River and flood: Coexistence is difficult without knowing...

The development of human civilization took place with the development of agricultural methods, which flourished around water sources. In a way, river valleys and flood plains have been the centers of human civilization and witnesses of civilizational upheaval. River water and the vast flood area have been the basic natural resources of civilized man and have been very essential for human life. Availability of water throughout the year, fertile soil, availability of fertile soil due to annual floods etc. were the reasons why primitive man chose river valleys for his residence. The spread of ancient civilization from the Indus Valley to the nile River Valley confirms the importance of rivers and flood plains.

The same thing comes out from the scientific understanding of rivers and floods. According to a recent study, although floodplains are only 2% of the total area of the earth, their importance is much more than any other natural resource, in a human context, about one-fourth of the total ecological benefit comes from rivers and floodplains.

Traditional understanding of rivers and floods

Traditional understanding about rivers and floods continued uninterrupted till recent modern developments and human civilization at the global level around rivers continued to prosper according to the nature and environment of the river. In india, rivers have not only been important resources but have also received the status of mother, have been worshipped and have become a part of folk culture. In india, in the light of river and rain based irrigation, agricultural land has been divided as 'Nadi Matrik' and 'Dev Matrik' respectively. 

Punjab itself was named 'Sapt-Sindhu'. The regions between Ganga-Yamuna were called Antarvedi (Do-Aab). Instead of taking the name of Vindhyachal or Satpura, which divided india into two parts like 'Hindustan' and 'Dakkhan', people have a practice of saying 'Godavarya: Dakshine Teere' or 'Revaaya: Uttar Teere' while making Sankalp. While giving the king the throne, the subjects used to bring water from four seas and seven rivers and anoint him with it, only then they used to accept that the king was now entitled to rule. The 'Nadi Sukta' of the tenth Mandal of Rigveda is a song of the glory of our rivers. While worshipping god daily, all of us Indians definitely pray to all the rivers to come and sit in our small urns.