• The Brahmaputra means “son of Brahma.”
• Its source is the Chemayungdung glacier in southwestern Tibet, close to the sources of Indus and Satluj.
• Mariam La separates its source from the Manasarovar Lake.
• It passes through the depression formed by the Indus-Tsangpo Structure Zone in Tibet.
• Despite its high altitude, the Tsangpo has a gentle slope and a wide navigable channel for about 640 km.
• It receives many tributaries in Tibet, the first major one being the Raga Tsangpo.
• It flows across southern Tibet as the Yarlung Tsangpo River, breaks through the Himalayas in great gorges, and enters Arunachal Pradesh where it’s known as Dihang.
• Just west of the town of Sadiya, it is joined by two mountain streams, the Lohit and the Dibang, and is then known as the Brahmaputra.
• It flows through Bangladesh as the Jamuna and merges with the Ganga to form the Sunderbans delta.
• The biggest and smallest river islands in the world, Majuli and Umananda respectively, are in the river in the state of Assam.
• Dibrugarh, Pasighat, Neamati, Tezpur, and Guwahati are important urban centers along the river.

Region	Name
Tibet	Tsangpo (meaning ‘The Purifier’)
China	Yarlung Zangbo Jiangin
Assam Valley	Dihang or Siong, South of Sadiya: Brahmaputra
Bangladesh	Jamuna River
Bangladesh	Padma River: Combined Waters of Ganga and Brahmaputra
Bangladesh	Meghana: From the confluence of Padma and Meghna

Major Tributaries of the Brahmaputra River

Subansiri

• Subansiri River is also called as Gold River as it is famous for its gold dust.
• It flows through the Lower Subansiri District in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Subansari, a swift river offers excellent kayaking opportunities.
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Kameng

• Kameng River originates in Tawang district in the eastern Himalayan mountains.
• It flows through West Kameng District in Arunachal Pradesh and Sonitpur District in Assam.
• The river forms the boundary between East Kameng District and West Kameng Districts.
• Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary and Kaziranga National Park are located near the Kameng River.

Manas

• The Manas River flows through southern Bhutan and India.
• It is 376 km long, with 272 km in Bhutan and 104 km in Assam.
• The river meets the Brahmaputra River at Jogighopa.
• The area around the river has two major forest reserves: Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan and Manas Wildlife Sanctuary in India.

Sankosh

• It rises in northern Bhutan and empties into the Brahmaputra in the state of Assam
• The upper catchment of the river is glaciated. The middle and the lower courses flow along V-shaped valleys that have been carved by running water
• The entire catchment of the river is covered with forests.

Teesta

• Originates from Tso Lhamo lake in North Sikkim, Himalayas
• Rangeet River is its major tributary and largest river in Sikkim
• Rangeet river joins Teesta river at Tribeni
• Flows past Rangpo forming border between Sikkim and West Bengal up to Teesta Bazaar
• Flows through Jalpaiguri before reaching Rangpur District, Bangladesh
• Merges with the Brahmaputra river

Dibang

• The Dibang River is a major tributary of the Brahmaputra River.
• It originates from the southern slope of the Himalayas near the Tibet border at an altitude of over 5000m.
• The river enters the plains near Nizamghat in the Lower Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The upper course of the Dibang River is located in the Mishmi hills.

Lohit River:

• Originates in eastern Tibet.
• Flows through the Mishmi hills to meet the Siang at the head of Brahmaputra valley.
• The valley of Lohit is thickly forested, covered with alpine and sub-tropical vegetation.
• A large variety of medicinal plants are also found here.

Dhansiri River:

• Main river of Golaghat District of Assam and Dimapur District of Nagaland.
• Originates from Nagaland.
• Numerous perennially waterlogged swampy regions associated with this river.

Kopili River:

• Interstate river in Northeast India that flows through the states of Meghalaya and Assam.
• Largest south bank tributary of the Brahmaputra in Assam.
• Carissa Kopilii (Plant Species) is distributed sparsely along the Kopili riverbed.
• The plant is threatened by a hydroelectric project on the river and water turned acidic because of coal mining in Meghalaya upstream.

Siyom River:

• Right tributary of the Brahmaputra.
• Rises on the south of the main ridge of the Assam Himalaya near the Tibet border.
• Mouling National Park is located on the east bank of the river.
• Flows initially in a southerly direction, later in an easterly and southerly direction through the West Siang District.
• Saje River is the most prominent among its several tributaries.
• Siyom Bridge:
  • State-of-the-art 100-meter long, Class 70 Steel Arch Superstructure over Siyom River in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Holds great strategic significance in tackling China as it serves as a gateway to sensitive areas of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh.
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Important cities on Brahmaputra

Major River Valley Projects/Dams/Barrages associated with the Brahmaputra river system-

• In the state of Arunachal Pradesh-
  • Tawang Hydel Power Project
  • Subansiri Lower Hydel Power Project
  • Ranganadi Hydel Power Project
  • Paki Hydel Power Project
  • Papumpap Hydel Power Project
  • Dhinkrong Hydel Power Project
  • Upper Lohit Hydel Power Project
  • Damway Hydel Power Project
  • Kameng Hydel Power Project
• In the state of Sikkim-
  • Rangit Hydel Power Project
  • Teesta Hydel Power Project
• In the state of Assam-
  • Kopli Hydel Power Project
• In the state of Meghalaya-
  • New Umtru Hydel Power Project
• In the state of Nagaland-
  • Doyang Hydel Power Project
• In the state of Manipur-
  • Loktak Hydel Power Project
  • Tipaimukh Hydel Power Project
• In the state of Mizoram-
  • Tuibai Hydel Power Project
  • Tuirial Hydel Power Project
  • Dhaleshwari Hydel Power Project