Satellite Images as Scientific Tool for Sarasvati Palaeochannel and its Archaeological Affinity in NW India B. K. Bhadra and J. R. Sharma ABSTRACT The "Lost Vedic Sarasvati River" that have flown through Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and northern Gujarat States in full might around 6000 B.C. and disappeared around 3000 B.C. However, establishing the exact course of Vedic Sarasvati and its perennial source remains a debatable topic among the researchers due to lack of proper scientific database. An attempt has been made to unravel the truth through Remote Sensing technology and multi-resolution satellite images. Detailed studies on the Sarasvati and Drishadvati drainage systems in northern Haryana have been carried out using satellite data. The mapped palaeochannels have been validated with a variety of ground information. The affinity of the discovered archaeological sites with the delineated palaeochannels is highlighted in the present study. The possible linkages of the Himalayan Rivers with the Vedic Sarasvati River are discussed here. INTRODUCTION Existence of 'Vedic Sarasvati', a mighty holy river in the northwestern India has been described in the ancient Indian literatures. Large numbers of archaeological sites of Harappan Civilization occur along the course of Sarasvati River. Two perennial rivers of today, River Yamuna and River Satluj, served as the tributaries to the extinct Sarasvati River. The legendary river of the Vedic age (10000-8000 B.P.), originated in the Himalayas and passed through Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and finally emptied into Rann of Kachchh (Arabian Sea). This river flowed as a parallel river system with Indus River in the western part of Thar Desert. It is now well known that the tectonic changes along the foot hills of Himalayas coupled with climatic changes in the region (onset of dry climate) were primarily responsible for the drainage desiccation of Vedic River Sarasvati during 4000-3500 B.P. (Gupta et al, 2004; Valdiya, 1996; Yashpal et al., 1980). Due to tectonic changes in the past, the two perennial rivers changes their courses viz. Satluj to the west to join river Indus and Yamuna to east to join river Chambal near Etawah and finally meets with River Ganges near Allahabad. Present day drainage systems in Haryana viz. Dangri, Chautang, Markanda including Sarasvati Nadi, that originate in Siwalik Hills, are mostly ephemeral (seasonal) streams with smaller catchment areas and draining to meet Vedic Sarasvati (Ghaggar River). These rivers in the present form could not sustain the flow to the mighty Vedic Sarasvati River. As a result, its major part in the downstream direction got buried below the sands of Thar Desert and finally the river dried up. Study of River Sarasvati has exercised great fascination and unflagging interest in the minds of the Scholars and Scientists. DRAINAGE SYSTEM OF NW INDIA Rivers of Punjab, Haryana, western Rajasthan and the northern Gujarat, present an interesting and complex evolutionary history of drainage development dating back to middle Pleistocene (Chauhan, 1999; Kalyanraman, 1999; Kochhar, 2000; Radhakrishnan, 1999; Valdiya, 2002). Most of these chequered evolutionary history, wherein factors of Late Quaternary climatic changes and tectonism DRAUPADI DREAM TRUST---We Nourish, Restore and Create Value in Heritage & Civilization 104 “How Deep are the Roots Findings on Saraswati River of Indian Civilization” Dr. B.K. Bhadra & Dr. J.R. Sharma. have played a significant role in modifying the drainage. A few thousand years back several mighty rivers drained the northwestern part of India and these now stands disrupted, partly destroyed and preserved only as poor relicts making up the present day drainage system. The vast tract of Indo- Gangetic alluvium plains and the Aeolian plains of Thar Desert represents a powerful drainage system in the past. The stretch of land is manifested by the 'Lost River Sarasvati' between Indus and Ganges River Systems (Fig.1). This vast river-less tract is underlain by nearly 10-30 m thick mantles of riverine sediments of younger age characterized by a multiplicity of channels in which only flood waters flow for extremely limited durations. The wide channels are either choked with sediments or are buried under the sands of the Thar Desert. This is the present scenario of the drainage system in the area. Figure-1: Existence of Saraswati River System along the vast tract of alluvial/aeolian plain between Indus and Ganges River System in NW India. The northern plains of Haryana and Punjab are drained by three major independent river systems namely Yamuna, Sutlej and Ghaggar (Sarasvati). Yamuna and Sutlej are perennial river systems while the Ghaggar is mainly ephemeral. The Sutlej River originates in the Himalayas from the holy lake of Mansarovar in Tibet and enters the plains near Ropar (Punjab), where it takes a sharp right-angled turn and flows westward over a distance of 150 km before being joined by the Beas river near Firozpur. The Yamuna River originates from the Yamunotri/Bandarpunch glacier and reaches the plains near Yamunnagar. The Yamuna River and its tributaries originating from the central Himalayas exhibit dendritic drainages in the hard rocks and display typical rectangular drainage pattern. Most of the streams are joining each other at right angles, which exhibit that it is flowing through a structurally controlled terrain. Giri River meets Yamuna near Paonta about 12Km upstream from the confluence of Bata and Yamuna. The Yamuna, which was supposed to be a major tributary of Sarasvati, got diverted through the Yamuna Tear Fault was earlier flowing through the Bata river course and joining the Markanda river. The wide valley of the small Bata River supports this. The Ghaggar River raises in the Siwaliks from the Morni hills and enters the plains near Ambala (Haryana). After covering a distance of DRAUPADI DREAM TRUST---We Nourish, Restore and Create Value in Heritage & Civilization 105 “How Deep are the Roots Findings on Saraswati River of Indian Civilization” Dr. B.K. Bhadra & Dr. J.R. Sharma. 175 Km it joins the Sarasvati at Rasula (Patiala district). The combined river now known as Ghaggar flows through Sirsa (Haryana), Hanumangarh and Ganganagar districts (Rajasthan). Significance of the two major rivers in Haryana viz. Sarasvati Nadi and Drishadvati River (Fig.2) that contributed to the mighty Vedic Sarasvati in the past is described below. Figure-2: Display of westerly flowing major drain ages (Ghaggar, Dangri, Markanda, Saraswati, Chautang and the traced Drish advati) in northern Haryana (a) Sarasvati Nadi of Haryana: Sarasvati Nadi (also known as Sarasvati River, Sarasvati Nala, Sarsuti and Chautang in certain segments) in northern Haryana is one of the important tributary of the "Lost Vedic Sarasvati River" that flowed through Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and northern Gujarat States in full might around 6000 B.C. and disappeared around 3000 B.C. The Sarasvati Nadi originates near Rampur Herian south of Adi Badri and passes through Bilaspur, Mustafabad, Thanesar, Bibipur and Pehowa and ultimately joins river Ghaggar near Rasauli village in Punjab. Presently, Sarasvati Nadi is in defunct state and exibits as a discontinuous drainage (Fig.3). Existence of a large number of archaeological sites along the river suggests it to be an important drainage of the past. Though Adi Badri is located on the bank of River Somb, but local people believe that Sarasvati originates at Adi Badri. As seen on the SOI topomaps, Sarasvati Nadi originates from a place called 'Rampur Herian' which is located south of Adi Badri in Yamunanagar district. The existence of Sarasvati Nadi from Rampur Herian to Bibipur is seen clearly on the topomaps and satellite images. On Survey of India (SOI) topomap of 1969-70, it is shown as Sarasvati Nala / Nadi / River. The name 'Sarasvati/Sarsuti' Nadi in Haryana has been mentioned elsewhere in the earlier literatures. Sarasvati Nadi is believed to be a sacred river in Haryana. This is evident from the occurrence of several historical temples, pilgrimage and Hindu ritual sites and relics of archaeological sites all along the course of Sarasvati River indicating it to be a perennial river in the past. Most of these Pilgrim sites belong to either Post-Harappan or Mahabharata period. The river passes through Yamunanagar, DRAUPADI DREAM TRUST---We Nourish, Restore and Create Value in Heritage & Civilization 106 “How Deep are the Roots Findings on Saraswati River of Indian Civilization” Dr. B.K. Bhadra & Dr. J.R. Sharma. Kurukshetra, Kaithal and Fatehabad districts and joins with River Ghaggar at Rasauli village near Shatrana in Patiala district of Punjab. Old revenue records of erstwhile Punjab Province indicate the existence of Sarasvati River in Yamunanagar and Kurukshetra districts of Haryana. Drainage pattern of Sarasvati Nadi derived from the SOI topomaps shows two southwesterly flowing sub-parallel streams on either side of the Chautang Nala which crisscross at several places between Purangarh and Babain villages. The shifting of their course is possibly due to discontinuous discharge in the past. The local people strongly believe that Adi Badri is the place of origin of Sarasvati Nadi which is the main Vedic Sarasvati River. Local populace performs different Hindu rituals along this river course. Field Survey to Trace Sarasvati Nadi between Adi Badri and Pehowa during March-April, 2005) (a) (b) (c) Figure-3: (a to i) Field photographs showing the defunct Stagnated water in narrow Narrow stretch of Relatively wide section of strip of Sarasvati Nala at Sarasvati Nala near Sarasvati Nala Near state of Sarasvati Bari Pabni Village Choti Pabni village Chappar Village Nadi at various (d) (e) (f) places in the south of Siwalik foothills. The location of A sarovar on the course of Stagnated dirty water Once, Sarasvati water used photographs are Sarasvati Nala near along Sarasvati Nala to fill Jyotisar Talav, 4km W shown on the map. Mustafabad Village at Kurukshetra of Kurukshetra Red dots are (g) (h) (i) denoting the historical places/Tirthas.