History can be boring at times. It does not help that many of these books are heavy, dusty tomes, complete with intimidatingly long lines of text staring you in the face. The People Of The Indus Valley by Nikhil Gulati and Jonathan Kenoyer solves this problem. As a student who is prone to nodding off during history period, this book made a non-history lover like me interested. It could be because the illustrations were beautiful. The narration of this book was quite informative. I loved how the author made it informative and quite detailed. I especially loved the short stories.
The narrator takes us back to when civilization just started in South Asia. The meticulously researched graphic novel aims to reconstruct life as it was as early as 2600 BC. The narrative draws a comparison between the Indus Valley Civilization and the Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations that existed during that era. It also raises pertinent questions like the reason for the existence of the cities, the absence of monolithic structures like pyramids, and the cause of decline and gives plausible answers. From their trade routes to their dazzling wares to the intriguing seals to the societal hierarchy to the indecipherable inscriptions, the book documents every feature that brought glory to the Indus Civilisation
The book takes the reader back to the beginning of civilization in South Asia, specifically during 2600 BC. It compares the Indus Valley Civilization with other civilizations of the same era like Mesopotamia and Egypt. The book also raises and answers several important questions about the civilization such as the reason for the existence of cities, absence of monolithic structures, and the cause of its decline. It documents every feature of the civilization in great detail from their trade routes to their societal hierarchy, indecipherable inscriptions, and more.
The book is illustrated with intricate line art and is a fascinating read for anyone interested in history. The extensive on-ground research and comprehensive language make it an insightful read that could expand your knowledge and curiosity beyond what you already know about the Indus Valley Civilization.in great detail. The chapters illustrated with intricate line art are beautiful to behold. How the city built itself from ruins was something that fascinated me. My knowledge of the Indus Valley Civilization was limited to ‘The Great Bath’ and how it perished. I’m glad this book expanded my knowledge and fed my curiosity. The extensive on-ground research backed by comprehensive language makes it an insightful read.