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Marusthali
and had ceased to join the saagara (ocean). Popular tradition reminisces the
'disappearance' of the Sarasvati River 'underground'.The key phase which led to
the desiccation, in the central Sarasvati River Basin, seems to be the
progressive westward migration of Satadru (Sutlej) away from Shatrana, away from
the Sarasvati River. (See the image for signatures of palao-channels of Satadru
(Sutlej) depicting this westward migration.) Vinasana perhaps refers to the desiccation phase of
the Sarasvati River when it did not join the saagara.Tandya Brahmana describes
the distance between Vinasana and PlakSa PrasravaNa (the place of origin of
Sarasvati River) as approximately 880 miles. (see page 100 of the
document: Sarasvati
River).Glaciology studies have established that the Vedic Sarasvati River
had originated from Har-ki-dun glacier which is about 10 kms. by the trek route
from Yamunotri in the W.Garwhal Himalayas.If PlakSa PrasravaNa refers to a
location near Adh Badri,where the Sarasvati River emerges at the foothills of
the Siwalik Ranges, it may be hypothesized that Vinasana refers to Shiva near
Pokaran, near Jaisalmer in the Marusthali desert. At this place, the LANDSAT
satellite images show a palaeo-channel, after forking from the Sarasvati River
at Anupgarh, forms a remarkably wide, fragmented channel in the desert near
Jaisalmer (See image in the middle of the left margin).
NEWSPAPER REPORTS REGARDING Ad-Badri –SOURCE OF
RIVER SARASWATI
Efforts on to trace
Saraswati's course The Tribune,
Chandigarh, June 13, 2002 Our Correspondent
Yamunanagar, June 12.
Union
Culture and Tourism Minister Jagmohan has said research work on the Saraswati
river would be undertaken on a priority basis. While addressing a seminar on
Saraswati river research held here today, he said the Saraswati, originating
from har Ki Doon glacier in the interior Himalayas, after crossing the Shivalik
range, enters into the plains, near Adi Badri in the district. He said he
had been to Adi Badri today along with Union Minister of State for Home I.D.
Swami. He said since the last century, several scholars and organisations had
been making efforts to trace the course of Saraswati river. He lauded the
contribution of the National Remote Sensing Agency, the Bhabha Atomic Research
Centre, the Indian Space Research Organization, the Geological Survey of India
and the Central Water Commission in this regard. He announced
that the work regarding tracing the course of Saraswati river would be started
shortly in two phases, first from Adi Badri to Bhagwanpura and in Kurukshetra
district and second from Bhagawanpur to Sirsa. He also announced that watershed
management and water-harvesting dams would be constructed shortly by the Union
Government. Mr. Jagmohan
announced that an international seminar on Saraswati river will be conducted at
Kurukshetra in December. Haryana
Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala assured the Union Government that the state
government would provide all assistance in the development of Adi Badri and
Kapal Mochan as pilgrim spots. He said Saraswati was revered not merely for its
sanctity but also for being the mother of the ancient civilization and cradle of
vedic literature that was conceived on its banks. Project to revive Sarasvati river SHIMLA: Sarasvati Nadi Shodh
Prakalp, Bangalore, director Dr S Kalyanaraman said on Friday that the search
for the “mythical” Sarasvati river, which began about 16 years ago, had reached
a stage where it could be said that the river was neither a myth nor a legend,
but hard fact.
Delivering a lecture organised by the Institute of
Integrated Himalayan Studies at the Himachal University here, he said that after
years of intensive research through scientific techniques, he could trace the
origin of the river and the civilisation which prospered along its banks. ‘‘The
revival of Sarasvati river begins in Haryana, with the water harvesting project
from Adh Badri through Bilaspur and Kapala Mochan upto Pehoa, a distance of
about 150 km, check-dams, clearing of the water-ways, restoration and renewal of
the ghats of river and elimination of pollutants,’’ he said. “It is
a proud moment that our engineers and scientists have established the
feasibility of reviving this great Vedic river, with a conjunctive use of
surface and sub-surface drainage systems. The feasibility study of the National
Water Development Agency has been going on for the last 19 years and is
continuing,” he added.
Kalyanaraman said that the Rajasthan Canal, also called Sarasvati
Mahanadirupanahar, was now flowing till Danan in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan
and would be extended to Gedra Road in Barmer district of the state. “The
waters of Sutlej river, which was the anchorage river of Sarasvati, flowing from
Harike can be taken to the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, through the
Mahanadirupanahar,” he added. He
said that of the nearly 2600 archeological sites of varying sizes, over 1500
settlements were found on the Sarasvati river basin, which included settlements
larger than those of Harappa and Mohenjodaro.
Director of Himalayan Studies Yoginder Verma said that the research project
being undertaken by the Sarasvati Nadi Shodh Prakalp aimed at making the river
flow again in north-west India from Mansarovar to Gujarat and to interlink
Himalayan and peninsular rivers to create a 40,000-km long national waterway in
the country. This,
along with the long coastline, would improve the infrastructure facilities in
the country and complement the railways and national highways, he added. NEW DELHI: A day after
Culture Minister Jagmohan announced excavation to trace the ancient course
of the Saraswati, the 'lost' river of Harappan civilisation, he has
already set up a team of four "experts" who will undertake this onerous
task.
Though Jagmohan denies the project is linked to the Sangh Parivar's agenda
of equating Harappan civilisation with Hindus, he does talk of myths
associated with several areas in Haryana where the Saraswati presumably
once flowed. "Marxist historians have fed us on a certain kind of history.
One should not close options," he says, adding, "If there is any evidence
of Saraswati, we will see it, otherwise we will not push forward any
view."
The four experts – Baldeo Sahai of ISRO, Ahmedabad, archaeologist S Kalyan
Raman, glaciaologist YK Puri, and water consultant Madhav Chitle -- will
carry out the first phase of excavation from Adi Badri to Bhagwanpura in
Haryana followed in second phase from Bhagwanpura to Kalibangan on
Rajasthan border.
Along with tracing the river's course, the experts have been tasked with
deepening Kapalmochan and Ranmochan – "two wells fed by Saraswati where
Pandavas had come and taken bath," says Jagmohan. If the effort does not
yield Saraswati water in the wells, the experts have been told tap
tubewells. "People consider it sacred. Right now water is muddy. Tubewell
water will be clean and faithfuls can take bath," says Jagmohan.
Another place where Saraswati will be traced is Thanesar, capital of
Harshvardhan, a few kilometres from Kurukshetra. "Saraswati flowed here
also and we have marked six points to trace its route," says Jagmohan.
Plan also is to excavate seven mounds in Rakhigarhi, where minister claims
five are of Harappan lineage and two of pre-Harappan times. With all this
work, Jagmohan is "confident that Saraswati will come alive."
But Jagmohan's confidence is not shared by noted historians Suraj Bhan and
Irfan Habib. Says Suraj Bhan, "In the 1960s, I worked in this area to
trace the Saraswati's route. In Adi-badri no course of the Saraswati can
be seen." He also denies having found any evidence related to Pandava
period in this area.
"The legend goes that there were 1400 pilgrim centres on the Saraswati.
RSS for decades has been working on the Saraswati project. In 1980s, its
Itihas Sankalan Samiti and Apte Memorial Committee did take it up in a big
way. The idea is to revive brahminism and sanctity of Vedas. Now it is
showing dividends," he observes. "All of us know there is water
underground which will come out through excavation anywhere," he says.
"How can it be called Saraswati's water. Important thing is to trace the
dry course of Ghaggar which has already been done." Habib, who has written extensively on Saraswati, feels the exercise is a "waste of money". The Hindutva historians, he notes, claimed Saraswati flowed from the Himalayas and now they are tracing it in the foothills of the Shivaliks. "This is an attempt by the RSS to make Harappan civilisation synonymous with Saraswati culture. It has anti-Dravidian intentions," he says.
Indiatimes
Id: cdulam Jagmohan announces team of experts to trace Saraswati river Author: Akshaya Mukul
A day after culture minister Jagmohan announced excavations to trace the ancient
course of the Saraswati, the lost river of Harappan civilisation, a team of four
experts has been named by him for this task.
Though Mr Jagmohan denied the project is linked to the Sangh Parivar's agenda of
equating Harappan civilisation with Hinduism he did talk of mythology being
intertwined with several areas in Haryana where the Saraswati presumably once
flowed. “Marxist historians have fed us on a certain kind of history. One should
not close options,” he said, adding, “If there is any evidence of Saraswati, we
will see it, otherwise we will not push forward any view.”
The four experts - Baldeo Sahai of ISRO, Ahmedabad, archaeologist S. Kalyan
Raman, glaciologist Y.K Puri, and water consultant Madhav Chitle - will carry
out the first phase of excavation from Adi Badri to Bhagwanpura in Haryana
followed by a second phase from Bhagwanpura to Kalibangan on the Rajasthan
border.
Along with tracing the river's course, the experts have been given the task of
deepening Kapalmochan and Ranmochan - the two wells fed by the Saraswati where
the Pandavas had taken a bath, said Mr Jagmohan. If the effort does not yield
Saraswati water in the wells, the experts have been told tap tubewells. An
attempt will also be made to trace the Saraswati at Thanesar, which was the
capital of Harshvardhan, a few kilometres from Kurukshetra.
Plans are also afoot to excavate seven mounds in Rakhigarhi, where the minister
claims five are of Harappan lineage and two of pre-Harappan times. With all this
Mr Jagmohan is “confident that Saraswati will come alive.”
But his confidence is not shared by noted historians Suraj Bhan and Irfan Habib.
Said Suraj Bhan, “In the 1960s, I worked in this area to trace the Saraswati's
route. In Adi-Badri no course of the Saraswati can be seen.” He also denies
having found any evidence related to the Pandava period in this area.
“Legend goes that there were 1400 pilgrim centres on the Saraswati. The RSS has
been working on the Saraswati project for decades. In the 1980s, its Itihas
Sankalan Samiti and Apte Memorial Committee took it up in a big way. The idea is
to revive Brahminism and the sanctity of the Vedas. Now it is showing
dividends,” he observed. “All of us know there is water underground which will
come out through excavation anywhere,” he says. “But how can it be called water
from the Saraswati river,” he asked. “The important thing is to trace the dry
course of the Ghaggar which has already been done.”
Habib, who has written extensively on the Saraswati, felt the exercise is a
waste of money The Hindutva historians, he noted, claimed the Saraswati flowed
from the Himalayas and now they are tracing it in the foothills of the Shivaliks.
“This is an attempt by the RSS to make Harappan civilisation synonymous with
Saraswati culture. It has anti-Dravidian intentions,” he said.
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