The Subansiri River; is a trans-
Himalayan river and a
tributary
A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage ...
of the
Brahmaputra River
The Brahmaputra is a trans-boundary river which flows through Tibet, northeast India, and Bangladesh. It is also known as the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibetan, the Siang/Dihang River in Arunachali, Luit in Assamese, and Jamuna River in Bangla. It ...
that flows through Tibet's
Lhünzê County
Lhünzê County, (; , English: Lhöntse Dzong) is a county of Shannan located in the south-east of the Tibet Autonomous Region. Part of Lhünzê County is claimed by India as part of Arunachal Pradesh, which is a disputed area between People's Re ...
,
Shannan Prefecture
ShannanThe official spelling according to (), also romanized from Tibetan as Lhoka (; ), is a prefecture-level city in the southeastern Tibet Autonomous Region, China. Shannan includes Gonggar County within its jurisdiction with Gongkar Chö M ...
and the Indian states of
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh (, ) is a state in Northeastern India. It was formed from the erstwhile North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) region, and became a state on 20 February 1987. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south. It shares int ...
and
Assam
Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
. The Subansiri is long, with a drainage basin . It is the largest tributary of the Brahmaputra contributing 7.92% of the Brahmaputra's total flow.
Name and etymology
![North-East Frontier in 1954 Political Map of India](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/North-East_Frontier_in_1954_Political_Map_of_India.jpg)
The name is derived from a
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
word ''svarṇa'' (), meaning 'gold'.
Originally the name applied to the river only after the confluence of the Chayul Chu and Tsari Chu rivers at
Gelensiniak
Gelensiniak, or ''Geling Sinyik'',
is a village in the Limeking Circle of the Upper Subansiri district in Arunachal Pradesh, India, close to the region's border with Tibet. The Gelen
Vinayak BhatDespite Modi-Xi bonhomie, China moves into Arunac ...
. In early maps of independent India, Tsari Chu was marked as the main Subansiri river. However, over time, the name has been transferred to Chayul Chu. Within Tibet, the rivers are named after the locations they flow from such as Loro Chu, Nye Chu, Char Chu and Chayul Chu, all of which apply to the Subansirir or its tributaries.
Course
The Subansiri River originates in the
Himalayas
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 ...
near Mount Porom in the
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...
.
It enters India near the town of
Taksing
Taksing is a village and headquarters of an eponymous Circle in the Upper Subansiri district, Arunachal Pradesh, India. The region of Taksing is populated by Tagin people.
The village is on the bank of the Subansiri River, shortly after the r ...
and flows east and southeast through
Miri
)
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, subdivision_type2 = Division
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Hills, then south to the
Assam
Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
Valley at Dulangmukh in
Dhemaji district
Dhemaji district (Pron:deɪˈmɑ:ʤi or di:ˈmɑ:ʤi) is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. The district headquarters are located at Dhemaji and commercial headquarters being located Silapathar. The district occupies an a ...
, where it joins the Brahmaputra River at Jamurighat in
Lakhimpur district
Lakhimpur district ( ) is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. The district headquarter is located at North Lakhimpur. The district is bounded on the North by Siang and Papumpare districts of Arunachal Pradesh and on the Eas ...
. Small tributaries of the Subansiri include
Rangandi,
Dikrong and
Kamala
Kamala refers to:
People
* Kamala (name), given name and surname, includes list of people and characters with the name
** Kamala Harris, the 49th and current Vice President of the United States
* Kamala (wrestler) (1950–2020), American profess ...
.
The Subansiri lends its name to two districts in Arunachal Pradesh:
Upper Subansiri and
Lower Subansiri.
The observed discharge of Subansiri is a maximum of , and minimum of . It contributes 7.92% of the Brahmaputra's total flow.
Tsari Chu
![Tsari Chu](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Tsari_Chu.jpg)
Tsari Chu (, "Lo River"; known as Lensi River in Arunachal Pradesh) rises near the village of
Chosam in Tibet and flows east for about 25 miles till the town of
Migyitun, where it turns south. It merges with the Subansiri at
Gelensiniak
Gelensiniak, or ''Geling Sinyik'',
is a village in the Limeking Circle of the Upper Subansiri district in Arunachal Pradesh, India, close to the region's border with Tibet. The Gelen
Vinayak BhatDespite Modi-Xi bonhomie, China moves into Arunac ...
. The district of Tsari, consisting of the Tsari Chu valley and its vicinity, is considered holy ground by the Tibetans. No animals are killed and no food is grown in these areas, with the exception of Migyitun.
The holiness comes from the
Dakpa Sheri mountain peak at the centre of the Tsari district, considered the home of the Buddhist Tantric deity Demchok (
Chakrasamvara) and his consort Dorje Phagmo (
Vajravārāhī
In Tibetan Buddhism, Vajravārāhī ("The Diamond Sow", Dorje Pakmo) is a wrathful form of Vajrayogini associated particularly with the '' Cakrasaṃvara Tantra'', where she is paired in yab-yum with the Heruka Cakrasaṃvara. Judith Simmer-Br ...
). The pious Tibetans used to carry out a wide circumabulation (called ''rongkor'' or "ravine circuit") around the mountain once every 12 years, during the monkey year. They traversed the valley of the Tsari Chu river until its junction with Subansiri, and returned via the Subansiri and Yume Chu valleys. The last such circumambulation took place in 1956, after which the
Sino-Indian border conflict has put an end to the practice.
History
The
1950 Assam–Tibet earthquake
The 1950 Assam–Tibet earthquake, also known as the Assam earthquake, occurred on 15 August and had a moment magnitude of 8.6. The epicentre was located in the Mishmi Hills in India, known in Chinese as the Qilinggong Mountains (), south of the ...
caused landslides blocking the flow of Subansiri at Gerukamukh. After three days the blockade broke causing a massive flash flood. Over the years flooding of the river has caused loss to livelihood and life.
Lower Subansiri Dam
The
Lower Subansiri Dam or The Lower Subansiri Hydro-Electric Project is an under construction dam
gravity dam
A gravity dam is a dam constructed from concrete or stone masonry and designed to hold back water by using only the weight of the material and its resistance against the foundation to oppose the horizontal pressure of water pushing against it. ...
on the river. The dam is seen as a problem and many organisations are protesting against it. ''The River'' is a fiction book based on the issue and displays the issue as viewed by common Assamese people through its imaginary dolphins, fishes, and human characters.
[ ]
See also
*
List of rivers of Assam
This is a list of rivers of Assam, India.
Major
*Brahmaputra River
*Barak River
Others
*Aie River
*Akoria river
*Balsiri River
*Baralia River
*Borgang River
*Barnadi River
*Baroi River
*Bhogdoi River
*Beki River
*Champabati River
*Debang River
* ...
*
Lower Subansiri Dam
Notes
References
Bibliography
*
*
External links
Subansiri Basin Study – Another Chapter of Environment Subversion in Northeast South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People, 25 September 2013.
{{India Rivers
Rivers of Assam
Rivers of Arunachal Pradesh
Tributaries of the Brahmaputra River
Rivers of India