Free sample essay on The Himalayan Rivers

The rivers originating in the Himalayas are divided into three systems:

(a) The Sindh River System

(b) The Ganga River System

(c) The Brahmaputra River System

(1) The Sindh River

To the north of the Laddakh range and the Kailash range, it rises near the Mansarover Lake in China, at a height of 5,000 m. In fact it is the confluence of the Singge Khubah and the Gartung Chu that makes the Sindh.

Its direction of flow is opposite to that of Tsangpo which also originates in the neighbourhood but moves eastward. The Sindh River flows into the Arabian Sea, after making a delta near Karachi.

It is considered as one of the longest rivers of the world. Its length is 2,897 km. Its catchment area is 1.165 million sq km. About 32,000 sq km of its area lies in India. The Sindh River cuts through the Nanga Parbat making a gorge 5,181 m deep at Bunji (north of the Nanga Parbat).

It is one of the antecedent rivers of India. Its antecedent drainage lies in Jammu And Kashmir State. The Sindh River passes through China, India, and Pakistan.

The river Sindh has many important tributary rivers. Its important tributaries in the upper part arc the Shy ok, Zanskar, Dras, Shigar, Nubra, Gilgit, Astor, Hunza, etc. The Sindh enters the plain at Attock, where the Kabul River with its tributaries meets it.

Its other tributaries arc the Kurram, Tochi and Zhob Gonial. Most of its water is due to its eastern tributaries, i.e., the Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chtnab and Jhelum.

Important Features.

India can use only 20% of its water as per Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan.

Its delta is 7,000 sq km. During the summer season when the mountain snow melts, the river is in spate. The floods start at Mithankot due to water of the Panjnad and result in loss to crops, property, human and animal life.

Its name is Sindhu in Sanskrit, Sinthos in Greek and Sindhus in Latin. The people of Iran pronounce the first word S as H.

In this way the Sindhu River became Hindu river. The Aryan civilization is thought of having developed around this river and later expanded eastward.

From the point of view of irrigation, this river is very useful to Pakistan. The canals from this river have converted the sandy area into a fertile one. This river has plenty of edible fish. Palla is the most important fish. The main fish centres are Tatta, Kotri and Sukkur in the Sindh province of Pakistan.

(2) The Jhelum River

Its Sanskrit name is Vitasta and Hydarpes in Greek. It is called Veth in Kashmir. It originates at Verinag near the northern end of Kashmir Valley. It is at the base of the Pir Panjal range.

After Jammu, passing through Find Dadankhan, it meets the Chenab River. Its total length is 400 km in India and its catchment area is 28,500 sq km. It flows both in India and Pakistan.

The main tributary of the Jhelum is the Kishanganga which meets it at Muzaffarabad. It is a right bank tributary of Jhelum. This river cuts into Pir Panjal making a deep and narrow gorge between Baramula and Muzaflarabad.

The important lake through which it passes is Wular. Jhelum is navigable between Anantnag and Baramula. In the western section it flows along the Indo-Pakistan border.

(3) The Chenab

It is called Asikni in Sanskrit and Acesines in Greek. It is formed by the confluence of the Chandra and the Bhaga in H.P It meets the Sindh at Panchnad. Its length is 1,180 km and its catchment area is 26,800 sq km but its catchment area in India is 5,957 sq km only. It flows in India and Pakistan. It is useful for irrigational purpose. Its main tributary is the Ravi River.

(4) The Ravi

Its source is on the northern side of Rohtang Pass. It flows between Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar ranges. It crosses the later by making a deep gorge and enters the plains in Punjab near Madhopur.

Its name in Sanskrit is Iravati. It meets Chenab and enters Panchnad. Its length is 725 km and has a catchment area of about 6,000 sq km.

(5) The Beas

Its Sanskrit name is Vipasha and Greek name is Hyphasis. It rises from the southern end-(Beas Kund) of Rohtang Pass at a height of 4000 m and meets the Sutlej at Harike near Kapurthala.

It makes the famous Kulu Valley, the valley of the gods. It crosses the Dhauladhar range by making a deep gorge. Its northern tributaries come from the snow clad Himalayas. It is about 615 km long. Its catchment area is about 26,000 sq km.

(6) The Sutlej

In Sanskrit its name is Shatdru. It rises in China from the northern slope of Kailash Range at a height of 5000 m.

It turns south-west, meets the Chenab in Himachal Pradesh and later enters Punjab Plain at Nangal in Ropar district. The Sutlej then crosses over to Pakistan at Sulemanki near Ferozepur.

Its length in India is 1,050 km and drains an area of 24,087 sq km. Important Features. The Sutlej river cuts across the Great Himalayas by making a deep gorge in H.P.

It cuts Siwalik range at a place at Bhakhra where Bhakhra-dam has been constructed for generating hydro-electricity and for many other purposes.