The Pleistocene-era reorganisation of the Indian subcontinent's river systems — particularly the hypothesised linkages between the Yamuna, Sutlej, and the Saraswati — carries profound implications for understanding regional geomorphology, biodiversity, and even early human settlement patterns.
The presence of the same species of freshwater dolphin (Platanista) in both the Indus and Ganga river systems is a compelling biogeographic indicator. Shared fauna across presently separated drainage basins strongly suggests past hydrological connectivity, as such species cannot migrate overland. This biological evidence directly supports the assertion of ancient river capture or course diversion.
The Nadi-Sukta hymn in the Rigveda lists rivers in a geographic sequence that places the Yamuna alongside rivers of the northwestern (Indus) system. Scholars interpret this as a cultural memory of a period when these rivers were hydrologically connected, lending indirect textual support to the palaeo-hydrological hypothesis.
Geological and geomorphological surveys of the Sutlej and Yamuna valleys have identified wind gaps, abandoned channels, and alluvial terraces consistent with river capture events. These landform signatures indicate that one or both rivers once followed substantially different courses, corroborating the Pleistocene diversion hypothesis.
Robert Bruce Foote, a pioneering geologist with the Geological Survey of India, conducted fieldwork across peninsular and northern India. However, his documented contributions focused primarily on Palaeolithic archaeology rather than systematic exploration of the Sutlej-Yamuna drainage divide, making this option the weakest evidentiary basis among those listed.
Palaeo-hydrological reconstruction relies on converging evidence — biological, textual, and geomorphological. Distinguishing robust scientific evidence from speculative or misattributed sources remains essential for accurate understanding of India's ancient drainage evolution.
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