
The Jaldhaka River (Pron:/ˌdʒælˈdɑːkə/) (), also known as Dichu, is a tributary of the
Brahmaputra
The Brahmaputra is a trans-boundary river which flows through Southwestern China, Northeastern India, and Bangladesh. It is known as Brahmaputra or Luit in Assamese, Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibetan, the Siang/Dihang River in Arunachali, and ...
and a
trans-boundary river
A transboundary river is a river that crosses at least one political border, either a border within a state or an international boundary. Bangladesh has the highest number of these rivers, with at least 58 major rivers that enter the country from ...
flowing through
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
,
Bhutan
Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked country in South Asia, in the Eastern Himalayas between China to the north and northwest and India to the south and southeast. With a population of over 727,145 and a territory of , ...
and
Bangladesh
Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
with a length of 233 kilometres. It originates from the
Bitang Lake at
Kupup
Kupup is a hamlet in the Indian state of Sikkim near the border with China. It lies in a transverse valley below the Dongkya Range, close to the Jelep La pass. A nearby moraine ridge across the valley forms part of the watershed between the Tees ...
,
Gangtok District, Sikkim, near the
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 t ...
pass below
Dongkya Mountain Range. It flows through
Pakyong District of Sikkim, India and then passes through forests of
Samtse District
Samtse District (Dzongkha: བསམ་རྩེ་རྫོང་ཁག་; Wylie: ''Bsam-rtse rdzong-khag''; older spelling "Samchi") is one of the 20 dzongkhags (districts) comprising Bhutan. It comprises two subdistricts (''dungkhags''): Ta ...
of Bhutan where it flows for around 40 kilometres and then re-enters India at
Bindu
Bindu () is a term meaning "point" or "dot". Bindu may also refer to:
* Bindu (symbol), a point symbol in Indian religions
* Bindu, India, village in Darjeeling district of West Bengal India
* Anusvara
Anusvara ( ; , , ), also known as Bindu ...
,
Kalimpong district
Kalimpong district is a List of districts in India, district in the state of West Bengal, India. In 2017, it was carved out as a separate district to become the 21st district of West Bengal. The district is headquartered at Kalimpong, which g ...
. Further it passes through
Neora Valley National Park
Neora Valley National Park is a national park in Kalimpong district, West Bengal, India that was established in 1986. Spread over an area of , it is a rich biological zone in eastern India. It is the land of the red panda in the pristine undisturb ...
,
Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary
Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary (formerly Chapramari Wildlife Reserve, pron: ˌʧʌprəˈmɑ:rɪ or ˌʧæprəˈmɑ:rɪ) is close to the Gorumara National Park. Chapramari is about 30 kilometres from Chalsa and Lataguri in northern West Bengal, I ...
and
Gorumara National Park
Gorumara National Park (Pron: ˌgɔ:rʊˈmɑ:rə; ''Gorumara Jatio Uddan'') is a national park in northern West Bengal, India. Located in the Dooars region of the Himalayan foothills, it is a medium-sized park with grasslands and forests. Goruma ...
in West Bengal along with cities and towns, like Paren, Gairibas,
Jhalong
Jholung or Jholong (misspelt as Jhalong or Jhalung) is a village in the Gorubathan CD block in the Kalimpong subdivision of the Kalimpong district in West Bengal, India.
Geography
Location
Jhalong is located at .
Area overview
The map alo ...
,
Dhupguri
Dhupguri is a town and a municipality of Jalpaiguri district near Jaldhaka River in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of the Dhupguri subdivision.
Geography
General
Dhupguri has an average elevation of 80 metres (2 ...
,
Falakata
Falakata is a city and a municipality near Jaldhaka River in the Alipurduar subdivision of the Alipurduar district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Geography
Location
Falakata is located at It has an average elevation of 88 metre ...
,
Mathabhanga
Mathabhanga is a city along Jaldhaka River and a municipality in Cooch Behar district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Mathabhanga subdivision.
Geography
Location
Mathabhanga is located at . It has an averag ...
and flows through
Kalimpong
Kalimpong 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 region comes under Gorkhaland Territo ...
,
Jalpaiguri
Jalpaiguri (), is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Jalpaiguri district as well as of the Jalpaiguri division of West Bengal, covering the jurisdiction of the five districts of North Bengal. The city is ...
and
Cooch Behar
Cooch Behar (), also known as Koch Bihar, is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal and it stands on bank of the Torsa river. The city is the headquarters of the Cooch Behar district. During the British Raj, Cooch Behar was the seat of the ...
districts in
West Bengal
West Bengal (; Bengali language, Bengali: , , abbr. WB) is a States and union territories of India, state in the East India, eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabi ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
before entering Bangladesh at Mogolhat,
Lalmonirhat District
Lalmonirhat District () is a District, situated at the northern border of Bangladesh. It is a part of the Rangpur Division. Lalmonirhat mahakuma was established as a district on 1 February 1984. To the north of Lalmonirhat lie Cooch Behar and Ja ...
of
Rangpur Division
Rangpur Division (; ;
) is a first-level Divisions of Bangladesh, administrative division of Bangladesh. It covers the northernmost part of the country with a population of about 18 million inhabitants within an area of . Rangpur Division shar ...
. It is known as
Dharla River
The Dharla River () is a tributary of the Brahmaputra which is a trans-boundary river flowing through India, Bhutan and Bangladesh. It originates from Kupup/Bitang lake lying in Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary of East Sikkim in the Himalayas where ...
in Bangladesh and flows through towns like Kolaghat, Phulbari and
Kurigram
Kurigram is a city in northern Bangladesh. It is the headquarters of Kurigram District and Kurigram Sadar Upazila.
Etymology
The original name of Kurigram was Kuriganj before it was renamed in 1984. The name ''Kurigram'' comes from ''Kuri'' ...
City and Passes southwards until the Dharla
debouches
In hydrology, a debouch (or debouche) is a place where runoff from a small, confined space discharges into a larger, broader body of water. The word is derived from the French verb ''déboucher'' (), which means "to unblock, to clear". The ter ...
into the
Brahmaputra River
The Brahmaputra is a trans-boundary river which flows through Southwestern China, Northeastern India, and Bangladesh. It is known as Brahmaputra or Luit in Assamese language, Assamese, Yarlung Tsangpo in Lhasa Tibetan, Tibetan, the Siang/Dihan ...
at Bagua Anantpur of
Kurigram District
Kurigram District () is a district of Bangladesh in Rangpur Division. The district is located in northern Bangladesh along the country's border with India. Under British rule, the area was organized as a mahakuma and was not established as a dis ...
. Due to the river's wandering over several international borders, only a small length of the river lies in Bangladesh and Bhutan and most of its path lies in India. In some places, this river is also known as Mansai river and Singhimari river.
Geography
Jaldhak or Dichu originates from the Kupup Lake, a small glacial lake in Sikkim. It gains volume through the confluence of two other streams near
Bindu
Bindu () is a term meaning "point" or "dot". Bindu may also refer to:
* Bindu (symbol), a point symbol in Indian religions
* Bindu, India, village in Darjeeling district of West Bengal India
* Anusvara
Anusvara ( ; , , ), also known as Bindu ...
, viz., Bindu Khola and Dudh Pokhri. The combined stream meet at Bindu to increase the volume of Jaldhaka River, thus forming a riverine boundary with India and Bhutan in the left bank. The main tributaries that join the river on its right bank are the Murti, the Jholung khola, the Naksal Khola, the
Sutunga and the Jarda in the lower reach. The Diana, Rehti-Duduya and Mujnai are the main left bank tributaries.

The river flows through the three North Bengal districts of Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Bihar. The entire watershed is the most fertile agricultural zone along with the
Teesta
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 and subsequently enters Bangladesh through Rangpur division. In Bangladesh, it merges with Jamuna ...
Basin. The upper course is famous for crops like ginger, medicinal herbs and fruits like oranges and pomegranate. The middle course comprising Jalpaiguri district is entirely tea and corn dominated and the lower course is dominated by rice, jute and tobacco. The inter-river formed lands are cultivated with crops like bamboo and mat sticks. In the lower basin, the inter-river lands are cultivated with banana.
The river enters Bangladesh at Ghoksadanga district to meet the Brahmaputra or the Jamuna as it is known there.
Floods
River Jaldhaka, along with
River Teesta
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 and subsequently enters Bangladesh through Rangpur division. In Bangladesh, it merges with Jamuna ...
have caused major flooding multiple times in
Bangladesh
Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
during
monsoon
A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...
season between June and September.
See also
River Teesta
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 and subsequently enters Bangladesh through Rangpur division. In Bangladesh, it merges with Jamuna ...
References
External links
Jaldhaka River mapped on OpenStreetMap
{{Coord, 27.0297, N, 88.8747, E, region:BD_type:river_source:wikidata, display=title
Rivers of Bangladesh
Rivers of Sikkim
Rivers of West Bengal
International rivers of Asia
Rivers of Rangpur Division
Rivers of Kalimpong district
Tributaries of the Brahmaputra River