Which one of the following ancient towns is well-known for its elaborate system of water harvesting and management by building a series of dams and channelizing water into connected reservoirs?

Specifies Kalibangan had ploughed fields and used both canal and well irrigation, directly linking the site to deliberate water-management for agriculture.

A student could use this to look for physical traces of canals/reservoirs at Kalibangan (plans, field drains, sediment fills) or compare with maps of local topography to see where canals/reservoirs could be sited.

Describes Harappan emphasis on water management generally (wells, drains, bathing areas), showing the civilization practiced engineered water systems.

Use this general pattern to justify searching Kalibangan excavations for comparable engineered features (networked channels, storage structures) as part of Harappan norms.

Notes that traces of canals have been found at some Harappan sites (Shortughai) but not in Punjab or Sind, implying regional variation in canal systems.

Apply this rule of regional variation to ask whether Kalibangan (in the Ghaggar/Saraswati zone) fits places with or without canal evidence and thus whether elaborate connected reservoirs are expected.

States ancient India had an ‘extraordinary tradition of water-harvesting’ adapted to local conditions, including diversion channels and rooftop harvesting.

A student could combine this with the local climate/topography of Kalibangan to assess plausibility: if local ecology favored flood diversion or storage, the tradition makes such systems plausible to look for.

Asserts that from ancient times sophisticated hydraulic structures like dams, reservoirs and embankments were constructed in the subcontinent, giving a precedent for large-scale water works.

Use this precedent to motivate checking Kalibangan-specific archaeological reports and geomorphological evidence for dams/embankments or reservoir sedimentation.

Gives a direct Harappan example of irrigation-related works (traces of canals at Shortughai), showing the civilization sometimes built channels/canals.

A student could compare the Shortughai canal evidence with Rakhigarhi’s local topography and excavation reports to see if similar canal features might be expected or sought.

Describes Harappan emphasis on water management (drains, bathing areas, hundreds of wells at Mohenjo-daro), showing they had sophisticated urban water installations.

Use this pattern of urban hydraulic infrastructure to justify searching Rakhigarhi excavations for comparable features (wells, drains, storage works).

States that archaeological and historical records across India show ancient construction of dams, reservoirs and embankments.

A student can treat this as a general rule and look for regional archaeological parallels or physical traces (embankments, reservoir basins) near Rakhigarhi.

Notes an 'extraordinary tradition of water-harvesting' in ancient India, including diversion channels and local techniques adapted to ecology.

Combine this with Rakhigarhi’s climate/soil data to assess whether tank/reservoir systems would be a plausible local strategy and therefore worth investigating.

Places Rakhigarhi among the five major Harappan cities concentrated in river basins (especially Saraswati), implying strategic importance of water resources for large settlements.

A student could map Rakhigarhi relative to ancient river courses and infer whether large-scale managed waterworks (dams/reservoirs) would be practical or necessary there.

Says Harappan sites were in semi-arid lands and that traces of canals have been found at Shortughai but not in Punjab or Sind, implying limited archaeological evidence for large channel/canal systems in the Punjab region.

A student could compare archaeological reports for Ropar with those for Shortughai and survey reports from Punjab to see if similar canal/dam features have been recorded.

Documents Harappan emphasis on water management (drains, wells, bathing areas) showing they had hydraulic knowledge at urban sites like Mohenjo-daro and Lothal.

Use this pattern of urban hydraulic sophistication to justify searching Ropar excavations for analogous structures (large impoundments, engineered embankments) even if different in form.

Describes a long Indian tradition of diverse ancient water-harvesting techniques (diversion channels, rooftop harvesting), indicating that varied local solutions existed across regions and periods.

A student could infer that if local ecology around Ropar required it, the Harappans there might have used regionally appropriate techniques—so compare local topography/rainfall to known methods.

States archaeological and historical records show construction of dams, reservoirs and embankments in ancient India, establishing that such structures existed in the subcontinent historically.

Use this general rule to motivate looking for physical remains (stone rubble dams, reservoir basins) at Ropar and regional stratigraphy to test for comparable features.

Notes major river-channel changes near Ropar (Sutlej swinging westward near Ropar/Rupnagar), indicating significant natural fluvial dynamics in the area.

A student could combine this with geomorphological maps and sediment studies to judge whether natural river changes would favor or preclude long-lived engineered connected reservoirs at Ropar.