Map of the Brahmaputra

Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet. Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European

A view across the Brahmaputra from near Sukleswar ghat in Guwahati. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Guwahati ( Assamese: গুৱাহাটী previously spelled Gauhati) is a major city in

The Brahmaputra,^[1] also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra, is a trans-boundary river and one of the major rivers of Asia. A Trans-boundary river is a river that crosses at least one political border either a border within a nation or an International boundary. "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there

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 where it is known as Dihang. Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European Arunachal Pradesh (अरुणाचल प्रदेश   Aruṇācal Pradeś is the easternmost state of India The Brahmaputra, also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra is a Trans-boundary river and one of the major Rivers of Asia. ^[2] It flows southwest through the Assam Valley as Brahmaputra and south through Bangladesh as the Jamuna. The Brahmaputra, also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra is a Trans-boundary river and one of the major Rivers of Asia. ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially Not to be confused with the Yamuna River The Jamuna River ( Bangla: যমুনা Jomuna) is one of the three main rivers There it merges with the Ganga to form a vast delta. The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent About 1,800 mi (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. In Bangladesh the river merges with the Ganga and splits into two the Hugli and Padma River. When it merges with the Ganges it forms the world's largest delta the Sunderbans. The Sunderbans is known for Tigers and mangrooves. While most Indian and Bangladeshi rivers bear female names, this river has a rare male name, as it means "son of Brahma" in Sanskrit (putra means "son"). Brahma is the Hindu god ( deva) of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical

The Brahmaputra is navigable for most of its length. The lower reaches are sacred to Hindus. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. 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. "The world " is a proper noun for the planet Earth envisioned from an Anthropocentric or Human Worldview, as a place A tidal bore (or just bore, or eagre) is a tidal phenomenon in which the leading edge of the incoming tide forms a wave (or waves of water that travel

River course

Tibet

The Yarlung Tsangpo originates in the Jima Yangzong glacier^[3] near Mount Kailash in the northern Himalayas. Kailasa redirects here For the band see Kailasa (band Mount Kailash (Devanagari कैलाश पर्वत( Kailāśā Parvata It then flows east for about 1700 km, at an average height of 4000 m, and is thus the highest of the major rivers in the world. At its easternmost point, it bends around Mt. Namcha Barwa, and forms the Yarlung Tsangpo Canyon which is considered the deepest in the world. Namcha Barwa ( officially: Namjagbarwa; Tibetan in Wylie transliteration: gnam lcags 'bar ba; Chinese: 南迦巴瓦峰 ^[4]

India

As the river enters Arunachal Pradesh, it is called Siang and makes a very rapid descend from its original height in Tibet, and finally appears in the plains, where it is called Dihang. Arunachal Pradesh (अरुणाचल प्रदेश   Aruṇācal Pradeś is the easternmost state of India It flows for about 35 km and is joined by two other major rivers: Dibang and Lohit. This page needs to be split between the Upper Dibang Valley and the Lower Dibang Valley article. Lohit River is a river in Arunachal Pradesh in India. It is a tributary to the Brahmaputra River. 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 stretch of Assam. Sonitpur is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. The Kameng River (previously named Bhareli River (ভৰলী নদী now called Kameng in Arunachal Pradesh and Jia Bhoreli in Assam) in the eastern Himalayan Arunachal Pradesh (अरुणाचल प्रदेश   Aruṇācal Pradeś is the easternmost state of India Assam) ( Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a northeastern state of India with its capital at Dispur, a suburb of the city In Assam the river is sometimes as wide as 10 km. Between Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur districts the river divides into two channels---the northern Kherkutia channel and the southern Brahmaputra channel. Dibrugarh is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. Lakhimpur is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. The two channels join again about 100 km downstream forming the Majuli island. History Originally the island was a narrow and long piece of land called Majoli (land in the middle of two parallel rivers that had Brahmaputra flowing in the north and the Burhidihing At Guwahati near the ancient pilgrimage centre of Hajo, the Brahmaputra cuts through the rocks of the Shillong Plateau, and is at its narrowest at 1 km bank-to-bank. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Guwahati ( Assamese: গুৱাহাটী previously spelled Gauhati) is a major city in For the village in Azerbaijan see Həjo. Hajo is an ancient pilgrimage centre for three religions Hindus, Buddhists, and Because the Brahmaputra is the narrowest at this point the Battle of Saraighat was fought here. The Battle of Saraighat was fought in 1671 between the Mughal empire (led by the Kachwaha king Raja Ramsingh I) and the Ahom Kingdom The first rail-cum-road bridge across the Brahmaputra was opened to traffic in April 1962 at Saraighat.

The old Sanskrit name for the river is Lauhitya and the local name in Assam is Luit. Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical The native inhabitants, i. e. , the Bodos called the river Bhullam-buthur, which means 'making a gurgling sound', later Sanskritized into Brahmaputra. The Bodos (pronounced BO-ros) are an Ethnic and linguistic community early settlers of Assam in the North-East of India.

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.

Bangladesh

A Map showing major rivers in Bangladesh including both branches of Brahmaputra - Jamuna and lower Brahmaputra. Not to be confused with the Yamuna River The Jamuna River ( Bangla: যমুনা Jomuna) is one of the three main rivers

Brahmaputra river seen from 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. ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially Not to be confused with the Yamuna River The Jamuna River ( Bangla: যমুনা Jomuna) is one of the three main rivers The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent The Padma ( Bangla: পদ্মা Pôdda) is a major Trans-boundary river in Bangladesh. The Meghna River (মেঘনা নদী is an important river in Bangladesh, one of the three that forms the Ganges Delta, the largest on earth fanning out Both paths eventually reconverge near Chandpur in Bangladesh and flow out into the Bay of Bengal. Chandpur (চাঁদপুরis a district in east-central Bangladesh. However, the actual Brahmaputra river in Bangladesh passes through the Jamalpur and Mymensingh district. The Brahmaputra, also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra is a Trans-boundary river and one of the major Rivers of Asia. Jamalpur may refer to;Bangladesh Jamalpur Bangladesh: a town in Jamalpur District Bangladesh Jamalpur District;India Mymensingh (ময়মনসিংহ is a District and a City of Bangladesh situated near the river Brahmaputra. Fed by the waters of the Ganges and Brahmaputra, this river system forms the Ganges Delta, the largest river delta in the world. The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent The Ganges Delta (also Sunderban Delta or the Bengal Delta) is a River delta in the South Asia region of Bengal, consisting of Bangladesh A delta is a Landform where the mouth of a River flows into an Ocean, Sea, Estuary, Lake or another river "The world " is a proper noun for the planet Earth envisioned from an Anthropocentric or Human Worldview, as a place

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. Kaziranga National Park (কাজিৰঙা ৰাষ্ট্ৰীয় উদ্যান, pronounced) is a national park in the Golaghat and Occasionally, massive flooding causes huge losses to crops, life and property. Periodic flooding is a natural phonomenon 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]

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. Sadiya (also Sadia) is a small town in the Tinsukia District of the North-eastern Indian state of Assam. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Dhubri ( ধুবুৰী in Assamese) is the headquarter of Dhubri district, Assam 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.

See also

• List of rivers in Bangladesh
• List of rivers in China
• List of rivers in India

Notes

References

Further reading

• Banglapedia:Brahmaputra River
• Banglapedia:Old Brahmaputra River
• Banglapedia:Brahmaputra-Jamuna River System

• Bibliography on Water Resources and International Law See Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers section.
• Rivers of Dhemaji and Dhakuakhana
• Background to Brahmaputra Flood Scenario