National Maritime Heritage Complex in Lothal

Why in news?

• The Central Government will be holding a meeting to review the progress in the construction of the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC).

About National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC):

• National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) is being developed at Lothal,Gujarat.
• Developed by:
  • Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways under the Sagarmala programme.
• Features:
  • The complex will include the world’s highest lighthouse museum and world’s largest open aquatic gallery.
  • It will also have several innovative and unique features such as Lothal mini recreation to recreate Harappan architecture and lifestyle; four theme parks – Memorial theme park, Maritime and Navy theme park, and Climate theme park.
• Significance:
  • It will be a one of its kind project to not only display India’s rich and diverse maritime heritage and also help Lothal to emerge as a world-class international tourist destination.
  • This project will also provide tremendous job opportunities to the local people and will transform the socio-economic condition of the entire region.

About Lothal:

• Lothal was one of the southernmost sites of the Indus Valley civilization located in the Bhil region of what is now the state of Gujarat.
• The port city is believed to have been built in 2,200 BC.
• Lothal was a thriving trade center in ancient times with its trade of beads, gems and ornaments reaching West Asia and Africa.
• The meaning of Lothal (a combination of Loth and (s) thal) in Gujarati is “the mound of the dead”.

Features:

• Lothal had the world’s earliest known dock, connecting the city to an ancient course of the Sabarmati River.
• National Institute of Oceanography in Goa discovered marine microfossils and salt, gypsum crystals at the site indicating that seawater once filled the structure, and it was definitely a dockyard.
• In later excavations, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) unearthed a mound, a township, a marketplace and a dock.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Lothal, one of the sites of the Indus Valley civilization, was a thriving trade center in ancient times with its trade of beads, gems and ornaments. It was located in the state of:

(a) Rajasthan

(b) Punjab

(c) Haryana

(d) Gujarat

Answer