Saraswati River - Historical Evidence of Saraswati River!

Saraswati River is a holy river first mentioned in the Rigveda and later in Vedic and post-Vedic texts. It played a significant role in the Vedic religion. According to sources, the river is distinct from the other historic river, the Indus, and flows from the Himalayas to the Arabian Sea. Saraswati River in the Aravalli mountain ranges is located in Rajasthan, and it is believed to have been seen near Badrinath, Uttarakhand.

Saraswati River is one of the most important topics for the UPSC IAS exam. It covers a significant part of the geography subject in the Mains General Studies Paper-1 syllabus and General Studies Paper-1 of the UPSC Prelims Syllabus.

In this article, we shall study the origin, tributaries and historical importance of the Saraswati River origin UPSC. 

The UPSC aspirants can also take the help of Testbook’s UPSC CSE Coaching to boost their UPSC Exam preparation! You can also study other major topics related to UPSC IAS Exams with Testbook!

Download Geography UPSC Notes with this link!

Saraswati River - Historical Evidence of Saraswati River: Download PDF here!

Latest News on Saraswati River

In August 2023, the Indian government announced that it would be launching a new project to revive the Saraswati River. The project is expected to cost over ₹10,000 crores (US$1.25 billion). It will involve the construction of dams, canals, and other water infrastructure.

Also, check out the article on Drainage Systems with this link!

About Saraswati River 

The Saraswati River is a historical river that was recorded in the Vedas, Puranas, and epics, including the Mahabharata and Smritis. According to Hindu scripts and texts, the Saraswati River is one of the principal Rigvedic Rivers. It is also well-known by the name Ghaggar-Hakra River. 

• In the early Rigvedic "Nadistuti" hymn, the Saraswati River is mentioned between the east of the Yamuna and the west of the Sutlej. 
  • Yet, it is later claimed in other Vedic texts that the Saraswati River dried up in a desert. Saraswati river forms a transboundary between India and Pakistan. Additionally, only during the monsoon does this river cross both countries.
• The Saraswati River was formerly known as the Ghaggar in the region before the Ottu barrage, and it takes the name Hakra when it crosses this barrier. 
• During the monsoon season, the Ghaggar river serves as a trans-border river between Pakistan and India, while the Hakra, an extension of the Ghaggar in India, turns into a dried-up canal in Pakistan. 
• The Ghaggar originates in the Himachal Pradesh state's Shivalik Mountains and flows through Punjab, Haryana, and even certain areas of Rajasthan. This river in Rajasthan provides water to two irrigation channels.

Also, check out the article on Himalaya and peninsular rivers for UPSC preparation!

Historical Evidence of the Saraswati River

• The Saraswati River is mentioned in the Rigveda, the oldest Hindu scripture. It is a mighty river that flowed through the land of the Aryans. It is also mentioned in other Vedic texts, as well as in the Puranas and other Hindu scriptures.
• Geologists have found evidence of a large river system that flowed through northwestern India and Pakistan. This was during the Holocene epoch (the past 11,700 years). This river system is now known as the Ghaggar-Hakra River system.
• Archaeologists have found evidence of Harappan settlements along the dried-up bed of the Ghaggar-Hakra River. This suggests that the Harappans were dependent on the Saraswati River for their livelihood.
• Radiocarbon dating of sand dunes in the Ghaggar-Hakra basin has shown that they were deposited by a large river system between 9,000 and 4,500 years ago.
• Geologists have also found evidence of river channels, floodplains, and meanders in the Ghaggar-Hakra basin.
• Archaeologists have found Harappan settlements along the dried-up bed of the Ghaggar-Hakra River in Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.
• In addition to Harappan settlements, archaeologists have also found evidence of earlier human occupation along the Ghaggar-Hakra River. This dates back to the Mesolithic period (10,000-5,000 years ago).

Map of Saraswati River

Ghaggar-Hakra River System

The Ghaggar-Hakra River System is an intermittent river system in India and Pakistan. It flows only during the monsoon season. The river is known as Ghaggar before the Ottu barrage and as Hakra downstream of the barrage in the Thar Desert. The Ghaggar-Hakra River System is believed to be the remnant of the ancient Saraswati River. 

Also, check out the article on West Flowing Rivers of India for UPSC preparation!

Religious Significance of Saraswati River

The Sarasvati River has significant religious importance in Hinduism.

• It is mentioned in ancient scriptures such as the Vedas and other Vedic texts.
• The river is revered as a sacred and powerful entity, both as a physical river and as a goddess.
• In the Rigveda, it is described as a great and holy river in northwestern India.
• It is also depicted as a smaller river that ends in a terminal lake or ocean in later texts.
• Sarasvati is worshipped as the goddess of knowledge, wisdom, music, arts, and learning.
• Devotees seek her blessings for intellectual pursuits, artistic endeavors, and spiritual growth.
• The Sarasvati River holds a metaphysical significance and is believed to merge with the Ganges and Yamuna rivers at the Triveni Sangam.
• This confluence is considered highly auspicious, and pilgrims gather there during the Kumbh Mela for spiritual purification.
• The identification of the Sarasvati River is a subject of scholarly debate.
• Some scholars propose that it corresponds to the present-day Ghaggar-Hakra River system.
• The religious significance of the Sarasvati River represents the divine flow of knowledge, creativity, and spirituality.
• Devotees believe that connecting with the essence of Sarasvati can lead to inner wisdom and spiritual enlightenment.
• The Sarasvati River continues to inspire devotion and reverence among millions of Hindus worldwide.

Learn more about the East Flowing Rivers of India!

Conclusion

Saraswati River is also known as the mythical river. There are many stories that underline the existence of this river despite its mention in Vedas and Puranas. It is also said that the river was a part of the Ghaggar-Hakra river system, which runs between the Yamuna and Sutlej across Pakistan and northwestern India before emptying into the Thar. Many scholars also compare the Saraswati River and the Helmand River in Afghanistan.

Also, check out the NCERT notes on Types of Rainfall for UPSC preparation!

Testbook provides a set of comprehensive notes for different competitive exams. Testbook is always on the top of the list because of its best-quality products like live tests, mocks, content pages, GK and current affairs videos, and much more. To study more topics for UPSC, download the Testbook App now.