Author: Parag Dave
Publication: The Indian
Express
Date: November 17, 2000
Imagine a Saurashtra
that is green everywhere, where there are large sweet water bodies and
rivers flow, where there in range of flora and fauna that can rival of
other part of the country and an average rainfall much higher than what
it is today.
This is no dream.
It is a picture of Saurashtra as it was 5,000 years ago, say noted archaeologists
who have been working in the region for the last 50 years.
The irony is that now
Saurashtra is one of the worst drought-affected regions of the country.
The topography has changed to a barren arid land, with hardly any noticeable
green cover, rivers in the region are dry even in the monsoon, sweet water
bodies have almost disappeared and the average rainfall has decreased considerably.
The reason for this is
improper water management and climatic changes, say archaeologists Suba
Rao, S R Rao, P P Pandya and Y M Chitalwala, who have worked in Saurashtra.
Suba Rao from MS University,
Vadodara, worked in the region from 1950 to 1962, S R Rao, who was with
ASI, worked here from 1965 to 1975 and P P Pandya, who was with the State
Archaeological Department, worked before 1965. This picture of Saurashtra
is based on their combined research and extensive excavations in the region.
The archaeologists have
excavated around 250 different sites in Saurashtra in the last 50 years,
including the sites of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
Head of Rajkot Circle
of Sate Archaeology Department Y M Chitalwala said that though Saurashtra
was not as green as Assam, it had a thick forest cover some 3,500 years
to 5,000 years ago and the average rainfall was much more than what is
recorded now.
Excavations reveal that
the present Gir jungle extended up to Barda Dungar, which is in Porbandar
district, and stretches of green cover were there throughout the region.
Bones of animals like rhinos were found during excavation in Bhavnagar
district and it has been recorded that rhinos existed till 500 years ago.
Many other wild species found in different jungles of India were also present
in the region.
The report said around
20 Harappan sites like Lothal, Khanpur near Morbi, and Kuntasi, excavated
in the region revealed that water was in plenty at that time and cultivation
flourished in a planned way. The cropping pattern was based on the
Rabi and Kharif system and the main crop was bajra.
The excavations also
revealed that almost all ancient sites were located on large bodies of
sweet water such as lakes, either natural or built by the Harappans.
These do not exist now.
Excavation of sites of
the third to second century BC- the time of the Maurya rule almost all
over north India - revealed that irrigation networks and water harvesting
were the order of the day. Big lakes like Sudarshan were built during
that time and small village hamlets survived through water management.
The tables turned for
water management in the region during the medieval period. Chitalwala
said in the medieval period, Saurashtra was ruled by many small kings.
