TALK "Role of Sea Level Fluctuations in Shaping the Destiny of Ancient Towns along the Indian Coastline" by Dr. Rajiv Nigam at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), 11, Mansingh Road > 5pm on 10th May 2016

Time : 5:00 pm Add to Calendar 10/05/2016 17:00 10/05/2016 18:30 Asia/Kolkata TALK "Role of Sea Level Fluctuations in Shaping the Destiny of Ancient Towns along the Indian Coastline" by Dr. Rajiv Nigam Event Page : http://www.delhievents.com/2016/05/talk-role-of-sea-level-fluctuations-in.html Lecture Room, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), 11, Mansingh Road, New Delhi - 110001 DD/MM/YYYY

Entry : Free (Seating on First-Come First-Served Basis)

Venue : Lecture Room, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), 11, Mansingh Road, New Delhi - 110001
Venue Info : Events | About | Map
Metro : Nearest Metro Station - 'Central Sectt.' (Yellow Line and Violet Line)
Landmark : Entry Gate of IGNCA from Mansingh Road is opposite Raksha Bhavan

Event Description : TALK "Role of Sea Level Fluctuations in Shaping the Destiny of Ancient Towns along the Indian Coastline" by Dr. Rajiv Nigam, Senior Scientist, NIO, Goa as part of 'Project Mausam' Series.

It is important to understand sea level fluctuations in the past to assess accurately
the magnitude of suspected future rise in sea level due to global warming. In order to
obtained knowledge of about past changes in relative sea levels, two fold strategy should
be followed, i.e. (i) when sea level higher than today (for such records, coastal areas may
be explored for erosion or depositional features), and (ii) when sea levels lower than
today (for such records, sea bottom sediments may be explored for shoreline movements
or depth variations). Based on informations derived by following the above approach, we
produced the updated curve for late Pleistocene-Holocene sea level fluctuations. We have
succeeded in demonstrating that, as compared to present, sea level was lower by ~100 m
about 14,500 years BP, and ~60 m about 10,000 years BP. During the last 10,000 years,
three major episodes of sea level fluctuations were also reported. Similarly, there are

evidences that sea level was higher than present ~6000 years before present. 

With the help of sea level curve and foraminiferal ( exclusively marine
microfossils) occurrence it was conclusively proved that the rectangular structure at
Lothal (a Harappan Settlement, near Ahmadabad) was a dockyard (first Naval dock yard
of the world as claimed by archaeologists) and not a fresh water storage tank. Recently,
with the help of this sea level curve, we have explained the discovery of Neolithic
settlements (at 30-40 m water depth) in Gulf of Khambhat - the oldest civilization site
known to man particularly in Indian subcontinent. Similarly this sea level curve also
explain the possibility of Ram Setu due to lower sea level ~7100 BP (The time of Lord
Ram’s birth assigned by group of researchers through star position of birth time and
Planetarium soft ware).
The above examples clearly indicate that sea level fluctuations played an
important role in shaping the destiny of ancient cities in coastal areas. The understanding 
developed, about the signatures of the past sea levels helped to demonstrate that it is in
public interest to respect implementation of coastal zone management plans of the
country. At the same time mangroves and other coastal vegetations and sand dunes should be preserved as natural barrier against the ferries of the nature.


Related Links : Talks | History