The main features of Indus-Saraswati civilization are the following : 

Town Planning: The construction of planned cities is a unique feature of the IndusSaraswati civilization, artifacts found from the cities of Indus-Saraswati civilization show that the people here used to make plans and build buildings and houses according to their cities. 

The main features of town planning are as follows :

(i) Town Planning Plan: As a result of the well-planned road system of the cities of Indus-Saraswati civilization, a system was created in the housing scheme of the cities and the city was divided into several sections and neighborhoods in a wellplanned form. The buildings were of different sizes and types. Generally the house was large enough and the open courtyard was kept in the middle of every house and the rooms were made around the courtyard. Fired bricks were used in building houses. 

(ii) Systematic Roads and Streets: The roads and link roads and lanes of the cities of Indus-Saraswati Civilization were built according to a certain plan. The roads of the cities are straight and intersect each other at right angles. The roads of this civilization were very wide. Their width range putting from 20 feet to 34 feet and trash boxes (dust bin) were kept on the corner of roads for putting garbage.

(iii) Drainage System: There were drains to carry out rain and dirty water of houses in Indus-Saraswati Civilization. The drains of each house fell through into the main drains of the street and into those beside the main roads. Drains made from fired bricks were mostly covered.

Management of cleanliness and neatness: Indus-Saraswati Civilization is the best symbol of urban cleanliness. There is a proper arrangement of cleanliness and neatness in the cities and towns houses. Day to day waste-disposal bins were kept everywhere on the streets for putting garbage.

Special Production: In the excavation of the cities of Indus-Saraswati Civilization, grains of various types, mansions and buildings have been found. Among them are the fortess of the upper city place of melting metal, the furnaces, the sacrificial aftar, the Great bath, the dockyard and the huge granary are in the fortess of the city. These relics are evidence of the advanced state and scientificity of this civilization.

Social life: The society of the Indus-Saraswati Civilization was divided into several classes. Here were the professional people they were goldsmiths, well-diggers, merchants, craftsmen, who made jewellery and beads. The people of fortress area may have been prosperous and there would have been ordinary people in the lower city. There was a specific class of priests and officials and royality. Family was the main unit of society. In this civilization, the plan for living apart in families are seen. Women had a respectable place in society and family.

Economic life: The excavations at Kalibangan gave the evidence of farming in the fields. It seems that the people of Indus-Saraswati Civilization used to cultivate the land to grow crops. These people used to grow wheat, rice, sesame, fruits, peas, mustard, cotton, etc. Cows, bulls, buffaloes and sheep were the main animals to be domesticated. There was an importance of cow dynasty. The residents here were skilled in making pottery and tools of copper and bronze, as well as in the art of making mattresses and mats. Making beads was a developed industry. ‘ Internal and foreign trade in the Indus-Saraswati Civilization was in a very developed stage. There is clear evidence of the business relationship with the people of Mesopotamia. In this civilization, the commodity exchange system for trade was in vogue.

Religious life: People of Indus-Saraswati Civilization were primarily worshippers of natural powers. They used to worship the earth, Peepal, Neem, water, sun, fire, etc. as divine powers. Based on the analysis of statues and tablets, it is evident that here superstitions, such as sacrifice and magic also prevailed. Fireplaces which were found from Lothal, Banavali and Rakhigarhi show that there should be prevalence of yagya and fire worship there. Incense was used for worship of idols. Along with the worship of Mother Goddess and Shiva, there is evidence of animal worship, tree worship and snake worship. The dead body was either burnt or burried.

Political life: We have no clear information about the political system of the IndusSaraswati Civilization. Wheeler and Right believe that the priesthood ruled in Harappa and Mohenjodaro, while some scholars believe that there was probably the rule of the merchant class.

Art: The Indus-Saraswati Civilization had made a lot of progress in the field of art. Attractive paintings are found on the excavated utensils. Pottery made of clay, sculptures, seals, stone, jewelery, etc. are examples of their excellent art. Script: People of Indus-Saraswati Civilization also invented the script. The number of pictorial symbols in this script was large. It appears that this script was written from right to left. This script has not been understood properly till now.