Saraswati River existed: KS Valdiya committee

The K.S. Valdiya committee in its report submitted to the Union Water Resources Ministry has concluded that Saraswati River so far considered mythical, existed.
The committee comprising of geologists, archaeologists and hydrologists say that they have found evidence of the course of the river Saraswati.
Earlier, River Saraswati was considered as a mythological river and has been mentioned in the ancient Hindu scriptures like the Rig Veda, Ramayana, Mahabharata and others giving credence that it existed during those times.
Committee found that

• Saraswati River originated in the Himalayas. It was approximately 4,000 km in length and flowed through India and Pakistan before meeting Arabian Sea through Rann of Kutch.
• Two-third stretch of river measuring nearly 3000 km in length fell in India and reaming one-third of the river stretch fell in present-day Pakistan.
• The river had two branches viz. (i) Western Branch: It represented by the Himalayan-born Satluj River of the past which flowed through the channels of present-day Ghaggar-Patialiwali rivulets. (ii) Eastern Branch: Palaeochannels (remnants of defunct rivers) Sarsuti-Markanda rivulets in Haryana were courses of  eastern branch of river, known as Tons-Yamuna.
• The confluence of the branches was near Shatrana, 25 km south of Patiala. From this confluence point river flow crossed dessert (Rann of Kutch) and meet gulf of western sea.

What is basis for conclusion?

• The conclusion of the expert committee was based on the six-month research. During the research the committee had came across an unique palaeochannel (path abandoned by river when it changes course) relating to present Sarsuti, Ghaggar, Nara and Hakra rivers
• They also had studied piles of sediments, their features and shapes which appeared to have been brought by the big river and were considered reminiscent to ones found in present-day Ganga, Ghaggar and Yamuna.

Month: Current Affairs - October, 2016