RIVER SYSTEM IN HIMACHAL PRADESH
The Himalaya houses a vast reservoir of moisture both in the
form of ice, fresh water, and underground water. The rivers draining Himalayas
sustain life in the Northern part of Indian sub-continent. There are five main
rivers which flow through Himachal Pradesh.
Four out of these five rivers found mention in the Rig Veda, viz, Asikni (Chenab), Purushani (Ravi), Arjikiya (Beas) and Shatudru (Satluj). The fifth river Yamuna has mythical relation to the Sun.
The flow of water
through a definite channel is drainage. The network of several such
channels is called drainage system. Another term related to rivers is drainage
pattern.
Drainage pattern is referred to the geometrical form of the rivers of
a particular area and their spatial arrangement, e.g., radial pattern,
dendritic pattern etc.
On the basis of origin, the Indian river drainage system can
be divided into two parts:
·
The Himalayan drainage system
·
The Peninsular India’s drainage system
Himachal Pradesh falls into the Himalayan drainage system. The study of the Himalayan rivers can be
done under the following river systems:
(i)
The Indus River System
(ii)
The Ganga River System
(iii)
The Brahmaputra River System
The rivers of Himachal Pradesh provide water to the Indus
and the Ganga river basin only.
THE INDUS RIVER SYSTEM:
It is one of the largest river basins of the world. The
Indus is the largest river in this river system. The Jhelum, the Chenab, the
Ravi, the Beas and the Satluj are its tributaries.
The drainage basin of Indus
river system includes the whole of Jammu and Kashmir and most of Himachal
Pradesh.
THE GANGA RIVER SYSTEM:
The drainage basin of this system covers about one-third of
the Western Himalaya.
Its basin extends from the eastern face of the Shimla
ridge of Himachal Pradesh to the South western slopes of Kanchanjunga massif on
the Nepal-Sikkim border. Yamuna, which is the longest tributary of Ganga flows
through Himachal.
1)
THE SATLUJ
Vedic Name: Satudri
Sanskrit Name: Shatadru
Origin : The Satluj originates from the ‘RAKAS LAKE’ near the ‘MANASAROVER LAKE’ in Tibet. It enters India
at Shipki La (pass) in Kinnaur
district.
COURSE OF RIVER: It flows through Kinnaur, Shimla, Kullu, Solan,
Mandi and Bilaspur districts.
EXIT: It leaves Himachal Pradesh to enter the plains of Punjab at ‘Bhakhra’.
PROMINENT SETTLEMENTS ON ITS BANK: The prominent settlements on the
bank of Satluj are Rampur, Kalpa,
Suni, Bilaspur, Namgia and Tattapani.
TRIBUTARIES OF SATLUJ
a) SPITI
RIVER: It originates from Kunzum range. This river flows through Spiti
valley and meets Satluj at ‘Namgia’ in Kinnaur district. ‘Tegpo’ and ‘Kabzian’
streams are its tributaries.
b) BASPA
RIVER: It originates from the Baspa hills in district Kinnaur and joins Satluj near Karcham (Kalpa).
c) THE NOGLI
KHAD: It joins Satluj below Rampur Bhushahr. The Satluj enters Mandi
district near Firnu village.
2)
THE BEAS
Vedic
Name: Arjikiya
Sanskrit
Name: Vipasha
Origin
: It originates from Beas Kund near
Rohtang Pass (old name: Bhrigu Tung)
COURSE
OF RIVER: It flows through Kullu,
Mandi, Kangra and Hamirpur districts.
PROMINENT
SETTLEMENTS ON ITS BANK: The prominent settlements on the bank of Beas are
Manali, Mandi, Kullu, Pandoh, Naggar, Sujanpur, Dehra- Gopipur, Bajaura.
TRIBUTARIES OF BEAS:
a) PARBATI RIVER: It originates in the snowy wastes upstream of Manikaran in Kullu and joina Beas at Shamshi in Kullu valley. Hot water springs of Manikaran pour their water into this river. Manikaran and Kasol are important settlements along this river.
b) BANGANGA:
It arises from the southern slopes of the Dhauladhar range and join Beas in the
Kangra valley.
c) BANER
KHAD: It arises near Palampur and drains central part of Kangra valley.
d) CHAKKI
RIVER: It arises from the southern slopes of the Dhauladhar range and join
Beas near Pathankot. Nurpur is an important settlement along the Chakki river.
e) SAINJ
RIVER: It rises from the water divide of the Beas and the Satluj rivers. It
joins Beas near Larji.
f) SUKETI
RIVER: This river is a tributary of Beas in the Kangra valley. It rises
from the south facing slopes of Dhauladhar range.
g) TRITHAN
RIVER: It flows into the Beas near Larji.
h) UHL RIVER:
It joins Beas near Mandi
Other tributaries of Beas include Awa, Gaj Khad, Harla, Luni, Manuni and
Patlikhul.
3)
THE CHENAB
Vedic
Name: Asikni
Origin
: The Chenab is made up of two streams called the Chandra and the Bhaga. These
two streams meet at Tandi to for the
river Chenab.
COURSE
OF RIVER: It flows through Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba.
EXIT:
It leaves Himachal Pradesh to enter the plains of Kashmir at ‘Sansari Nala’.
PROMINENT
SETTLEMENTS ON ITS BANK: The prominent settlements on the bank of Chenab
are Tandi, Udaipur
TRIBUTARIES
OF CHENAB:
a)
Chandra
River: It originate from Chandra Tal lake in Lahaul Spiti.
b)
Bhaga
River: It originate from Suraj Tal lake in Lahaul-Spiti.
c)
Other Tributaries: Miyar Nullah joins Chenab in Lahaul, Saicher Nullah joins it in Pangi valley. Others include Jammu Tavi and Munawarwali.
4)
THE RAVI
Vedic
Name: Purushani
Sanskrit
Name: Irawati
Origin
: It originates from Bara Banghal as
a joint stream formed by the glacier fed ‘Bhadal’
and ‘Tant Gari’
COURSE
OF RIVER: It flows through Kangra and Chamba districts.
EXIT:
It leaves Himachal Pradesh to enter the Kashmir at ‘Kheri’.
PROMINENT
SETTLEMENTS ON ITS BANK: The prominent settlements on the bank of Ravi are Chamba,
Bharmaur, Madhopur.
TRIBUTARIES
OF RAVI:
BHADAL
RIVER, SIUL RIVER, TANT GARI AND BAIRA are important tributaries of Ravi.
5)
THE YAMUNA
Vedic
Name: Kalindi
Origin
: The Yamuna originates from the ‘YAMUNOTRI
’ glacier on Bunderpunch range in Uttarakhand. It enters India Himachal at
‘KHADAR MAJRI’ in Sirmaur district.
COURSE
OF RIVER: It flows only through Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh.
EXIT:
It leaves Himachal Pradesh near ‘TAJEWALA’
and enters into Haryana.
PROMINENT
SETTLEMENTS ON ITS BANK: The prominent settlement on the bank of Yamuna is
Poanta Sahib.
TRIBUTARIES
OF YAMUNA:
a)
GIRI
RIVER: It arises from ‘Kupar peak’ just above Jubbal town in Shimla
district. It divides the Sirmour district into two equal parts that are known
as Cis-Giri and Trans-Giri region. It joins Yamuna upstream of Poanta below
Mokkampur. Jalal and Asni are further the tributaries of Giri river.
JALAL
RIVER: It arises from ‘Dharthi ranges’ adjoining Pachhad of Sirmour. It
joins Giri at Dadhau.
b)
TONS: It arises as two feeder streams- the Rupin
and the Supin river which meet at ‘NATIWAR’ to form Tons. The Tons join Yamuna
at Kalsi near Dehradun. Pabbar is a tributary of Tons.
·
PABBAR:
It arises from the ‘CHANDERNAHAN’ glacier in Rohru area of Shimla district and
joins Tons at the base of ‘CHAKARATA’ massif near border of U.P and H.P. Patsari and Andhra are tributaries of Pabbar.
·
ANDHRA:
It arises from a small glacier near Chirgaon in shimla district. It merges with
Pabbar at Chirgaon.
·
PATSARI:
This River originates from lower Himalayan hills near Kharapathar in Shimla
district and joins Pabbar near hamlet of Patsari.
c)
BATA
RIVER: It arises near Dharthi range and joins Yamuna at Bata Mandi.
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DeleteNice article and the best part is these rivers are the major source of irrigation facility in northern part of our country for agriculture. Manufacturing in oil and gas.
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