India has a long history of rivers. These rivers have made significant contributions to the country’s economy and culture.
India is home to nearly 200 rivers, with the Ganga being the most famous among them. You’ve probably heard of rivers like the Yamuna, Godavari, Indus, Gomti, Narmada, and Cauvery.
You may have even seen some of them flowing. But today, we’re going to tell you about a river whose name you might have read in your books many times but probably never had the chance to see flowing because this river has dried up. Let’s learn more about it.
The Mention of Saraswati in Ancient Texts
We’re talking about the Saraswati River. In Vedic times, Saraswati was considered the holiest river.
Its mention can be found in the Rigveda, where sages composed the Vedas while drinking its water.
Today, no one has seen the Saraswati River flowing. There’s a significant reason behind this.
Flowing Underground
The Saraswati River was believed to originate in the Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh, flow through Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, and merge into the Drishadvati River in Patiala.
It was considered sacred in mythological stories, but today, it’s gone. It’s said that a curse caused this river to disappear, and now its name remains, but it no longer flows on Earth.
Emerging from Underground
In Vedic civilization, Saraswati was the most prominent and vital river. Recent research by ISRO has revealed that even today, Saraswati flows beneath the Earth’s surface in Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan.
It was such a massive river that it used to break through mountains and eventually merge into the Arabian Sea.
The Rigveda repeatedly mentions it, always full of water. In the later Vedic and Mahabharata period, Saraswati had mostly dried up. However, during the monsoon season, it would receive some water flow.
Saraswati Joins Yamuna
Scientific discoveries have shown that thousands of years ago, a massive earthquake lifted the land, causing the underground Saraswati River to change its course.
Instead of flowing towards the Arabian Sea, it joined the Yamuna River.
Even though it’s referred to as the confluence of three rivers in Prayagraj (Allahabad), in reality, only two rivers, Yamuna and the newly joined Saraswati, meet there. Saraswati never reached Prayagraj.
