Once Upon a Time There Was an Old Old Culture

A GREAT ANCIENT CIVILISATION

When the ancient cities of Harappa, Mohenjo Daro and Lothar were discovered, they were believed to be the heartland of the great so-called Indus Valley culture.
A recent count showed that as many as 1 400 Indus sites had already been found. Of these, 918 were in India, 481 in Pakistan and one in Afghanistan.

Later discoveries have shown that this civilisation was, in fact, merely the last stronghold of an even greater civilisation which had begun some 4 000 years earlier. At its peak, this previous culture encompassed a staggering area of 1,5 million square kilometres.

An important part of its history was the "disappearance" of the great and sacred Saraswati river, described in the epic Rig Veda. Investigations indicate that the present dry and silted bed of the Chaggar-Hakra river may have been originally that of the mighty Saraswati river.
In fact, the Vedas, which are Aryan oral legends, were probably composed on the banks of this legendary river.

In later Vedic scripts, however, the river was being described as a mere shadow of its former self. Evidence now available, supports this phenomenon.
Between 3 000 and 1 500 BC, there were more than 1 200 settlements along this river's banks but, by about 325 BC, it had already ceased to flow. It is believed that this failure was caused by underground plate movements for which the State of Gujarat is infamous, even today.

These eruptions probably caused the Saraswati river to flow into the earth and continue on its way to the Rann of Kutch underground below the surface of the earth.
The writings discovered in Harappa were found to be somewhat similar to the writings found in two submerged cities that once flourished long ago. They now lie about 40 metres below the surface of the Indian Ocean in the Gulf of Kambai. They are thought to have been already in existence an incredible 9 500 years ago.

The ancient Vedic texts, which lie at the heart of Hindu philosophy, and also the writings of Plato, refer to a "mythical acropolis" that sank below the sea some time after the last Ice Age. This ancient maritime nation was therefore far older than that of the well researched Sumerian culture. In fact, it is believed that Sumeria, Phoenicia, the ancient Sheba and Abyssinia were once colonised by this earlier people.

Due to the melting of gigantic glaciers, great climatic changes and massive movements of large tectonic plates, these two colossal cities sank below the level of the ocean at some time between 6 900 and 7 700 BC.

Present underwater investigations in the Gulf of Kambai, in the State of Gujarat, show clearly the neatly laid out streets of these cities. The buildings had been built with stone blocks or bricks of baked clay. The cities had effective water supply systems. Also clearly visible is a large dam wall which is about 600 metres long.

These ancient people had mastered the arts of writing, weighing and measuring and manufacturing as well as various forms of art many thousands of years ago.
It is interesting to note that the ancient methods of making ornaments from shells are still being practised today.

Several of the items recovered from the bed of the ocean, are of direct interest to this story. Research workers have discovered several ceramic jars with tight fitting lids. They have also found statuettes showing dancers in various postures. These stances are remarkably similar to those used in Indian classical dancing today and even in the more modern Bollywood dance scenes.

As more and more ancient secrets are now recovered from the ocean bed, questions arise. What amazing additional knowledge will yet be discovered? How useful will this knowledge be to our present day people?

It is believed that the Sumerians, enhanced their mental qualities such as vision, imagination and the practical application of ideas and concepts, by the intake of natural forms of serotonin and melathonin. Many ascribe their phenomenally advanced state of civilisation to products such as these.

Modern science has recognised that the presence of serotonin, a vital neurotransmitter in the brain, has the ability to keep one in a happy and productive frame of mind. Serotonin is made from the amino acid tryptohan, which is a mood lifting amino acid that is contained in protein foods. Vitamin B6 is also involved in the synthesis of serotonin. Its intake is today recommended for the lifting of mild depression and adopting a positive attitude.
Did the people living in those two sunken cities, and later in Harappa, Mohenjo Daro and Lothar, perhaps also have access to such naturally produced stimulants? Did they perhaps eat the fruit taken from a wonder tree?

NOTE:The historical data in the above is based on the article "9 000 Year Old Cities Beneath the Gulf of Cambay" by Ramtanu Maitra which appeared in 21st Century Science & Technology Vol. 15 No 3 Fall 2002.

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