THE SARASWATI MYSTERY

Where did Saraswati river originate from?

It originated from Har-ki-Dun (valley of Gods) glacier in Gharwal (Uttarakhand).


How large was the river when it flowed?

According to experts who have studied the map of all relevant underground channels, Saraswati was probably 1500 km long, 3-15 km wide and five metres deep.


When did it die out and why?

Researchers say the mighty river dried up roughly 4000 years ago due to tectonic shifts of the earth. Due to these shifts, supply to the river was cut off and the remaining waters seeped down below the earth from the fissures created due to the tectonic movements. It is the water that remained below and the dried river beds that are being investigated and fresh findings discovered as a result of the probes.

How did experts conclude that the water and soil beneath the earth that they researched belonged to the Saraswati river?

The study was done on the elements that were on the track the river is said to have taken when in full flow. Some of the water in parts of Rajasthan was found to be as old as 8000 years; the ‘youngest’ element was 2500 years old!

What states did the river cover in its journey?

It flowed across Uttarakhand, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan before emptying itself into the Arabian Sea at Rann of Kutch in Gujarat.

How did it reach Allahabad, which is said to be a confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati?

Experts say the river never flowed independently in Allahabad, but parts of it united with Yamuna which met the Ganga there. That is how all the three are said to have met.