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Jun 3, 20244 min read

Know Everything About the Mystical Saraswati River: Location, Existence and Importance

The Saraswati River is as mysterious as it is important in India from both mythological and historical perspectives. The Saraswati is considered as a physical river, a deity and a sacred concept in the ancient scriptures of India. The name ‘Sarasvati’ is considered to have originated from the Sanskrit word ‘saras,’ meaning lake or pond.

Saraswati River System Location (PC: Bhuvan Portal, ISRO)

What is the significance of the Saraswati River?

The earliest mention of the River Saraswati is found in the Rig Veda, the collection of the most ancient sacred Sanskrit hymns. Throughout the Vedas, the Saraswati River is praised with utmost reverence. In the Rigveda, the oldest of the Vedic scriptures, Saraswati is hailed as the "Best of Mothers, Best of Rivers, Best of Goddesses." The Yajurveda elaborates on Saraswati's divine attributes, depicting her as the confluence of five sacred tributaries: Drishadvati, Shatudri (Sutlej), Chandrabhaga (Chenab), Vipasa (Beas), and Iravati (Ravi). In the Atharvaveda, Saraswati's benevolence is celebrated through verses depicting her role in agricultural prosperity. Saraswati also finds mention in ancient texts like the Manusmriti, Mahabharata, and Puranas.

It is said that Parashuram took a holy bath in the Saraswati River after destroying evil sinners on the earth and that the battle of Mahabharata was fought on the banks of the Saraswati. It is also mentioned in the Mahabharata that when the Pandavas set out on their journey to swargaloka, they met the mighty Saraswati. Bhim threw a large boulder into the river, stepping on which they proceeded on their journey.

Meaning and Location of Saraswati River?

In its physical manifestation, the Sarasvati is described in the Rigveda as a "great and holy river in north-western India," revered for its powerful flow and mighty floods. Specifically, the Nadi Stuti hymn in the Rigveda places the Sarasvati between the Yamuna and Sutlej rivers, while other texts mention its flow towards a ‘samudra’, interpreted as a sea or lake.

However, as the Rigvedic texts progress, the depiction of the Sarasvati evolves, depicting it as a smaller river ending in a lake, which may be related to the changes that occurred in the actual river over centuries. Thus, the later Vedic texts and the Mahabharata recount the drying up of the Sarasvati in a desert, which according to the Mahabharata was a place called Vinasana. Archaeological evidence suggests that the river may have shifted its course many times before drying up, which led the human settlements also to move along with it.

Historical texts such as the Mahabharata and Puranas also mention Saraswati as a mighty river, describing its tributaries, confluence with other rivers, and sacred significance in ancient Indian society. The Saraswati River is also considered in the Puranas as an underground, invisible river that joins Ganga and Yamuna at the Triveni Sangam at Prayagraj.

What is the current evidence that reveals the existence of the River Saraswati?

Current evidence from geological, archaeological, hydrological, and literary sources supports the existence of a perennial, snow-fed Saraswati River in the past. Studies have shown that the age of the Saraswati River's older paleochannels dates back as far as 28,000 years, with flourishing periods observed between 8000 and 5000 years ago.

Geological Studies: Geological surveys and sedimentological analysis have identified paleochannels and sediment deposits consistent with the hypothesised course of the Saraswati River, which align with descriptions in Vedic texts.
Archaeological Studies: Excavations along the hypothesised course of the Saraswati River have unearthed remnants of ancient settlements, pottery shards, and infrastructure dating back to the Bronze Age and Harappan civilization, corroborating its historical significance. Many scholars now call this civilization the Indus-Saraswati Civilization.
Hydrological Investigations: Analyses and studies of groundwater have revealed the presence of subsurface aquifers and water channels consistent with the Saraswati River's historical course, supporting that once a river system flowed in the region.
Remote Sensing and Satellite Imagery: High-resolution satellite imagery and remote sensing techniques have identified paleochannels, dried river beds, and topographical features indicative of ancient river systems in the region. Perennial sources such as the Sutlej and Yamuna rivers have been identified as part of the Vedic Saraswati River system, linking it to its major sources in the Tibetan Himalayas.
Historical Texts: References to the Saraswati River in ancient texts such as the Vedas, Mahabharata, and Puranas provide descriptions of Saraswati's tributaries, confluence with other rivers, and geographical landmarks, indicating that once a mighty and important river existed in this region.

Mapped course of Saraswati River (PC: Bhuvan Portal, ISRO)

What is the course of the River Saraswati as per Modern Research?

The Vedas state that the tributaries of the Saraswati merge into it and flow to meet the Sindhu Sagar (the Arabian Sea). Its exact course and existence have been the subject of debate among scholars, archaeologists, and geologists due to its apparent disappearance over time. With rigorous analysis of ancient texts, satellite imagery, and geological research, scholars have traced the hypothesised course of the Saraswati River, proposing a path between the Beas and Yamuna rivers, encompassing the current Ghaggar-Hakra paleochannel, which extends from the foothills of the Himalayas to the Rann of Kachchh. This paleochannel is believed to represent the remnants of the Saraswati's ancient course. The Saraswati River, originating in the Higher Himalayas, once flowed through the western Indo-Gangetic plains, traversing present-day states such as Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, before ultimately discharging into the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat.

Note: Paleochannels are geological features that represent the former course of a river or stream that existed in the past but is no longer active.

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