Historicity and Location of The Rigvedic Saraswati River

There is a strong query in the minds of many Indian people about the existence and location the river "Saraswati." The Saraswati is one of the main rivers mentioned in the Rigveda, an ancient Indian text. It has played an important role during  the Vedic civilization.

अम्बितमे नदीतमे देवितमे सरस्वति।
अप्रशस्ता इव स्मसि प्रशस्तिमम्ब नस्कृधि।।

Rigveda- 2:41:16

O mother Saraswati, you are the best among all the rivers, mothers and goddesses. We are like foolish people, grant us the greatest knowledge. 

Saraswati: The Goddess of Knowledge-

Today, Indian people know "Saraswati" as goddess of knowledge, wisdom, art and literature. But it is originally personification of river goddess Saraswati. During the Vedic period, the earlier centers of knowledge (old schools of Vedas) might be situated at the bank of the river Saraswati. Vedic literature was supposed to have been composed by the vedic seers at its bank. Later the river goddess would have  been personified as symbol of knowledge.

(ref- Kinsley, David (1998), Hindu Goddesses: Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition, Motilal Banarsidass Pub., ISBN 978-81-208-0394-7)

Nomenclature-

The word Saraswati is feminine form of adjective saraswat. It is derived from sa+rasa+wat. The word sa means "with", rasa means "juice or water" and wat means "having." The meaning of Saraswati is "that having pure water."

Identification of Ancient Saraswati River-

There are two theories about the identity of the Rigvedic Saraswati. Several scholars have identified it as present day Ghaggar-Hakra river channel in north Indian subcontinent. This mansoon fed river channel is between the Yamuna and the Sutlej. The Harappan civilization sites at this region are greater in numbers  than other regions as Sindhu (Indus). About 75% of Indus valley civilization sites are present along this channel. (Mughal 1992) The older sites are located at the lower part and newer sites are at the upper part of Ghaggar-Hakra channel. In depth study of sites suggests the upward shift occurred around 17th century BC.

According to another theory, the Helmond river in Afganistan is identified as the Saraswati.

The path of ancient Saraswati source- Wikipedia 

Several famous historians as Christian Lassen (1800- 1876), Max Muller (1823-1900), Marc Aurel Stein (1862-1943) etc. believed in the first theory. The archeologists C. F. Oldham and Jane McIntosh also have so much belief in the first theory that they refer the Ghaggar-Hakra river channel as Saraswati throughout their books.

"Dense settlement along branches of Saraswati river indicates that it was one of the most productive regions of the Harappan realms."--- The Ancient Indus Valley: Jane McIntosh, p- 116.

In the Rigvedic Texts-

• The Saraswati river is mentioned throughout the Rigveda Samhita. According to famous Nadistuti hymns, the Saraswati river is mentioned between the Yamuna in the east and the Sutlej in the west, among the seven rivers of northern Indian subcontinent. 

इमं मे गंगे यमुने सरस्वति शुतुद्रि स्तोमं सचता परुष्ण्या।
असिक्न्या मरुद्वृधे वितस्तयार्जीकिये शृणुह्या सुषोमया।।

Rigveda- 10:75:5

O Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Shutrud (Sutlej), Parushni (Ravi), Asikni (Chinav) with Marudvradha (Maruvardavan), Vitasta (Jhelam), Sushoma (Sohan) and Arjikiya (Vyas) rivers; please listen to our sacred chanting.

• Although the Ghaggar-Hakra is a mansoon fed river channel from a long time, in the earlier text of the Rigveda ( Mandal six), the Saraswati is mentioned as glacier fed large river. 

प्र या महिम्ना महिनासु चेकिते द्युमनेभिरन्या अपसामपस्तमा।  रथ इव बृहती विभवने क्रतोपसतुत्या चिकितसा सरस्वती।। 

Rigveda- 6:61:13

Saraswati is the best among the rivers due to her importance and mighty flow. Her flow is like the fast moving chariot and greater than the flow of other rivers. Saraswati is worshipped by all the seers.

............सरस्वती सिन्धुभिः पिन्वमाना। 

Rigveda- 6:52:6

Let the Saraswati swollen with water, save us. 

• In the seventh Mandal it is clearly mentioned that the Saraswati river was originated from mountains and flowed upto the sea.

एकचेततसरस्वति नदीनां शुचिर्यती गिरिभ्य आ समुद्रात।
रायश्चेतन्ती भुवनस्य भूरेर्घृतम पयो दुदुहे नाहुषाये।।

Rigveda- 7:95:2

This Saraswati filled with pure water, flows from the mountains to the sea. Thinking of giving wealth to this great world, gives milk and ghee to Nahusha.

 In Post Vedic Literature-

In the late Rigvedic and post Vedic literature, Saraswati is not a major river and the river Ganga has taken its importance. In post Vedic literature, the disappearance of the river Saraswati is mentioned. The disappearance of lower course of the Saraswati is first mentioned in the Brahmanas, the texts composed after the Vedas.

In The Ramayana-

सरस्वतीं च गंगा च युग्मेंन प्रतिपद्य च।

उत्तरं वीर मत्स्यानाम भारुण्ड प्राविशद्वनम।। 

Ramayana- 2:71:5

While going to Ayodhya from Kekaynagar, Bharat crossed the river Saraswati between the Sutlej and the Yamuna. It is described smaller than the Ganga and the Yamuna here.

In the Mahabharata-

Whole course of the river Saraswati from mountains to sea, is mentioned in the epic Mahabharata.

It was originated from the Sindhudweep at the Himavat mountain. Then it crossed Kapalmochan, Saptasaraswat etc. and reached Nagdhanvana. At Nagdhanvan, it is mentioned that the Saraswati moved towards east direction for beholding the seers of Naimishararanya in Satyuga. It gives some indication about the catchment of the Saraswati river water to other rivers.

 Afterwards it crossed Dwaita lake, Sankh, Gargastrota, Gandharwa, Subhumika and reached Vinasan. It is mentioned that it was disappeared at Vinasan.

ततो विनशनं राजन जगामाथ हलायुधाः।
शूद्राभीरान प्रति द्वेषाद यत्र नष्टा सरस्वती।।
तस्मात् तु ऋषयो नित्यं प्राहुर्विनशनेति च।

Mahabharata- 9:37:1-2

Then, to Vinasan, O king, went the Plough weapon bearer, not liking the Sudras and Abhiras, Saraswati has disappeared. Therefore the sages always call it the Vinasan.

दृश्यादृश्या च भवति तत्र तत्र सरस्वती।
एता दिव्याः सप्तगंगास्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुताः।।

Mahabharata- 6:6:50

It becomes visible, then invisible, here and there, that Saraswati, it is one of the seven divine rivers known in the three worlds.

After Vinasan, Saraswati went  to Udapan. It is mentioned that the Saraswati appeared here in a well (Saraswati koop).

At last, it met the Arabian sea at Prabhas near the famous Somnath temple.

Views of Modern Scholars-

• A survey of ancient sites along the Ghaggar-Hakra channel was done by Aurel Stein and in 1942, his report was published in 'The Geographical Journal.' According to the report, some painted gray ware sites were found on the bed of the Ghaggar-Hakra channel, which indicates that the Saraswati river had been dried up to painted gray ware or Bharat battle period. 

(ref- Stein Aurel (1942). "A Survey of Ancient Sites along the Lost Saraswati River." The Geographical Journal. 99 (4): 173- 182.)

• The famous historian and archeologist Dr. B B Lal found evidence of a massive earthquake at Kalibangan (Rajasthan) around 26th century BC. This earthquake might change the course of tributaries of the Saraswati river which eventually led to its drought. 

(ref- B B Lal 1984, The earliest Datable Earthquake in India, Science Age (Oct 1984), Bombay: Nehru Center.)

• According to famous Indian scientist Prof. Yashpal, the Sutlej was the main tributary of Ghaggar at the ancient times. The subsequent tectonic activities may have forced the Sutlej westward and the Ghaggar dried. The Sutlej river suddenly turns sharply away from Ghaggar at Ropar in Harayana. The narrow Ghaggar river bed itself is suddenly wider at the junction where the Sutlej should met the Ghaggar river. There is a major palleochannel between turning point of the Sutlej and where the Ghaggar river bed widens. 

(ref- Yash Pal; et al (1984). "Remote Sensing of the Lost Saraswati River")

• Lunkaransar, Didwana, Sambhar, the Ranns of Jaisalmer, Pachpadra, etc. are the lakes on the path of ancient Saraswati. The fresh water gastropode shells are being found in these lake beds which indicates the fresh water origin of these lakes. 

• ISRO and ONGC did a study by using satellite images, found major palleochannels along the course of Ghaggar-Hakra channel. 

(ref- Valdiya, K.S. (1 January 2002). Saraswati: The River that Disappeared. Indian Space Research Organization. p- 23)

• ISRO has studied the palleochannels of the Saraswati river in north Indian subcontinent. An integrated map of palleochannels has been developed from Himalaya to Rann of Kutchch. The presence of palleochannels in Himalayan region common with the Sutlej and the Yamuna indicates its glacier fed and perinneal nature. ISRO used Indian remote sensing satellite data along with digital elevation model to detect the palleochannels. These palleochannels were validated using historical maps, archeological sites, hydro-geological and drilling data. It was observed that major Harappan sites as Kalibangan, Banawali, Rakhigarhi, Dholavira and Lothal lie along the River Saraswati. 

(ref-https://pib.gov.in/newsite/erelcontent.aspx?relid=94098)

Lay out plan of Kalibangan at the bank of Ghaggar (Saraswati)

• A study was published  in 2019 done by Anirban Chatterjee, Kanchan Pande, et. al from Physics Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, Department of Earth Science IIT Mumbai and Presidency University Kolkata. They investigated the nature of the Ghaggar-Hakra river channel during the Holocene by studying the changing provenance of its alluvium through time period. They concluded that the Ghaggar-Hakra river channel received sediments from higher Himalaya upto 25th century BC. They also mentioned a possibility that the tributaries from the Sutlej might be the source of water in the Saraswati river making it large glacier fed and perinneal river. 

Conclusion-

At last in conclusion, I want to ask a question, if the Saraswati river was a mansoon fed dry river at the time period of early and mature Harappan phase, why the early settlers made their cities along a supposedly drying river instead of the well watered plains of neighboring Himalayan rivers?....