The Relli River is a small

Himalaya The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...

in the

Indian state India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, with a total of 36 entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into districts and smaller administrative divisions. History Pre-indepen ...

s of

Sikkim Sikkim (; ) is a state in Northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Province No. 1 of Nepal in the west and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to the Siligur ...

and

West Bengal West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...

, flowing near

Kalimpong Kalimpong (Hindi: कलिम्पोंग) is a town and the headquarters of an eponymous district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located at an average elevation of . The town is the headquarters of the Kalimpong district. The re ...

. The source of the Relli lies in between the Alagara - Lava forest range at an elevation of known as Tiffin Dara and ends at 800 ft, confluence with the Teesta . The river runs less than from central Kalimpong, separated by

Deolo Hill Delo Hill is one of the two hills that the town of Kalimpong stands between. Kalimpong is situated on a ridge connecting the two hills, Durpin and Delo. The hill is 1,704 metres (5,590 feet) above msl. The hill is located north east o ...

. The main tributary are Khani River and Pala River and flows into the

Teesta River Teesta River is a long river that rises in the Pauhunri Mountain of eastern Himalayas, flows through the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal through Rangpur, and enters the Bay of Bengal. It drains an area of . In India, it flows through ...

about to the south of central

. The northerly slopes along the Relli in Upper Echhay Sherpagaon, in Sikkim, are home to a cluster of some 50 Sherpa households. The village of Relli is located on its banks downriver from Kalimpong, connected to the city by road and trails.

Tourism

Rinchingpong, a tourist area situated in the northern part of Kalimpong, overlooks the Relli. The Relli is a popular weekend destination among Kalimpong locals for attractions including local cuisine, picnicking spots, boating, and recreational fishing. A Wayside Inn managed by the West Bengal Tourism Department is located nearby. A fair is held annually at the Relli on the

Makar Sankranti Makar(a) Sankranti (), also referred to as Uttarayana, Maghi, or simply Sankranti, is a Hindu observance and a festival. Usually falling on the date of January 14 annually, this occasion marks the transition of the Sun from the zodiac of Sag ...

holiday (January 14).

Historical sites

Gompas, or monasteries, lie near the river, with an overlook at

Jelep La Jelep La (; ) elevation , is a high mountain pass between Sikkim, India and Tibet Autonomous Region, China. It is on a route that connects Lhasa to India. The pass is about south of Nathu La and is slightly higher. It was frequently used for ...

Viewpoint.

Bhutan House Bhutan House is an estate located in Kalimpong, West Bengal, India, owned by the Dorji family of Bhutan. The site is the traditional administrative Dzong for southern Bhutan, and also functioned as the administrative center for the whole of weste ...

, in West Bengal, also overlooks the Relli River below a deep valley.

References

{{coord missing, Sikkim Rivers of Sikkim Rivers of West Bengal Rivers of India Tributaries of the Teesta River Rivers of Kalimpong district