Centre reconstitutes advisory committee for studying Sarasvati River

Description

Context: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) issued a notification for reconstitution of the Advisory Committee for the Multidisciplinary Study of the River Sarasvati. The ASI had first set up the committee on December 28, 2017 for a period of two years.

Details:

The committee would continue to be chaired by the Culture Minister and include officials from the Culture, Tourism, Water Resources, Environment and Forest, Housing and Urban Affairs Ministries; representatives of the Indian Space Research Organisation; officials from the governments of Gujarat, Haryana and Rajasthan; and an ASI official.
The committee would review the work done by the previous panel and then formulate a plan. The committee would advise the Government Departments conducting research.

Archaeological Survey of India:

The Archaeological Survey of India is an Indian government agency attached to the Ministry of Culture that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural monuments in the country.
It was founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham who also became its first Director-General.
The Archaeological Survey of India is an attached office of the Ministry of Culture.
The ASI administers more than 3650 ancient monuments, archaeological sites and remains of national importance.

Sarasvati River:

The Sarasvati River is a deified river mentioned in the Rig Veda and later Vedic and post-Vedic texts.
This 4,925 kilometres (3,060 mi) long river played an important role in the Vedic religion, appearing in all but the fourth book of the Rigveda.
As a physical river, it is described as a small river ending in a terminal lake (samudra).
As the goddess Sarasvati, the main referent for the term "Sarasvati" which developed into an independent identity in post-Vedic times, she is described as a powerful river and mighty flood.