Saraswati River symbol of India’s cultural unity: Saini

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday said that the sacred Saraswati River is a powerful symbol of India’s cultural unity, linking not just Haryana but the entire nation through a shared civilisational heritage.

Emphasising the state government’s commitment to reviving the ancient river, he said efforts are underway to interlink rivers, construct Saraswati reservoirs and water bodies, and develop key pilgrimage sites associated with the river as dedicated “Saraswati Teerths.”

The Chief Minister was addressing the closing ceremony of Saraswati Mahotsav 2026, organised by the Haryana Sarasvati Heritage Development Board on the occasion of Basant Panchami at the Pehowa Saraswati Teerth in Kurukshetra district.

Earlier in the day, Saini inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 26 projects related to the revival of the Saraswati River, involving a total investment of Rs 63.86 crore. Of these, 16 projects worth Rs 27.59 crore were inaugurated, while foundation stones were laid for 10 projects costing Rs 36.27 crore. He also laid the foundation stone of a master plan aimed at the comprehensive development of the Saraswati Teerth.

After offering prayers at the Maa Saraswati Temple, the Chief Minister paid floral tributes to Maa Saraswati, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Deenbandhu Sir Chhotu Ram. Extending greetings to the people of the state on Basant Panchami, Netaji’s Parakram Diwas and the birth anniversary of Deenbandhu Sir Chhotu Ram, he recalled that Kurukshetra district came into existence in its present form on January 23, 1973, after being carved out of Karnal district. He added that the district is now witnessing development at three times the earlier pace.

Saini described the Saraswati Mahotsav as a celebration of India’s ancient civilisation and cultural consciousness, aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of restoring national pride. He noted that even during his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister, Modi had taken steps to revive the Saraswati by linking it with the Narmada and Sabarmati rivers. Inspired by that vision, Haryana is undertaking river interlinking and reservoir development to restore the Saraswati’s flow.

The Chief Minister said the state is working with over 75 reputed institutions, including ISRO, GSI, ONGC, BARC and the Central Ground Water Board. Scientific studies, he said, have established that the Saraswati is not a mythical river, with ancient channels traced from Adi Badri to the Rann of Kutch and groundwater dating back 5,000 to 14,000 years.