An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c31.617

v2.c31.617

**Dṛṣadvatī valley**, the valley of the present-day Chautang or Chitang, rising in the submontane regions of Dt Ambala, with the Patharalanadi perhaps anciently forming its upper course, the name itself of the latter suggesting its identity with the Dṛṣadvatī (‘full of stones’). The Chautang runs to the s.-e. of the SARASVATĪ (the intervening doab being known as Brahmāvarta in historical times, *Manusmṛti*, 2-17), and passes by Kapalmochan, Balchappar and Mustafabad. Its channel can be further traced w.wards along Ladwa (29°59′; 77°5′) in Dt Kurukshetra, Pujam, Nisang and ASANDH in Dt Karnal, Jind (29°19′; 76°23′) in Dt Jind and RAKHI GARHI (29°17′; 76°7′), Hansi (29°6′; 76°0′), Hissar (29°10′; 75°46′) and SISWAL (29°10′; 75°30′) in Dt Hissar. In Rajasthan its dried-up bed is marked between sand-dunes and can be traced along BHADRA (29°15′; 75°30′), SOTHI, NOHAR, RAWATSAR, etc., till it joins the Ghaggar (ancient Sarasvati) about 5 km n. of Suratgarh (29°19′; 73°57′) in Dt Ganganagar. The archaeological potentiality of the Dṛṣadvatī valley was first demonstrated by Ghosh, 1952, in his explorations of its lower dried-up course in Dt Ganganagar during the early fifties which revealed the existence of the SOTHI KALIBANGAN I [11.2] and the Harappa [11.3] ceramic complexes, their stratigraphic relationship being established by the excavation at KALIBANGAN.