Saraswati flows on

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BOOK REVIEW

Title: The Sarasvati flows on: The continuity of Indian culture

Author: B.B Lal

Publisher: Aryan Books International,New Delhi (2002)

The mystery of the lost river of Indian subcontinent- the Sarasvati, as it is popularly known,

have perplexed scholars and has given rise to a lot of debate regarding its identity, origin,

hydrogeology and continuity in the academic circles. B.B Lal, noted archaeologist, in his

book The Sarasvati flows on : the continuity of Indian Culture tries to bring in the image of

the continuous flow of this ancient river as a motif to show the continuity of the culture

which is associated with this river- the culture of Harappan civilization.

In the preface, the author lays down his intentions in writing this book to counter arguments

regarding the identity of Rigvedic Sarasvati and to establish the continuity of the culture of

the Indus valley civilization in our daily lives. This book has been divided into five chapters.

The first two chapters deal with the issue of the identity of Sarasvati as a Rigvedic river

different from the Helmand of Afganistan. The later chapters explain about the prominent

archaeological sites associated with river Sarasvati and how the ancient culture along the

Indus and the Sarasvati has lived on in the modern times. Thus, the establishment of the roots

of many customs and traditions in the modern era to the ancient civilization along the Indus-

Sarasvati basin forms the crux of authors argument in this book.

In the first chapter the author introduces the concept of Sarasvati mentioned in the Rigveda.

Using various verses in the Rigveda, the author potrays the multiple identities of Sarasvati in

the vedas- as a holy river, river -deity, Goddess, an Apri- deity,and the idea of


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Sarasvatias Vak(pp.1).Sarasvati has a special place in the Rigveda. Some of the Rigvedic

hymns are exclusively devoted to her(pp.1).The author utilizes the well-known Nadi-stuti

hymn in the Rigveda to establish about the geographical position of Sarasvati river as in

between the Yamuna and the Sutlej(pp.3).Using other verses in the Rigveda, the author

identifies Sarasvati of the vedic times as mighty river originating in the mountains and

flowing all the way to the ocean(pp.3).Thus it can be deduced that Sarasvati as a river as

well as a deity was revered as the lan vital of the civilization and the incarnation of speech

and intellect in the Vedic times. These references in the Rigveda are used by the author in the

later chapters to identify Sarasvati on the terra firma.

In the second chapter the author identifies Rigvedic Sarasvati as a river located in between

Yamuna and Sutlej. He has emphatically argued that Sarasvati cannot be identical with the

Harakhvati in Afganistan which is mentioned in the ancient Iranian text, vest. The

Rigveda clearly mentions that Sarasvati is sandwiched between Yamuna and Sutlej. The

author argues that there is no such rivers in Afganistan to sandwich the supposed

Sarasvati(Harakhvati)(pp.9). B.B Lal ,using the information obtained from various scholars ,

links the existence of the Rigvedic Sarasvati ,the fourth century BC mighty river with the

modern Sarasvati, a small and dry stream variously known as Ghaggar, Hakra, Raini,

Wahinda and Nara(pp.16).The author then discusses on the possible reasons for drying up of

the Sarasvati. It is estimated that the river dried up some time at the beginning of second

millennium BC as the mature Harappan settlement of Kalibhangan,located on the banks of

the river seemed to be abandoned due to the drying up of the life-giving river.(pp.22). The

drying up of the river is presumed to be due to the seismic activity around the region, which

created the Bata-Markanda Divide, which in turn forced Sarasvati to change its course and

drain into the Yamuna Tear.(pp.24). Thus the author logically tries to pieces the parts of the


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puzzle of Sarasvati and brings in a coherent picture of the mighty Sarasvati being reduced to

a small stream.

In the third chapter the author discusses the prominent archaeological sites in the Sarasvati

valley and the implications of the desiccation of Sarasvati on them. The author discusses

various sites of early, mature and late Harappan phases. Based on the evidences of material

culture obtained from these sites in researches conducted by various scholars, the author

argues that there was considerable expanse of Early Harappan culture along the basins of

Saraswati and its tributaries and this cultural complex was heading towards the Mature

Harappan phase.(pp.45).So the early phase of Harappan civilization can be called as

regionalization era during which villages developed and underwent a process of cultural

convergence culminating in the urban phase.(Danino,2010). The author then discusses about

the mature phase of Harappan civilization characterized by full-fledged system of writing,

elaborate town-planning, inscribed seals, thriving trade, etc.(pp. 47). There are considerable

indications showing that this phase relied heavily on the waters of the Sarasvati. For instance,

the existence of a moat in Banawali , which was filled with the waters of Sarasvati.(pp.62). In

this chapter, the author argues against the myth of the Aryan invasion and the destruction of

the Harappan civilization. Using the archaeological evidences of skeletons and Terracotta

figures of horses ,wheels etc., he argues that there was no extinction of Harappan

civilization and in the entire area of Harappan civilization, we have a scenario of continuity

and not of any break.(pp.76). The author argues that the desiccation of Harappan civilization

occurred due to the drying up of the Sarasvati, which forced people to migrate to the North-

eastern parts of the country.(pp.77). Such a migration resulted in the spread of Harappan

cultural traits, some of which still forms the core of Indian culture today.

In the last chapter, the author deals with continuity in Indian culture, which forms the core

subject of the book. He explains that various aspects of the culture of the Harappan


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civilization are still followed, juxtaposing current day images with that of the material

eviden ces from Harappan sites. For instance, there is an image ofwomen wearing a conical

ornament on the head which is similar to the gold cones discovered at Mohenjo-

daro.(pp.84).He elucidates the various material and non-material aspects of the Harappan

people to show that there is a link between modern India and ancient India, even after

revolutionary changes created by forces of modernization and westernisation. He

examines almost every aspect of everyday life of the Harappan people like Ornaments, games

and recreation ,house and town-planning, cooking, agriculture and water

management,transport,crafts, folktales, religion,social hierarchyetc. and connects it to the

customs and practises of people in modern India. However, the author admits that the jury is

still out in the case of continuity of the script of Harappan civilization. There is need for

further research to determine the relationship between Brahmi and Harappan

script. (pp.134).Interestingly, the author notes the existence of writing tables in

Mohenjodaro which is very similar to the takhtis used by children.

B.B Lal has illustrated th e idea of continuity of Harappan culture in the modern times, using

the material evidence of a still flowing Rigvedic Sarasvati. This book has more than 100

beautiful illustrations which alone are a detail in itself.He has given logical explanations

regarding the origin, course and the desiccation of the Rigvedic Sarasvati. He has clearly

explained how Sarasvati was the life-giver of the Hara ppan civilization and has convinced

the readers that Harappan civilization still lives on and is a vital organ of our socio-cultural

fabric.(pp.136). He engages the reader in his arguments by asking questions and has

emphasised his main arguments in bold letters.

However, the reviewer feels that the author has utilized only the Rigveda in explaining the

course of Saraswatiriver. The Brahmanas, Ramayana and Mahabharatha ,the Puranas and a

plethora of other texts also validate the existence and disappearance of the


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BOOK REVIEW

THE SARASVATI FLOWS ON: THE CONTINUITY OF

INDIAN CULTURE

AUTHOR: B.B LAL

PUBLISHER: ARYAN BOOKS INTERNATIONAL, NEW DELHI(2001)

Saraswati flows on

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