Correct Option (B):
The archaeological evidence from Indus Valley Civilization sites, including numerous seals and terracotta figurines, suggests the worship of both male and female deities. For instance, the Pashupati seal is often interpreted as a proto-Shiva figure, representing a male deity. Similarly, numerous terracotta figurines of women, often depicted with elaborate headdresses, are believed to represent Mother Goddesses, indicating the worship of female fertility deities.
Incorrect Options:
- Statement 1: The Indus Valley Civilization is not characterized by the presence of great palaces or monumental temples. Unlike contemporary civilizations such as Mesopotamia or Egypt, Harappan cities show a remarkable uniformity in urban planning with well-defined residential areas and public structures like the Great Bath and granaries, but no structures identifiable as royal palaces or large-scale religious temples have been discovered. This suggests a different societal and political structure, possibly more egalitarian or governed by a collective authority rather than a single monarch or priestly class.
- Statement 3: There is no conclusive archaeological evidence to suggest that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization employed horse-drawn chariots in warfare. While some evidence of horses has been debated, their widespread use, especially in chariots for warfare, is not supported by the findings. The use of horse-drawn chariots became prominent in the Indian subcontinent during the later Vedic period, long after the decline of the Harappan civilization.