Brahmaputra River

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Map of the Brahmaputra

A view across the Brahmaputra near Sukleswar Ghat, Guwahati, Assam, India.

Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet.

The Brahmaputra,[1] also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra, is a trans-boundary river and one of the
major rivers of Asia.

From its origin in southwestern Tibet as the Yarlung Tsangpo River, it flows across southern
Tibet to break through the Himalayas in great gorges and into Arunachal Pradesh (India) where it
is known as Dihang.[2] It flows southwest through the Assam Valley as Brahmaputra and south
through Bangladesh as the Jamuna (not to be mistaken with Yamuna of India). There it merges
with the Ganges to form a vast delta, the Sunderbans. About 1,800 miles (2,900 km) long, the
river is an important source for irrigation and transportation. Its upper course was long unknown,
and its identity with the Yarlung Tsangpo was only established by exploration in 1884-86. This
river is often called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra river. The average depth of river is 124 feet (38 m)
and maximum depth is 380 feet (120 m). In Bangladesh the river merges with the Ganges and
splits into two: the Padma and Meghna River. While most rivers on the Indian subcontinent have
female names, this river has a rare male name, as it means "son of Brahma" in Sanskrit (putra
means "son").

The Brahmaputra is navigable for most of its length. The lower part reaches are sacred to
Hindus. The river is prone to catastrophic flooding in spring when the Himalayan snows melt. It
is also one of the few rivers in the world that exhibit a tidal bore.

River course
[] Tibet

The Yarlung Tsangpo originates in the Jima Yangzong glacier[3] near Mount Kailash in the
northern Himalayas. It then flows east for about 1,700 kilometres (1,100 mi), at an average
height of 4,000 metres (13,000 ft), and is thus the highest of the major rivers in the world. In
Tibet, the Tsangpo follows is the suture line between the Eurasian plate and the Indian
subcontinent. At its easternmost point, it bends around Mt. Namcha Barwa, and forms the
Yarlung Tsangpo Canyon which is considered the deepest in the world.[4]

[edit] Assam and adjoining region

Map showing part of its course and tributaries in northeastern India and Bangladesh

As the river enters Arunachal Pradesh, it is called Siang and makes a very rapid descent from its
original height in Tibet, and finally appears in the plains, where it is called Dihang. It flows for
about 35 kilometres (22 mi) and is joined by two other major rivers: Dibang and Lohit. From this
point of confluence, the river becomes very wide and is called Brahmaputra. It is joined in
Sonitpur District by the Jia Bhoreli (named the Kameng River where it flows from Arunachal
Pradesh) and flows through the entire state of Assam. In Assam the river is sometimes as wide as
10 kilometres (6.2 mi). Between Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur districts the river divides into two
channels---the northern Kherkutia channel and the southern Brahmaputra channel. The two
channels join again about 100 kilometres (62 mi) downstream forming the Majuli island. At
Guwahati near the ancient pilgrimage center of Hajo, the Brahmaputra cuts through the rocks of
the Shillong Plateau, and is at its narrowest at 1 kilometre (1,100 yd) bank-to-bank. Because the
Brahmaputra is the narrowest at this point the Battle of Saraighat was fought here. The first rail-
cum-road bridge across the Brahmaputra was opened to traffic in April 1962 at Saraighat.

The environment of the Brahmaputra floodplains in Assam have been described as the
Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests ecoregion. When compared to the other major rivers
in India, the Brahmaputra is less polluted but it has its own problems: petroleum refining units
contribute most of the industrial pollution load into the basin along with other medium and small
industries. The main problem facing the river basin is that of constant flooding. Floods have been
occurring more often in recent years with deforestation, and other human activities being the
major causes.
[edit] Bangladesh

A Map showing major rivers in Bangladesh including both branches of Brahmaputra - Jamuna
and lower Brahmaputra.

Brahmaputra river seen from a Spot satellite

In Bangladesh, the Brahmaputra splits into two branches: the much larger branch continues due
south as the Jamuna (Jomuna) and flows into the Lower Ganges, locally called Padma (Pôdda),
while the older branch curves southeast as the lower Brahmaputra (Bromhoputro) and flows into
the Meghna. Both paths eventually reconverge near Chandpur in Bangladesh and flow out into
the Bay of Bengal. However, Before 250 years ago it was the actual Brahmaputra river in
Bangladesh passes through the Jamalpur and Mymensingh district,a serious earthquake led its in
present flow. Fed by the waters of the Ganges and Brahmaputra, this river system forms the
Ganges Delta, the largest river delta in the world[citation needed].
[edit] Flooding
During the monsoon season (June-October), floods are a common occurrence. Deforestation in
the Brahmaputra watershed has resulted in increased siltation levels, flash floods, and soil
erosion in critical downstream habitat, such as the Kaziranga National Park in middle Assam.
Occasionally, massive flooding causes huge losses to crops, life and property. Periodic flooding
is a natural phenomenon which is ecologically important because it helps maintain the lowland
grasslands and associated wildlife. Periodic floods also deposit fresh alluvium replenishing the
fertile soil of the Brahmaputra River Valley. Thus flooding, agriculture, and agricultural
practices are closely connected.[5][6][7]

[edit] Transportation and navigation

Until Indian independence in 1947, the Brahmaputra was used as a major waterway. In the
1990s, the stretch between Sadiya and Dhubri in India was declared as National Waterway No.2.,
and it provides facilities for goods transportation. Recent years have seen a modest spurt in the
growth of river cruises with the introduction of the cruise ship, "Charaidew," by Assam Bengal
Navigation.

[edit] Cooperation on the Brahmaputra

The waters of the River Brahmaputra are shared by China, India and Bangladesh. In the 1990s
and 2000s, there was repeated speculation about China building a dam at the Great Bend, with a
view to divert the waters to the North of the country. This was denied by the Chinese
government for many years[8]. At the Kathmandu Workshop of Strategic Foresight Group in
August 2009 on Water Security in the Himalayan Region, which on a rare occasion brought
together leading hydrologists from the Basin countries, the Chinese scientists argued that it was
not feasible for China to undertake such a diversion.[9] However on 22 April 2010, China
confirmed that it was indeed building the Zangmu Dam on the Brahmaputra.[8], but assured India
that the project would not have any significant effect on the downstream flow to India.[10][11]

In a meeting of scientists at Dhaka at 2010, 25 leading experts from the Basin countries issued a
Dhaka Declaration on Water Security [12] calling for exchange of information in low flow period,
and other means of collaboration. Even though the UN Convention on Trans-boundary Water of
1997 does not prevent any of the Basin countries from building a dam, Customary Law offers
relief to the lower riparian countries. Also, there is potential for China, India and Bangladesh to
develop hydroelectricity projects and transboundary water navigation.

[edit] Mythology
There are many mythological stories on Brahmaputra. But the most popular and sacred one is
about the river's birth in 'Kālikā Purāna'. It describes how Parashurama, one of the ten
incarnations of Lord Vishnu, got rid of his sin of murdering his own mother with an axe (or
Parish) by taking bath in this sacred river. On strict order from his father Jamadagni (who had
suspected his wife Renuka of adultery), Parashurām had to murder his own mother by severing
her head with an axe. As a result of this nefarious act, the axe got stuck to his hand and he was
unable to take it off his hand. On advice from sages, he started on a pilgrimage and ultimately
reached the place, which is presently known as Parashurām Kunda (about 25 km north of Tezu in
Lomita district in Arunāchal Pradesh). The story says that the mighty river was then confined to
a Kind (or Kunda) or a small lake surrounded by hills. Parashurām cut down the hills on one side
to release the sacred water for the benefit of the common people. By this act, Parashurām’s axe
came out of his hand to his great relief and he knew that he had been exonerated from his sin.

In another story, Shāntanu, a famous ancient sage began a long meditation in an ashram in
Kailash Manasaravor area along with his beautiful wife Amodha. Amodha was so beautiful that
Lord Brahma himself became enchanted by the beauty of Amodha and requested her to make
love with him. But Amodha did not accept Brahma’s proposal. However, by that time Lord
Brahma had become so excited that his semen discharged at that place. When Shāntanu came to
know about this, he inseminated Brahma’s semen in the womb of Amodha. Subsequently,
Amodha gave birth to a son and he was called Brahmaputra (literally "Brahma's son"). The tank
near the ashram of sage Shantanu is known as the Brahmkund. Another speculation is that
because Brahmaputra is the largest river in India, it carries a male name, which is odd, because
the holiest river in India, the Ganges, is named after a goddess.[13].

There is another story which speaks of the Brahmaputra being an instrument of the Trimurti of
Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, or the Divine Triad, in carrying the legacy of a mythical prophet
named Pranadhesh. He had been influential in certain areas along the river's banks, and his
teachings gave rise to some concepts that still persist to this day. Pranadhesh had a wife named
Bamhuri, whose love for him was so strong that she conceived a child without physical
consumation. The child, Pranashad, grew into a fine young boy, and legend has it that his father
became jealous of Pranashad's love for his mother Bamhuri. Eventually, Pranadhesh's jealousy
reached its peak when Bamhuri's love for him faded, such was her obsession with their only son.
In a fit of rage, he confronted Pranashad alone on the banks of the Brahmaputra. A fight ensued,
and Pranadhesh grabbed the boy and hurled him into the boiling river. Such was his shame, that
the next day he leapt into the river in the same spot where his only son had disappeared from
view. Some say his plaintive cries for Pranashad may be heard in the still of the late evening.