Journal of Geological Society of India (Online archive from Vol 1 to Vol 78)

Kamal Kant Sharma ¹, Ritesh Purohit ¹, R. N. Iyengar ², B. P. Radhakrishna ²

Affiliations
1 Government Post-Graduate College, Sirohi-307001, Rajasthan, IN
2 Bangalore, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

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R. N. Iyengar ¹, B. P. Radhakrishna ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Clvil Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore - 560 012, IN
2 Geologrcal Society of India, Bangalore - 560 019, IN

Abstract

Vedic literature refers to a place or region by name Irina. In the Rgveda it appears as a Iocale trequented by a particular wild animal for drinking water. But with the passage of time, in the Yajurveda texts, the word acquiles a negative meaning as a desert or a place devoid of water Gradually. In the natualistic Vedic texts Irina gets more and more associated with disaster misfortune. The physical features associated within Irina, as described metaphorically in the Vedic texts, ale analysed to identify its probable location. It is possible the word Irina iS the progenitor of the Greek name (gulf of) Ecrirnon of Periplus which is presently designated as the Ran-of-Kutch. During the Rgveda period Irina was in all probability, situated a little north of the Ran-of-Kutch. Available data indicates its location in the Luni- Jawal plains west of the Aravallis, In Rajasthan. The small town Erinpura (25° 5' N, 73°3' E) appears to retain memories or the Vedic Irina.

Keywords

Indian Pre-History, Vedic Literature, Aravallis, Ran-of-kutch, Southern Rajasthan.

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R. N. Iyengar ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore - 560 012, IN

Abstract

A brief review of the ancient prose text of Parasara, referring to comets, as transmitted by later non religious Sanskrit literature is presented. The information passed on appears to belong to 2^nd millennium BC or earlier. A sequence of 26 Comets with names and purported effects are given. The form of each comet sometimes with its position in the sky is presented vividly. A year number, mentioned as the time interval between each appearance, is also given. The total period covered adds to about 1300 years. The first comet is said to have appeared in the era of the Floods. This would date the Floods to about 2500 2700 BC. Whether this has any historical importance needs to be further investigated. The names of many comets correspond with names of Vedic deities. This raises the possibility of comet sightings being alluded to in the Rig Veda.

Keywords

Comets, Flood, Disasters, Anomalous pheromena, Sanskrit Literature, Ancient India.

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R. N. Iyengar ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

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R. N. Iyengar ¹, B. P. Radhakrishna ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Civil Engineering, Indian lnstitute of Science, Bangalore - 560 01 2, IN
2 Geological Society of India, Bangalore - 560 019, IN

Abstract

A description of Dwaraka and its environs, its growth and final destruction as narrated in the ancient classics of Mahabharatha, Hari-Vamsa, Skanda Purana and visnu Purana is presented and it is shown that the Dwaraka built by Krsna could not be the Dwaraka located at the western tip of Saurashtra Geological evidence shows (1) that the coastline of India is a rifted margin with present day Saurashtra, Kachchh, Pacham, Wagir Bela and other isolated masses occurring as islands off the rifted western margin, (2) the greater part of Saurashtra formed an island of explosive volcanic activity not directly connected with the Deccan trap of the mainland, (3) the existence of the Cambay basin, a long linear sedimentary basin, more than 500 km long with an average width of 50 km and maximum depth of 7 km linked the basin with the Gulfs of Cambay and Kachchh maintaining marine connection from early Cretaceous to late Pleistocene and early Holocene (5000 years ago), (4) filling up of the basin with enormous amount of alluvium brought by the rivers Saraswati, Luni, Sabarmati and others - are presented as evidences lending support to the view that the present day Dwaraka, isolated and far removed from Mathura could not be the original Dwaraka(Ur-Dwaraka) of Krsna Ur-Dwaraka was nearer to Mathura and could be reached via Pushkara (near Ajmer) and Mt Abu and in all probability was located on the eastern margin of the Cambay basin. The city either was drowned or washed away by the sea around 1400 BC West coast of Gujarat lies at the junction of the African, Asian and Indian plates and is riddled with many active faults and has been an active seismic zone. Authors make a strong plea for a multidisciplinary study by a group consisting of oceanographers, geologists, geophysicists, sedimentologists, engineers and meteorologists to make an intensive study of the region and elucidate the history of development of this terrain and incidentally solve the problem of the location of Ur-Dwaraka.

Keywords

Western Coastline of India, Indian Pre-History, Cambay Basin, Impact Model, Dwaraka.

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V. S. Krishnaswamy ¹, R. N. Iyengar ², B. P. Radhakrishna ³

Affiliations
1 409, S. Lexington Avenue, White Plains, NY - 10606, US
2 Department of Civil Engineering, IISc, Bangalore - 560 0 12, IN
3 Geological Society of India, Bangalore - 560 0 19, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

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R. N. Iyengar ¹

Affiliations
1 Dept of Civil Engineering Indian Institute of Science Bangalore - 560 012, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

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R. N. Iyengar ¹

Affiliations
1 Centre of Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012, IN

Abstract

Brhat-samhita of Varaha-mihira(5^th-6^th century AD) provides valuable infomation on the approach in ancient India towards monsoon rainfall, includng its measurement and forecasting In this context, we come across a description of the expected amount of total seasonal rainfall depening on the first ram under the 27 naksatras of Inchan astronomy Ths provides a rough statistical picture of what might have been the rainfall and its variability in the region around Ujjain, where Varaha-mihira lived The coefficient of variation of the model, described by him, is 37% Thus value is close to the present-day climatic variability of station-level monsoon rainfall in and around Ujjain Madhya Pradesh.

Keywords

Monsoon, Rainfall variability, Brhat-Samhita, Varaha-Mihira, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.

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V. S. Krishnaswamy ¹, R. N. Iyengar ²

Affiliations
1 409, South Lexington Avenue, White Plains, New York - 10606, IN
2 Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore - 560 012, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

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