Archaeological discovery at Adi Badri

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TITLE: Search for lost river throws up 300 AD site in Haryana

Source: New India Press, 13 August 2003

URL: http://www.newindpress.com/Newsitems.asp?

ID=IEP20030812135111&Title=States&rLink=0

 

YAMUNANAGAR: The Archaeological Survey of India's (ASI), Rs-8-crore

search for the mythical Saraswati has thrown up an exciting find at

the foothills of the Shivalik _ and a new controversy.

 

Extensive excavation in the last seven months at Adi Badri site, 40

km north of the Yamunanagar district in Haryana, has yielded a 300 AD

Kushan site _ and speculation that this may be the spot where the

river had originated.

 

The finds at the 200-foot-high Intowali site (ABR-II) include a

monastery, Buddha statue, pottery, pieces of carved slabs, a

meditation hall, verandah, an entrance, and several artefacts.

 

Archaeologists say now there is enough evidence to prove that this

was one of the major areas of inhabitation on the banks of the

Saraswati that once flourished, and then disappeared without a trace.

 

The Saraswati campaigners are ecstatic. ``ASI's excavations at Adi

Badri are of great significance. It has been established beyond doubt

that this is the region where the once mighty river Saraswati

originated,'' says Darshan Lal Jain, Director, Saraswati Nadi Shodh

Sansthan, Haryana.

 

But Karamvir Singh does not think so. The president of the All India

Confederation of SC/ST and BC Organisations, Haryana unit, says since

it is found to be a Buddhist site, it should be handed over to them.

After performing pooja in front of Buddha's statue at Adi Badri on

Sunday, he accused the ASI of hiding this fact to prove that it was

part of the Vedic civilisation.

 

The picturesque site framed by hillocks is being dug up by the Mini

Circle, Shimla, on behalf of the ASI's Chandigarh circle. The team

led by I.D. Dwivedi, Deputy Superintendent, ASI, under the

supervision of Ravindra Singh Bisht, Joint Director, ASI, is trying

to determine the presence of successive cultures that flourished on

the banks of the Saraswati. The ASI is excavating around 40 ancient

sites in what is believed to be the Saraswati river basin.

 

The 1,255-sq m Adi Badri is among the hundreds of sites that existed

on the banks of the Saraswati, which is believed to have flowed from

Adi Badri to Dholavira in Gujarat, irrigating the parched land of

Haryana and Rajasthan. An exposed brick structure found at the site

could be dated to about 300 AD. ``Other finds of this antiquity

include numerous pottery items such as bowls lids, miniature pots,

jars, cooking vessels, pitchers, storage jars, stamped wares,'' said

Ajmer Singh, Surveyor Officer, ASI, Chandigarh.

 

Similar excavations are also being carried out at several other sites

in Haryana such as Bilaspur, Sadhoura, Mustafabad, Bhagwanpura,

Thanesar, Mirzapur, Pehowa, Kalayat and Kaithal.

 

A senior official at the Director General office, ASI, Delhi said:

``Excavations have been going on in at least 15 different sites

countrywide. Yamunanagar is one of these. We have proof that the

Saraswati existed on that course in the form of satellite imagery and

hydrological evidences.''

 

Union Minister for Tourism And Culture Jagmohan added, ``It is an

ambitious project and the ministry has earmarked Rs 8 crore for

excavations. About Rs 2 crore has already been sanctioned for the

project till now.'' The minister hopes the course of the river will

be traced. ``The river path will be traced from Adi Badri to

Dholavira. The idea is to find out what all from our ancient heritage

is still buried and also create tourist hubs around these sites to

promote tourism,'' he said.