been able to find ancient lost cities as old as 3700 BC. Some of these ancient lost cities in India gave the world, the earliest planned settlements and the rising religions of Jainism, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
1.Rakhigarhi- the most famous city of the Indus Valley Civilisation, Rakhigarhi, the one of the oldest and one of the largest cities of that time. However, it is much like other cities of Harappa and Mohenjo Daro city including the paved roads, storage system, statue production, terracotta bricks, drainage system, large rainwater collection systems, and skilled application of bronze and precious metals found at the discovered site. The city is located in Hisar, Haryana. Also, it was established in 4600 BC but abandoned in 1900 BC. Then, later, the city was discovered in 1965 AD.
2.Kalibangan– the city is located on the banks of the Ghaggar in the Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan, Kalibangan was a major capital of the Indus Valley Civilization. This Harappan city was established in 3700 BC but abandoned in 1750 BC. The pre-historic city Kalibangan was discovered by Luigi Pio Tessitori, who is an Italian Indologist. The discovery of the city started in 1969. It is considered of one of the major heritage sites in Rajasthan, the pre-Harappan settlement was a covered parallelogram, and the fortification wall is made of mud bricks. Kalibangan is renowned for having the world’s earliest (2800 BC) ploughed fields and fire altars, which shows that the Harappans believed in the ritualistic worship of fire. Some of the discovered items from the site that have been found including Harappan seals, terracotta objects, bangles, terracotta figurines, bricks, grinders, and stone balls.
3.Lothal – Interesting Ruins- the Lothal city in Gujarat is on the list of the legendary lost cities of India that is dating back to 2400 BCE, Lothal is one of the most important cities of the ancient Indus valley civilization. This pre-historic site was discovered in the year 1954 and was discovered between 1955 and 1960 by the Archaeological Society of India (ASI). Lothal is also famous for its architecture, town planning, metallurgy, art, science, and engineering. The most architectural part of Lothal was its dockyard, which was one of the world’s earliest docks. Besides, the floods wiped off the town during that time, and structures like dwarfed walls, drains, baths, wells, and paved floors can still be seen there.
4.Dholavira– this is one of the favorite cities of Archaeologists that have been found. Dholavira represents the ruins of an ancient city of the Harappan civilization that was abandoned over 1,200 years from 3000 BCE (pre‐Harappan) through 1800 BCE (that was the early part of the Late Harappan period). The city was Founded in 1967 and discovered in 1989-90 for the first time, the ancient city of Dholavira is the larger of the two most remarkable discoveries of the Indus Valley Civilisation after Rakhigarhi. This city is located at Khadir Bet in the Kutch district of Gujarat, this ancient city is known for its unique characteristics, which include its water management system, the excessive use of stone in construction, multi-layered defensive mechanisms, and special burial structures.
5.Surkotada– The another lost city of the Indus Valley Civilisation is Surkotada, which was discovered in 1964. The ancient mounds and ruins that are hidden by sandstone hills are covered with red laterite soil that gives the entire area a reddish-brown color. The ancient lost city of Surkotada is Rapar Taluka of Kutch, Gujarat. The city was established in 2100 BC, discovered in 1964, but abandoned in 1700 BC.
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6.Dwarka – The Sacred City Of Lord Krishna- the city is situated on the coast of Kutch in Gujarat, Dwarka is one of the lost cities in India as well as among the most popular places of tourists in India. The city is also known as Golden City, as it is believed and learned by history that Dwarka was established by Lord Krishna with his brother Balaram which got submerged under the sea. It is said that the city of Dwarka has submerged six times and in present times Dwarka is the seventh such city to be built in that place. Marine archaeological explorations have found some of the destroyed older versions of the city in the sea near Bet Dwarka in 1983. Those destroyed buildings and walls which include gigantic stone walls, huge pillars, large anchors, etc show that Dwarka was one of the busiest port centers in the past on the west coast of India. The city was approximately established in 1500 BC but abandoned in 1443 BC and discovered in 1983 AD.
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7.Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh – This is one of the most famous historical places in India, Sanchi is known for its Ashoka pillar and Greco-Buddhist style of stupas that represent the various scenes from the Jataka tales and stories of Buddha’s life. One of the bygone Buddhas in the once-lost city of India was painted with a Mauryan polish to make them glow like glass. The city is located in Sanchi town, Madhya Pradesh, and was established in 300 BC, but abandoned in 1300 AD and discovered in 1818 AD.
8.Muziris– Muziris is another lost city of ancient India, and one of the biggest archaeological findings in India. Archaeologists have discovered various artifacts that are belonging to the countries like Egypt, Rome, Yemen, and West Asia which reveal the connection of the outer world. It is said that the city was believed to be destroyed by an earthquake in the 13th century. It was discovered in 1945, and the major discoveries were in 1969, 1983, and 2007.
9.Nagarjunakonda– The former capital of the Ikshvaku dynasty and Buddhist town, Nagarjunakonda is an island in the middle of the Nagarjuna Sagar dam in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. The new discoveries revealed Buddhist ruins, stupas, viharas (the monastery complexes), chaityas (the temples), mandapams (pillared pavilions), and multiple white marbles representing the Buddha’s life. the city is located in Macherla, Andhra Pradesh, the city was established in 225 AD, discovered in 1926 AD, but abandoned in 1926 AD.
10.Vijayanagar -Hampi- The Vijayanagar city is located on the south bank of the Tungabhadra River in the Bellary District of northern Karnataka. The city was built around the religious center of the Virupaksha temple at the famous world heritage site of Hampi. However, some of the ancient belongings found there date back to around 300 BC. The city also finds the Hindu legend of Ramayana as Kishkinda, which was the realm of the monkey gods. The city is located in Hampi, Karnataka, and the city was established in 1336, discovered in 1800 AD, and abandoned in 1565 AD.
