The Brahmaputra is one of the longest rivers of the world, but most of its course lies outside India. The river Brahmaputra rises in Tibet east of the Mansarovar lake. The river flows eastwards parallel to the Himalayas in its upper course. It is known as Tsangpo in Tibet. Here it carries smaller volume of water and less silt as it is a cold and dry area.
The river takes a ‘U’-turn bend at Namche Barwa (7757 m) and enters India in Arunachal Pradesh through a gorge. In Arunachal Pradesh, it is known as Dihang. Here it is joined by the Dibang, the Lohit, the Kenula and many other tributaries.
The volume of the river increases and it is known as the Brahmaputra in Assam. The region receives heavy rainfall during the monsoon which increases the volume of water and silt content of the river. Devastating floods are caused by the river in Assam and Bangladesh every year during the rainy season. The deposition of the silt in the riverbed due to the heavy load, leads to the formation of braided channels intervened by riverine islands.
The Brahmaputra has a braided channel in its entire length in Assam. Many riverine islands like the Majuli, the world’s largest riverine island, are formed in between the channels.
The Brahmaputra is known as Jamuna in Bangladesh. Here it is joined by the Ganga, known here as Padma. Together they form the Ganga-Brahmaputra Delta known as Sunderban, and discharge into the Bay of Bengal.
