Incredible India campaign plans to add Saraswati Circuit to its bouquet

The Ministry of Tourism is planning to add a new feather in the cap of Incredible India. As the prime archeological sites of Indus Valley Civilisation – Harappa and Mohenjo-daro – are in Pakistan, the government is planning to constitute 'Saraswati Circuit' on the lines of 'Buddha Circuit' to highlight the civilisations that existed in India before the Harappa age.

The tourism ministry aims to attract foreign tourists who prefer Pakistan over Indian in their quest to discover ancient culture in Indian sub-continent.

"There are several sites in India which have distinctive cultural variations from Harappan age civilisation. The age of Harappan civilisation dates back to maximum 3,300 BC while several archeological sites in the valley of now extinct Saraswati River dates back to 7,000 BC. These archeological sites have great potential as tourist sites," said Dr Ramendra Singh, Member, Krishna Circuit of Incredible India.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism is working in collaboration with Haryana Government for 'Saraswati Circuit'.

"There are two major tourist sites in Haryana on the bank of Saraswati River where water is already available. They are Addibadri in district Bilaspur and Pehowas in Kurukshetra district where tourists come regularly," said Singh who is also a member in Saraswati Heritage Board, Government of Haryana.

He further informed that most recently fresh river water was found only at three feet depth during digging of a canal at Mugalawali in Yamuna Nagar district and the site is now being developed into a tourist place.

The Ministry of Tourism has also planned Saraswati Museum in Yamuna Nagar district at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore.

The National Museum has been assigned the task to find out distinguishing features of Saraswati Culture which differentiated it from Indus Valley culture.

The Museum, according to sources, has been assigned to take up archeological excavation of Kunal in Haryana's Fatehabad district.

A Saraswati Mahotsav is also being organised from January 28 to February 1 in Haryana. Presently, there are 15 tourist circuits in the country under Incredible India.