“To ignore history is to lose sight of our purpose and direction as a civilization.” — R.S. Sharma
The DP1 students of Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram undertook a CAS field trip on 10 September 2026 to Rakhigarhi, Haryana, a 7,000-year-old Harappan site, guided by expert Dr. Amit Verma. The excursion was designed to grant students a deeper understanding of their roots, fostering a balanced perspective through an examination of past lifestyles and diverse historical interpretations. The students and teachers commenced with the journey early in the morning from the school premises. En route, the group stopped for breakfast at Mannat Haveli before continuing on to the site.
Once the students reached Rakhigarhi, Dr. Amit Verma guided them through the settlement’s history. The site was initially identified by Surajbhan in the 1970s, and subsequently excavated for the first time by Amarendra Nath, with the concluding phases of excavation carried out by archaeologist Vasant Shinde.
The students toured the excavated mounds and examined what each revealed about Harappan life:
Mound 1— An industrial and residential sector featuring mud-brick walls with interlocking masonry, and fortified domestic structures equipped with kitchen artifacts.
Mound 2— An area dedicated to fire-related pyrotechnological industries and craft workshops.
Mound 3 — A residential neighbourhood housing an estimated 50 families, featuring community and individual wells alongside covered drainage channels. The walls were built intentionally thick to provide natural thermal insulation.
Mound 4 — The citadel: the elevated, fortified administrative epicentre of the settlement.
Mound 5 — A significant site for faunal remains, including bones of rhinoceros and elephant, offering vital clues about the region’s prehistoric climate and wildlife.
Mounds 6 & 7 — The craft and burial sectors. Here, human remains yielded ancient DNA in a landmark 2019 study that redefined our understanding of Harappan genetics. Finds of raw carnelian, lapis lazuli, and steatite workshops pointed to extensive long-distance trade networks reaching as far as Afghanistan.
Despite the intense heat, students remained engaged throughout the visit, examining burnt bricks and perforated jars believed to have held fragrance, and learning about the skeletal remains found at the site. The visit concluded with a tour of the indoor museum, which displayed terracotta artifacts, beads, tools, and skeletal remains, offering a closer look at the objects unearthed at the site.
The excursion to Rakhigarhi transformed a chapter of history into a hands-on learning experience for the students. By stepping away from their regular academic routine for the day, students were able to engage directly with a site that offers insight into thousands of years of human civilisation, engineering, and cultural development.
The students were truly grateful to the Principal, Mr. Anil Kumar, for encouraging them to undertake this trip, and for the thoughtful questions he posed beforehand — ones that stayed with them throughout, prompting genuine reflection. They also extended their gratitude to IBDP Head of Academics, Mr. Ajay Goel, and DP Coordinator, Ms. Sudeepta Chatterjee, whose support and guidance made this enriching excursion for the DP1 students of DPS R.K. Puram possible.