The Lost River explores the geography, history, and mythology, of the Sarasvati river, drawing from various sources like folklore, the Vedas, archaeology, local practices, history, geology, and meteorology. The book explains that the river, its very existence, and its course have been discussed and speculated over for years. The magnificence of the Sarasvati has been detailed in scriptures like the Rig Veda. Historians and archaeologists could not understand how it mysteriously ceased to exist. Some of the even deem the river a myth.
This book attempts the deduce facts from fable and makes a strong case for the existence of the river. It goes over the upheavals that the Indian subcontinent went through thousands of years ago, explaining the dry weather, erosion, and tectonic events that changed the terrain, altered river courses, and may have made the Sarasvati disappear. The book then chronicles explorations into the river started, which began around the early nineteenth century, when it was rediscovered by British officials doing topographic explorations.
The book also explains the culture around that time, shedding light on the Indus valley civilisation and the rich and flourishing culture of Harappa. The book goes on the show the results of explorations into the river’s origins and course using modern technology like satellite imagery and isotope analysis. The author has also used his proof of the existence of the river to bolster his theory that Aryans were indigenous to India and not foreign invaders.
The Lost River was published in 2010 by Penguin India and is available in paperback.
Key Features:
- The book presents evidence for the existence and information about the course and demise of the Sarasvati from various fields of investigation.
- It contains an extensive appendix with further information and a vast number of footnotes.
Product Details
- Paperback: 368 pages
- Publisher: Penguin India (12 March 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 9780143068648
- ISBN-13: 978-0143068648
- ASIN: 0143068644
- Product Dimensions: 13.9 x 2.7 x 21.6 cm
About the Author
Michel Danino was born in France and decided to live in India at the age of 21. He wrote The Invasion That Never Was, a brief study of the Aryan problem in the Indian context. He is a student of Indian culture, history, and civilisation, and has worked for the protection of the Shola forests in the Nilgiris.
Review
Found it a most enlightening read. The way Michel Danino traces the 'lost' river's history through our ancient texts, early observations, local lore, excavations, satellite imagery, carbon dating and other modern techniques et. al. is very intriguing to say the least. Also the picture he paints of the Harappan way of life from precise ratios to civic infrastructure to dancing artifacts to the humble red 'paint/teeka' used even today is fascinating. I don't think any history book I studied in my schooling comes even remotely close. Further, for me atleast, this book busts the myth of the Aryan Invasion theory as the author claims in his other work 'Indian Culture and Indias future'. It rebuts some cogent opposing remarks raised by other indologists quite convincingly. I would like to thank Michel Danino for providing a engaging, romantic and comprehensive outline of the first Indian Civilization, which I might add is alive even today in little but manifold ways. I feel much better as an Indian after reading it. Sarasvati, the mythical 'mighty river that flows from the mountains to the sea', and immortalized in the Vedas along with Ganga and Yamuna is now as real as the heritage of the Civilization it supported! --Anish Mangal Dec 25, 2011
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