NEW DELHI: Government has launched an effort to unravel the mystery behind the ancient Saraswati river, which found its references in 'vedic' texts.

Though efforts had been made in the past by geologists and scientific community both during British period as well as in independent India, the river remained a mystery so much so that its mention in the ancient texts has invariably been termed as mythological reference.

"There are enough scientific evidences on the presence of the river Saraswati in some parts of the country through which it flowed about five to six thousand years ago...Saraswati is not a myth", said the Union water resources and river development minister Uma Bharti on Tuesday.

Responding to a calling attention motion in Lok Sabha, Bharti said her government was taking up the issue very seriously "to trace the route of the river".




She also informed the lower House that the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) of her ministry has been directed "to test the water of a well located inside the Allahabad fort" in order to trace the source and route of the river, which is now extinct.

The motion was moved in the House by BJP member Ratan Lal Kataria who wanted the government to set up 'Saraswati Research Institute' for the "revival" of the river. He reminded the House of a promise made by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi who, he claimed, during an election campaign in Kurkshetra vowed to bring the water stream of the river Saraswati on the ground surface.

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Stating that a lot of research has been done on the river, particularly in Gujarat, Bharti said there were several rivers named Saraswati which emanated from the Himalayas, including one which mingled with the Triveni in Allahabad, another with Mandakini and the third with Alaknanda river.

She said there was also a river with the same name that passed through Haryana to Rajasthan and Gujarat.