Sarasvati River

Sarasvati river existed?

  • Yes.

    Votes: 35 94.6%
  • No.

    Votes: 1 2.7%
  • Don't knew.

    Votes: 1 2.7%

  • Total voters
    37

Haldilal

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Ya'll Nibbiars The 2018 proposal for the revival of Saraswati river was recently considered by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s (MoEFCC) Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for River Valley and Hydroelectric Projects, in its meeting on May 27, 2019. The project was seeking Terms of Reference, which are guidelines for conducting environmental studies of projects after which the project goes on for environment clearance. The proposal, however, was dismissed by the expert panel as it neither pertains to irrigation nor hydropower generation and does not need environment clearance.

According to the minutes of the expert panel’s May 2019 meeting, the EAC observed that the present project aimed for the purpose of revival of Saraswati River is a “heritage project” with additional benefits like groundwater recharge, flood control, fish farming and recreation/tourism. The committee also observed that the current project does not involve any components of irrigation/hydropower generation and that it involves “infrastructure development”.

“The above project activity in the present form may not be considered by this committee and therefore may be returned as it does not require EC (environment clearance) under the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) notification, 2006,” said the minutes.

A senior official of the environment ministry explained that the committee considers and then recommends or rejects projects which are covered under the EIA notification 2006. “In this case, the expert panel has held that this project pertains to none of the reasons – irrigation work or hydropower generation – that are covered under EIA notification. So, the project does not require EC from the ministry,” said the MoEFCC official.

Though whether this means that the project could now go ahead without clearance from MoEFCC is unclear and the environment ministry official refused to say so. However, the officials speculate that the project, being sensitive in nature, could face legal challenges.

Environmentalists and water experts feel that the move to revive Saraswati could threaten the survival of other rivers in the state.

“The lone river that can be saved today in Haryana is the Yamuna river which, at present, is in a dying state. The Haryana government is completely ignoring it and has turned its eyes away from issues like industrial pollution falling into the river, from areas such as Karnal and Panipat,” Bhim Singh Rawat of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers, and People (SANDRP) told Mongabay-India. SANDRP is a network of organisations and individuals working on issues related to the water sector, specifically associated with large dams.
 

asaffronladoftherisingsun

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Ya'll Nibbiars The 2018 proposal for the revival of Saraswati river was recently considered by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s (MoEFCC) Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for River Valley and Hydroelectric Projects, in its meeting on May 27, 2019. The project was seeking Terms of Reference, which are guidelines for conducting environmental studies of projects after which the project goes on for environment clearance. The proposal, however, was dismissed by the expert panel as it neither pertains to irrigation nor hydropower generation and does not need environment clearance.

According to the minutes of the expert panel’s May 2019 meeting, the EAC observed that the present project aimed for the purpose of revival of Saraswati River is a “heritage project” with additional benefits like groundwater recharge, flood control, fish farming and recreation/tourism. The committee also observed that the current project does not involve any components of irrigation/hydropower generation and that it involves “infrastructure development”.

“The above project activity in the present form may not be considered by this committee and therefore may be returned as it does not require EC (environment clearance) under the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) notification, 2006,” said the minutes.

A senior official of the environment ministry explained that the committee considers and then recommends or rejects projects which are covered under the EIA notification 2006. “In this case, the expert panel has held that this project pertains to none of the reasons – irrigation work or hydropower generation – that are covered under EIA notification. So, the project does not require EC from the ministry,” said the MoEFCC official.

Though whether this means that the project could now go ahead without clearance from MoEFCC is unclear and the environment ministry official refused to say so. However, the officials speculate that the project, being sensitive in nature, could face legal challenges.

Environmentalists and water experts feel that the move to revive Saraswati could threaten the survival of other rivers in the state.

“The lone river that can be saved today in Haryana is the Yamuna river which, at present, is in a dying state. The Haryana government is completely ignoring it and has turned its eyes away from issues like industrial pollution falling into the river, from areas such as Karnal and Panipat,” Bhim Singh Rawat of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers, and People (SANDRP) told Mongabay-India. SANDRP is a network of organisations and individuals working on issues related to the water sector, specifically associated with large dams.
uwu.jpg
 

Haldilal

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Haldilal

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Ya'll Nibbiars The About `Lost River Saraswati' - The `Lost River Saraswati' in NW India is the holiest and mightiest river of Vedic Period (8000-5000 BP). The discovery of the sites of Harappan civilization along the banks of Saraswati River also indicates towards mighty and its magnanimity. Vedic Saraswati River originated in the Himalayas and flowed between Indus and Ganges through Punjab, Haryana, western Rajasthan and Gujarat. It finally drained into Gulf of Kutch in Arabian Sea. The Vedic Saraswati disappeared around 5000 BP due to climatic and tectonic changes. It is believed that River Saraswati still flows below the desert sand and its Himalayan connectivity is still alive. The relict of this lost river is still preserved as palaeochannels under the cover of aeolian sand / alluvium.

Saraswati River in Ancient Literatures - The name `Saraswati' has been used in most of the ancient literatures like Vedas, Manusmriti, Mahabharata and Puranas: Vedic Literature - There are frequent references of River Saraswati in Vedic literatures (80 times than that of River Ganges). No other river has received so much importance and respect as Saraswati. The vedic hymns are composed by different Rishis (scholars) in glory of River Saraswati. (a) Rigveda - Vedic Saraswati is described as `Best of Mothers, Best of Rivers, Best of Goddesses`. (b) Yajurveda - Saraswati has five important tributaries viz. Drishadvati, Satudri (Sutlej), Chandrabagha (Chenab), Vipasa (Vyas) and Iravati (Ravi). All these rivers merges to Saraswati to meet Sindhu Sagar (the Arabian Sea). (c) Atharvaveda - God bestowed the people on the bank of the Saraswati, with sweet juicy barley, where generous Maruts became farmers & Indra as the Lord of agriculture. This Mantra suggests that farming of cereals was practiced on the fertile soil of Saraswati during Vedic times. Manusmriti - The land between the Saraswati and Drishadvati is created by God; this land is defined as Brahmavarta. Mahabharata - Mahabharata gives clear geographical accounts of a number of pilgrimage sites spread along the course of the Saraswati River. Lord Balaram after visiting a number of holy places reaches to Vinasana, the place where the Saraswati disappeared. During Mahabharata period, the discharge of water in Saraswati became extremly low. As a result, the river vanished in the desert sand at certain place along its regular course i.e. at Vinasana. Hence, the river channel appeared dry. Purana - Rishi Markandeya, close to the place where he meditated and offered sacrifices saw Saraswati rising from the Plaksha tree (Pipal tree). The sage prayed and worshiped the rising river.

Discovering `Lost River Saraswati' through Remote Sensing Techniques - Discovering the exact course of Vedic Saraswati River and its perennial source is a challenging task among the researchers due to lack of proper scientific database. The mystery is unravelled through modern tools like Remote Sensing and GIS by using multi-spectral and multi-resolution satellite images of optical and microwave data. ISRO centres could able to delineate most of the palaeochannels of Vedic Saraswati River and its linkage with the present day Himalayan Rivers.

 

asaffronladoftherisingsun

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ISRO’s findings put an end to the myth of the SARASWATI by confirming her existence :

Since ISRO functions directly under prime minister office, the answer was addressed to the Prime Minister against this question asked :

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
DEPARTMENT OF SPACE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3722
TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY MARCH 20, 2013
MYTHICAL SARASWATI RIVER
3722. SHRI HARISH CHAUDHARY:
Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has made efforts to trace the origin of Saraswati river and has also constituted a committee for this purpose;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether satellite images are of any help in this regard;
(d) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER :
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PG & PENSIONS AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE (SHRI V. NARAYANASAMY):
(a) Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has studied the palaeochannels in North West Bharat and related them to the channels of River Saraswati. ISRO has not constituted any committee for this purpose.
(b) An integrated palaeochannel map of River Saraswati has been prepared from the origin in Himalayas to Rann of Kutchch. The origin of the mapped course of the River Saraswati palaeochannel in North West Bharat was linked to Himalayan perennial source through Sutlej and Yamuna Rivers.
(c) Yes, Madam.
(d) The work on delineation of entire course of river ‘Saraswati’ in North West Bharat was carried out using
Bhartiya Remote Sensing Satellite data along with digital elevation model. Satellite images are multi spectral, multitemporal and have advantages of synoptic view, which are useful to detect palaeochannels. The palaeochannels are validated using historical maps, archaeological sites, hydro-geological and drilling data. It was observed that major Harappan sites of Kalibangan (Rajasthan), Banawali and Rakhigarhi (Haryana), Dholavira and Lothal (Gujarat) lie along the River SARASWATI.
See - https://www.isro.gov.in/parliament-...value[value]=&field_session_value=All&page=10

The same hypothesis has been well presented in Sanjeev Sanyal’s book “The Land of Seven Rivers“ with a map, that shows the possible course of the Saraswati River. He also comments that tectonic shifts may have played a role in the shift of the river’s course. The site Dholavira (Gujarat) is located in Rann of Kutch. Surely, no civilisation could have built a city and lived there if there was no water source nearby.

See - https://www.opindia.com/2018/01/isr...the-myth-of-the-saraswati-river-being-a-myth/

 

Haldilal

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Marliii

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How are they gonna revive saraswati river? Its an underground river right?
 

Haldilal

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How are they gonna revive saraswati river? Its an underground river right?
Ya'll Nibbiars
Linkages of Vedic Saraswati with Himalayan Rivers -
(a) Linkage of Saraswati Nadi with Somb River at Adi Badri
(b) Linkage of Saraswati Nadi with Yamuna River
(c) Linkage of Saraswati Nadi with Vedic Saraswati
(d) Linkage of Sutlej Palaeochannel with Vedic Saraswati
(e) Linkage of Vedic Saraswati from Mannsarovar to Dwaraka

Utility of Palaeochannel Maps -

Cultural Heritage:
(a) Restoration of Historical sites and (b) Excavation of New Archaeological Sites

Ground Water:
(a) Groundwater exploration and (b) Groundwater recharge

Tourism Sector:
(a) Renovation of temples and (b) Reconstruction of Ritual Sites along the bank of Saraswati River.
 

Marliii

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Linkages of Vedic Saraswati with Himalayan Rivers -
(a) Linkage of Saraswati Nadi with Somb River at Adi Badri
(b) Linkage of Saraswati Nadi with Yamuna River
(c) Linkage of Saraswati Nadi with Vedic Saraswati
(d) Linkage of Sutlej Palaeochannel with Vedic Saraswati
(e) Linkage of Vedic Saraswati from Mannsarovar to Dwaraka

Utility of Palaeochannel Maps -

Cultural Heritage:
(a) Restoration of Historical sites and (b) Excavation of New Archaeological Sites

Ground Water:
(a) Groundwater exploration and (b) Groundwater recharge

Tourism Sector:
(a) Renovation of temples and (b) Reconstruction of Ritual Sites along the bank of Saraswati River.
Good move if its succeds.but we have to take care of our existing rivers too ganga and yamuna all should be taken care of .present modi government is taking good measures in saving our rivers
 

asaffronladoftherisingsun

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Saraswati can spring water: ISRO

Bangalore, December 17
A hypothesis for decades, the mythical Saraswati is not only becoming a reality but may also start providing water again. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists have said the SARASWATI can be recreated in today’s time and age.

The river may never flow again but its channel could provide much needed potable water all along the parched stretches of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

The space agency, which first used satellite mapping data to chart the course of the ancient river which is said to have disappeared a few thousand years back, has now come out with new data in a recently tabled report which proves the existence of the river on the ground.

ISRO has dug up 23 tube wells along the course of the river mapped by it across 70 kilometers west of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan.

The results have been startling. All the wells have provided good quality drinking water with very little Total Dissolved Salts (TDS). The water itself was found at a depth ranging from 35 to 60 meters which is unusual for the area which is covered with sand dunes.

Based on satellite imagery and research, there is an apparent correlation between the dried up Saraswati river bed and most of the ‘Saraswati Civilization’ archaeological sites.
Saraswati is mentioned more than 60 times in the Rigveda.


According to the report, the prominence and the width of the palaeo channels on the satellite data, supported with data from archaeological finds, age and quality of ground water, sediment type confirmed that Saraswati had its major course through the present day Ghaggar river and further passing through parts of Jaisalmer and adjoining region in Pakistan and finally discharging into the Rann of Kutch.

Furthermore, ISRO has also for the first time, tallied the course of the Saraswati river charted out by it through satellite imagery and ground water drilling with the archaeological sites discovered in the region.

Out of the archaeological sites discovered by the Archaeological Survey of India in the Saraswati river basin, 54 sites of early-Harappan and Harappan period falling in western Rajasthan fall along the channel marked by ISRO.

The agency observed that most of the archaeological sites of the Harappan period discovered in Ganganagar and Hanumangarh districts fall along the Ghaggar river, indicating Ghaggar to be on the palaeo SARASWATI course.

See- https://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20061218/nation.htm#3
 

garg_bharat

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There was definitely a west-flowing river passing through Haryana and Rajasthan. However, it is debatable if the name is "Saraswati'. There are no place names or person names in Veda. Veda is not a history book. Immense intellect is required to understand Veda, its language is not common Sanskrit. The language of Veda cannot be understood by Pundits.
 

asaffronladoftherisingsun

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UWU.PNG

Interpretation of LANDSAT imagery and field investigation in the western part of Jaisalmer district in India have revealed some hitherto unknown abandoned courses of the former Saraswati river. It has been suggested that these courses were alive before the Saraswati occupied the Raini or the Wahinda courses, and contributed to the alluviation of the region. The subsurface water in the region is contributed mainly by the Himalayan precipitation flowing subterraneously through the former courses of the Saraswati.

See - https://www.jstor.org/stable/633213?seq=1
 

asaffronladoftherisingsun

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There was definitely a west-flowing river passing through Haryana and Rajasthan. However, it is debatable if the name is "Saraswati'. There are no place names or person names in Veda. Veda is not a history book. Immense intellect is required to understand Veda, its language is not common Sanskrit. The language of Veda cannot be understood by Pundits.
On existence of a perennial river in harappa heartland :
The legendary river Saraswati of Indian mythology has often been hypothesized to be an ancient perennial channel of the seasonal river Ghaggar that flowed through the heartland of the Bronze Age Harappan civilization in north-western India. Despite the discovery of abundant settlements along a major paleo-channel of the Ghaggar, many believed that the Harappans depended solely on monsoonal rains, because no proof existed for the river’s uninterrupted flow during the zenith of the civilization. Here, we present unequivocal evidence for the Ghaggar’s perennial past by studying temporal changes of sediment provenance along a 300 km stretch of the river basin. This is achieved using 40Ar/39Ar ages of detrital muscovite and Sr-Nd isotopic ratios of siliciclastic sediment in fluvial sequences, dated by radiocarbon and luminescence methods. We establish that during 80-20 ka and 9-4.5 ka the river was perennial and was receiving sediments from the Higher and Lesser Himalayas. The latter phase can be attributed to the reactivation of the river by the distributaries of the Sutlej. This revived perennial condition of the Ghaggar, which can be correlated with the Saraswati, likely facilitated development of the early Harappan settlements along its banks. The timing of the eventual decline of the river, which led to the collapse of the civilization, approximately coincides with the commencement of the Meghalayan Stage.

See - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41...LXIEe30Oo3UuI8HTPzAnpyHgSeQF0W-TPp21ybhkfr8Ak

The Nadu Sukta hymn of the Rig Veda which mentions 19 rivers starting from the Ganges, moving westward to Indus and three of its tributaries flowing from Sulaiman ranges in Afghanistan, places Saraswati between Yamuna and Sutlej.

The later Hindu literature also mentions the drying up and receding of the river.

The archaeological evidence in favour of the Saraswati river rekts aitfags larp.

Given that the Rig Veda mentions Saraswati in full might, meeting the sea from the mountains; based on geological evidence, its composition would coincide (in the latest) with the Mature phase of the Saraswati civilisation.

Based on the above mentioned paper, Rig Veda will go back between 9-5 ka.

Edit - Also in this region, no archaeological evidence separating ‘x’ from ‘Harappan’ is found. There is only one culture - Harappan. There is also biological continuity witnessed at this time.
 

Haldilal

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Ya'll Nibbiars
220px-Sarasvati-ancient-river.jpg
 

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