09-27-2007, 05:58 PM
Saraswathi Civilization:
I read through the thread and most of the links, including Sri.Kalyanaraman's website which is exhaustive. The speech by Sri Shivaji Singh was educational too. Mind you I am quite new to the Saraswathi Civilization discussion and a lot of below may be due to that (in which case just ignore it and I'll catch up). But I'd like crystalize what I am seeing and some questions.
1. What exactly is the controversy? Are there people denying that River Saraswathi existed or that there was a significant civilization that thrived along its course?
If so why wouldn't they believe the overwhelming evidence, viz. a) the satellite images b) the innumerable references and descriptions in the scripts and literature, c) the expedition and associated photographs, d) the periodic element analysis of the Pokharan samples.
2. Who exactly has a vested interest in denying that Saraswathi once so existed? I am getting the impression (please don't go 'that's right Einsten' now) this somehow works against the Aryan invasion theory - is that correct? If so how exactly does it debunk? Just because Vedas refer to Saraswathi how does it debunk AIT? (Or is there a incompatible timeline in which case yes)
3. Finally, is my understanding of the chronology of the knowledge about Saraswathi correct - that is, we only know since the 1980's about the preponderance of evidence? In that case why exactly would any Indian oppose giving up the old theory?
4. If the govt is not pushing deep and urgent research it is unconscionable. But then how come prior govts or private orgs (and universities) haven't done their bit in scale? Seems to me this is just the sort of thing that would rejuvenate even cynical population. And there are so many PhDs to be made, discoveries to be published - just look at the number excavations in Egypt over so many decades!
I read through the thread and most of the links, including Sri.Kalyanaraman's website which is exhaustive. The speech by Sri Shivaji Singh was educational too. Mind you I am quite new to the Saraswathi Civilization discussion and a lot of below may be due to that (in which case just ignore it and I'll catch up). But I'd like crystalize what I am seeing and some questions.
1. What exactly is the controversy? Are there people denying that River Saraswathi existed or that there was a significant civilization that thrived along its course?
If so why wouldn't they believe the overwhelming evidence, viz. a) the satellite images b) the innumerable references and descriptions in the scripts and literature, c) the expedition and associated photographs, d) the periodic element analysis of the Pokharan samples.
2. Who exactly has a vested interest in denying that Saraswathi once so existed? I am getting the impression (please don't go 'that's right Einsten' now) this somehow works against the Aryan invasion theory - is that correct? If so how exactly does it debunk? Just because Vedas refer to Saraswathi how does it debunk AIT? (Or is there a incompatible timeline in which case yes)
3. Finally, is my understanding of the chronology of the knowledge about Saraswathi correct - that is, we only know since the 1980's about the preponderance of evidence? In that case why exactly would any Indian oppose giving up the old theory?
4. If the govt is not pushing deep and urgent research it is unconscionable. But then how come prior govts or private orgs (and universities) haven't done their bit in scale? Seems to me this is just the sort of thing that would rejuvenate even cynical population. And there are so many PhDs to be made, discoveries to be published - just look at the number excavations in Egypt over so many decades!