Scientists from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – National Geophysical Research Institute (CSIR-NGRI) discovered a massive buried paleo-river system near Prayagraj [1, 2].
The discovery is significant because it provides physical evidence of ancient water systems in Uttar Pradesh and revives a long-standing debate regarding the existence and path of the mythological Saraswati River [1, 2].
The researchers identified the ancient channel located between the Ganga and Yamuna rivers [1, 2]. According to the findings, the buried river system extends for nearly 200 kilometers [1]. This subterranean feature was detected at a depth of 10 to 15 meters below the surface [1].
The team from CSIR-NGRI conducted the study to map ancient river channels in the region [1, 2]. By using geophysical techniques, the scientists were able to trace the remnants of the water system that once flowed through the area before it became buried under sediment [1, 2].
While the geological evidence confirms the presence of a paleo-river, the link to the Saraswati River remains a subject of discussion among historians and scientists [1, 2]. The region near the Prayagraj Sangam, where the Ganga and Yamuna meet, has long been associated with ancient hydrological shifts and cultural narratives [2].
The identification of such a large-scale buried system suggests that the hydrology of the Indo-Gangetic plain has undergone drastic changes over millennia [1, 2]. The CSIR-NGRI findings offer a new data point for those studying the paleoclimate and the migration of river systems in South Asia [1].
“The buried river system extends for nearly 200 kilometers.”
The discovery of a 200-kilometer paleo-river provides a scientific basis for understanding the prehistoric landscape of Northern India. By mapping these buried channels, researchers can better reconstruct how climate change and tectonic shifts altered water availability, which in turn influenced the settlement patterns of ancient civilizations in the region.
