• Dr. R. Maheswari M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D

The holy Saraswati river that flowed from Siwalik hills to the Arabian Sea through Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat is now no more in the Indian subcontinent because of tectonic movements about three millennium BC. Tectonic activity in Himalayan region elevated the tectonic plate and changed the topography to divert the flow of water came from melting glaciers in new directions, which led to a decline of water supply to Saraswati and its drying up in the desert of Rajasthan. The settlements in the extinct Saraswati valley have the objects and remains of humans settled in pre-Harappan, mature Harappan and post-Harappan periods, and were dated back to 6000BC-1800BC. The pre-Harappan features were investigated from Kalibangan, Sothi, Banawali, Rakhigarhi, Kunal, Bhirrana, Baror, Grawad and Ganeshwar excavation sites, and the human settlements there dated 4500-3000BC, which is the real age of Rig Vedic period. There were 179 human settlements on the bank of Saraswati-Gahaggar system whereas the Indus valley had only 86 human settlements to state that Saraswati civilization was a very popular culture in those days.

Saraswati river,Rig Veda,Indus Valley Civililzation,Harappan Culture, Hakra System

"The Holy River Saraswati in the North-western Regions of India: the Historic Past and Present", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 4, page no.1359-1364, April-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1804443.pdf

"The Holy River Saraswati in the North-western Regions of India: the Historic Past and Present", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 4, page no. pp1359-1364, April-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1804443.pdf