Origin of Indus River
The Indus River originates in the Tibetan plateau near the Bokhar-Chu glacier, close to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar (called Lake Mapam in Chinese) at an elevation of about 5,500 metres.
Interesting Facts About Indus River
The 19th longest river in the world and the 8th longest in Asia. Being the largest river of Pakistan, it is also called the National River of Pakistan.
The significance of the Indus River goes back to ancient Vedic times. It is known as ‘Sindhu’ in Sanskrit, as ‘Hindu’ in ancient Iran (Persia) and as ‘Indus’ in ancient Rome.
India is named after the Indus River.
The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, facilitated by the World Bank, resolved water-sharing issues between India and Pakistan. The treaty divides the Indus system into two categories: the Eastern Rivers and the Western Rivers. India has unrestricted use of the waters from the Eastern Rivers (Beas, Ravi, and Sutlej), while the Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab) are allocated for use by Pakistan.
The Indus River basin was the site of an extensive prehistoric civilization that started 7000 years ago, called the Indus Valley civilization. Its major urban centres discovered so far include Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Lothal, Dholavira, Ganeriwala, and Rakhigarhi.
Scientific evidence shows that the Indus River has shifted its course significantly since the dawn of civilization, moving westward.
The Indus River served as a major trade route in ancient times, connecting South Asia with Central Asia.
Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej River, Pong Dam on the Beas River, Ranjit Sagar Dam on the Ravi River, and Salal Dam on the Chenab River are important Indian dams which provide irrigation and power generation.
Course of Indus River
A transboundary river, the Indus flows in a northwest direction from its origin in the Tibetan Plateau, entering India at Demchok. It then flows through the state of Jammu and Kashmir, traversing the Karakoram Range of the Himalayas, to enter Pakistan. The river then flows through the Sindh region, eventually emptying into the Arabian Sea near the city of Karachi. As the river flows around the Nanga Parbat, it forms the Indus Gorge, which is around 5000 m deep.
Main tributaries of Indus River
The Zanskar River is the first major tributary of the Indus River, joining it in Ladakh.
The next major tributary is the Shyok River, which carries the water from the glaciers of the Karakoram Range.
The most famous tributaries of the Indus River are Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej, which give the name Punjab (‘Five Rivers’) to this region, part of which is a state in India.
Other tributaries are the Suru, Soan, Panjnad, Ghaggar-Hakra, Gilgit, Swat, Kunar, Kabul, Gomal, and Zhob rivers.
Key Tourist/Spiritual Places located around the Indus River
Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar are highly revered Hindu pilgrimages located near the origin of the Indus River.
Leh Palace: Build four centuries ago, this nine-storeyed palace houses a rich collection of 450 years old paintings, jewellery, ornaments, ceremonial dresses, and crowns.
Namgyal Tsemo Monastery in Leh, which has a three-story high gold statue of Maitreya Buddha.
Hemis Monastery: One of the largest and most famous monasteries in Ladakh, known for its annual Hemis Festival celebrating the birth of Guru Padmasambhava.
Thiksey Monastery: Located at an elevation of 3,600 meters, this twelve-storey monastery encompasses a rich array of Buddhist art and a towering 15-meter statue of Maitreya Buddha—Ladakh's largest.
Shey Palace: Former summer capital of Ladakh, featuring the Shey Monastery and a 12-meter Shakyamuni Buddha statue.
The Kharpocho Fort at Skardu: a sixteenth century fort built by King Ali Sher Khan Anchan.
Sehwan Sharif, home to one of Pakistan's most important Sufi shrines, the Shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.
Keti Bunder South Wildlife Sanctuary: This is located in the delta region of the Indus River and has a large number of birds and a rich mangrove forest.
Origin Story of Indus River
The Rigveda, one of the oldest sacred texts in Hinduism, mentions the Sindhu River several times. It is considered one of the Sapta Sindhu (Seven Rivers) that are praised in hymns. The seven rivers pertain to the Indus and Saraswati rivers, together with the Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas. The Mahabharata also makes references to the Sindhu, and the Puranas also mention it as a sacred river. The Vishnu Purana refers to the Sindhu as a significant river.
Key Cities located on the bank of the Indus River
In India
Leh
In Pakistan:
Skardu, the gateway to the peaks of the Karakoram Range, including K2
Dasu
Besham
Thakot
Sukkur, home to the Lansdowne Bridge which is the longest cantilever bridge ever built and one of the great engineering feats of the 19th century.
Hyderabad
Karachi, the largest city of Pakistan
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