The Lost Saraswati Civilization

**Contents and Sample Pages**

ABOUT THE BOOK The "Lost Saraswati Civilization" is an edited work of Deo P Prakash Sharma and Madhuri Sharma. Till today around 2668 Harappan and its associated sites have been reported in north-west south Asia in which 1100 sites are located on dry banks of river Saraswati and its tribu tories. During 3rd millennium B.C. Hindon was a tributary of river Saraswati and around 250 Harappan sites have been reported on the banks of river Hindon, Mandi, Hulas, Alamgirpur, Sanuoli, Toppal are important Harappan sites located on the bank of river Hindon which is now a tributary of Yamuna. We have excavated 208 Harappan sites. Ganweriwala is the largest (350 hectares) Harappan site located on dry bank of Saraswati (or Hakra) in Cholistan (Pakistan). Few excavated Harappan sites in Saraswati region arc Desalpur, Dholavira, Kalibangan, Bhirrana, Barror, Dhalewan, Banawali, Kunal and Rakhigarhi. Saraswati or Hakra or Ghaggar was a holy river. From 6000 B.C. to 1800 B.C. Saraswati flowed from south of Siwalik through Himachal, Haryana, Punjab, Northern Rajasthan and finally was joining Desalpur in Arabian sea. Due to tectonic disturbance in the Siwalik, Saraswati river course moved steadily in the clockwise direction eventually flowing eastsouth east rather than south. The stream captured by the emerging Yamuna river compromised its water shed and river Saraswati began to dry up around 1800 B.C. Archaeologists observed after analyzing literature and remote sensing images that river Saraswati flowed through Rajasthan desert. This lost river Saraswati was 1500 km. long and between 3 to 12 km. wide. This volume includes 27 papers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Deo Prakash Sharma was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship during 198384 and he mentoriously qualified himself for M.A. in Prehistoric Archaeology with specialization in Palaeolithic Mesolithic of the world from the Institute of Archaeology, London. He also participated in the excavations at Sussex and Pincenvent (France) and Ramayan sites.

He has published 200 papers and 24 books, a few of which are Harappan Terracottas; Harappan Seals; Indus Script on its way to Decipherment; Panorama of Harappan Civilization; Bharat Evam Sindhu Sabhyata (in Hindi) Harappan Art Glimpses of Harappan Archaeology and copper hoard. He is editor of Encyclopedia of Architecture Vol. I, II, III, IV, and Early Classical Art of South Asia.

He was Head of the Harappan Collection and Association Professor, National Museum, New Delhi. At present he is Director Bharat Kala Bhavan Museum, B.H.U., Varanasi, India.

Madhuri Sharma is an Art Historian, Museolgist and Archaeologist. She participated in excavation work in Narmada Valley, Chopani Mando, Belan Valley and Bharadwaj-Ashram. Apart from participation in national and international seminars, she has published 60 research papers and 8 books including 'Museum and Museology', 'Early Buddhist Metal Images of South Asia'. Early Harappan and Indus Saraswati Civilization and Bharat Ka Purattava. She is senior fellow under Government of India.

Kadambini Pandey is urban planner and architect. She is at present a teacher planning in York University, Canada. She has published 3 books including Harappan Architecture and Planning.

PREFACE This book "Lost Saraswati Civilization of Harappan civilization series jointly edited by Dr. Dr Sharma and Madhuri Sharma, bulls fielil Archaeologists Till today around 266as Indus ur Harappan and its associated sites have been reported in north-western part of south Aris of which 1100 sites are located in the lost Saraswati (Hakra or Geghar) plain. Ganweriwala is the largest (350 Hectares) Harappan site located on the dry bank of Itakra or Saraswati The excavated Harappan sites in last Satawati plain are Desalpur, Jaipur, Kalib Sethi, Dholavira, Jani Kuran, Bhirana, Harrer, Dhalewan, Banawali, Kunal, Rakhigarhi and Adi Bai etc. Saraswati was a big river daring early and mature Harappan period and it was flowing from Himachal Pradesh towards Arabian sea Due to tectonic disturbance in lower Himalayas Saraswat source river movel accidly in clockwise direction, eventually flowing east-south east rather than south. The stream was captured by the emerg ing Yamuna river compromising its watershed and rives Saraswati began to dry up around 1800 B.C.

This volume includes 27 research papers. The Chapter 1 is on the course of Just Saraswati river by A.K. Gupta who has observed that river Saraswati flowed parallel to the river indus as independent siver system and did not flow through the present course of river Nara. The remote sensing analysis indicated towards the re in Siwalik and consequent displacement in the Siwaliks and its foothill region (in the form of Yamuna and Satluj near Amhala) as the main cause for drainage desiccation and disappearance of river Saraswati The true colour composite images show palaeo-drainage in Saraswati basin and thick channels represent the course of lost Saraswati, Clear photo of Saraswati palaco-channels on the satellite imagery in the form of a strong and powerful continuous drainage system in the NW region and occurrence of archacological sites of Early Harappan beyonu doubt indicate the existence of a mighty palaeo drainage system of Vedic Saraswati river in this region. The 11 paper of D.P Sharma is on lost Saraswati river. Rigvedic Saraswati, now dry Saraswati, was flowing from south of Siwalik via Himachal Pradesh, through Haryana, Punjab, North Rajasthan, Cholistan and South Gujarat and finally it was joining Arabian Sea near Desalpur Ancient Saraswati was 1500 km long and between 3 to 20 km width.

The IIIrd Paper of S.P. Gupta is on the Indus Saraswati civilization. This includes origin and development, of cultures since 8000 B.C. to 2000 BC at sites like Mehrgarh Kuli Gal Mohammad, Nausharo, Rehman-Dhers, Amri, Balakot, Ghazi Shah, Kunal, Ravi phase of Harappa Hakra. Jalilpur, Kot Diji, Kalibangan, Banawali, Rakhigarhi, Shahi Tump all pre-Early Harappan and Early Harappan sites. Mobenjodaro, Kalibangan, Harappa, Lothal, Dholavira, etc. are all mature Harappan sites. Indus Saraswati civilization was having long distance trade with west and central Asia Horse was domesticated by those people. Gupta confirmed Indus Saraswati and Rgvedic cultures were same, Aryan never invaded on Indus Saraswati cities R.S Bisht observed water manage ment and conservation planning during mature Harappan period was superb. They were familiar with dams, reservoirs, water chutes and its underground drainage network of mature. S.P. Gupta dated Early phase of Indus Saraswati civilization between c. 3500-2800 BC. and he gave hist of C 14 dates of Harappan sites.

The IV paper of Yashpal is on remote sensing of the lost Saraswati River Area between Indus and its tributaries in west and Ganga aud its tributaries in East has been the cradle of ancient city and civilization. Lack of water in Saraswati was one of the cause of decay of this civilization. Saraswati was largest river during Rigvedic, Early Harappan, Mature Harappan and even early than c. 3500 B.C. Rgveda mentioned about Saraswati (Saraswati) river and record was compiled in second millennium B.C. and event of Rgveda could go upto C. 3500-2800 BC. We have palaco-channels of lost Saraswati.