Archaeological excavations have revealed an advanced water management system at which important Harappan site?

Introduction / Context:
The Indus Valley or Harappan civilisation is well known for its sophisticated urban planning. Excavations at different sites show remarkable achievements in drainage, water storage and flood control. Some sites are especially famous for their elaborate water management systems, including reservoirs and channels carved into the landscape. This question checks whether you can correctly identify Dholavira as the Harappan site where an advanced and systematic water management system has been discovered.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question is restricted to Harappan civilisation sites.
• We are looking for a site known specifically for advanced water management.
• Options include Dholavira, Lothal, Kalibangan, Alamgirpur and Rakhigarhi.
• Standard archaeological findings from these sites are assumed as background knowledge.

Concept / Approach:
Dholavira, located in present day Gujarat, stands out among Harappan sites for its unique system of water reservoirs, dams and channels. Archaeologists have documented large, stone lined tanks used to store rainwater and channel seasonal streams. Lothal is famous for its dockyard and maritime trade, Kalibangan for its fire altars and ploughed field, and Alamgirpur as a smaller site marking the eastern extent of the civilisation. The approach for this question is to link each site with its most distinctive feature and then choose the one associated with advanced water management on a city wide scale.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the key Harappan sites and what each is known for in standard textbooks. Step 2: Remember that Dholavira is noted for its system of reservoirs and channels used to store and distribute water. Step 3: Note that Lothal is more closely associated with its dockyard and sea trade, not primarily with water storage within the city. Step 4: Realise that Kalibangan and Alamgirpur do not have equally famous large scale water management structures. Step 5: Conclude that Dholavira is the correct answer because it is widely cited as a model of Harappan water engineering.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by remembering that Dholavira town plan includes a series of step like structures and massive reservoirs built to capture and store rainwater. These features were necessary because the region was semi arid. Many exam oriented summaries explicitly say that Dholavira shows the most elaborate water management among Harappan sites. Cross checking in such summaries or revision charts will reinforce that Dholavira is the correct option whenever advanced Harappan water management is mentioned.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Option B: Lothal is mainly known for its dockyard and role in maritime trade, not for an exceptional city wide water storage system.
• Option C: Kalibangan is known for its fire altars and ploughed field pattern, not for large reservoirs.
• Option D: Alamgirpur marks the easternmost limit of Harappan culture but does not have evidence of such advanced water works.
• Option E: Rakhigarhi is a major Harappan site but is not the one specifically associated in textbooks with a unique water management system.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes mix up Dholavira and Lothal because both are in present day Gujarat and have engineering achievements. Another pitfall is to memorise only the names of sites but not their distinctive features. To avoid confusion, make a small comparison table: Dholavira for reservoirs, Lothal for dockyard, Kalibangan for fire altars and ploughed field, Mohenjodaro for Great Bath and Great Granary. Such association based learning will help you quickly answer similar questions in competitive exams.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is Dholavira.