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| Karatoya River | |
|---|---|
 Karatoya River near Mahasthangarh | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Countries | India and Bangladesh |
| Division | Rajshahi |
| District | Bogra |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • right | Fuleswari river |
Karatoya River (also spelt Korotoa River) is a small stream in Rajshahi Division of Bangladesh.
The name of the river is a combination of two Sanskrit words kar (hand) and toa (water).
The Karatoya, known as Phuljhur, rises in the Baikunthapur jungles in the extreme north-west of Jalpaiguri district (West Bengal, India) and forms for some distance the boundary between Dinajpur and Rangpur districts. It then meanders through Rangpur and Bogra. In the south of Bogra district, it receives the Halhalia and the united stream is then known as the Phuljhur. It leaves Bogra at Chanda kona and flowing in a southerly direction past Raiganj and Shujapur is joined by the Ichhamati at Nalka. The Phuljhur then flows south past the important village of Ullapara, a few miles below which it joins the Hurasagar at Narnia after a course of about 64 kilometres (40 mi) in this district. After this junction, it takes the name of the Hurasagar and passing close by Shazadpur and Hera joins the Jamuna near Bera.
The Karatoya is one of the rivers that has changed over the years. Previous rivers that the Karatoya connected to include the Teesta and Kosi rivers. [1]
The map (right) shows the main rivers in North Bengal and adjoining areas. Not shown are numerous tributaries and distributaries, which connect the main rivers, and allow the main rivers to change course. Therefore, the river-system pattern undergoes continuous changes. Such changes have not been reflected in the map. Moreover, many of the rivers have local names for sections of the course, adding to the complexity of the river system.
The Karatoya is made up of four parts and connects adjoining rivers. [2]
The Karatoya is mentioned in the Puranas and had a high repute for sanctity. It was the eastern boundary of the old kingdom of Pundravardhana, the country of the Paundras. In the classical period, it formed the western boundary of Kamarupa, and later the Kamata kingdom. It is shown in Van Den Brouk's map of Bengal (C, 1660) as flowing into the Ganges and in fact. before the destructive floods of 1787 it brought down to the Atrai and to the Ganges a great volume of Teesta water. Since the main stream of the Teesta was diverted to the east in 1787, the Karatoya and the Phuljhur have gradually silted up. and they are at the present day rivers of minor importance. One channel, which joins the Baral, 48 kilometres (30 mi) east of Pabna. is still called indifferently the Buri Teesta or old Teesta and the Karto or Karatoya. Traces of an old channel, for which the name of the Karatoya is claimed, are also pointed out in the Chatmohar thana, where it appears to have been obliterated by the Baral.
During the early 1100s, the Ganges was three times smaller than the Karatoya according to the Siyar-al-Mutakhkhirin. By the late 1600s, the river had become a channel according to a map by Ven den Brouck. [2] During the late 1700s, James Rennell created additional maps. [3]
Teesta River is a 414 km (257 mi) 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 Brahmaputra River which after meeting some other major rivers of the Bengal delta finally falls into the Bay of Bengal. It drains an area of 12,540 km2 (4,840 sq mi). In India, the Teesta flows through Mangan District, Gangtok District, Pakyong District, Kalimpong district, Darjeeling District, Jalpaiguri District, Cooch Behar districts and the cities of Rangpo, Jalpaiguri and Mekhliganj. In Bangladesh, it flows through Lalmonirhat District, Rangpur District, Kurigram District and Gaibandha District. It joins the Brahmaputra River at Phulchhari Upazila in Bangladesh. 305 km (190 mi) of the river lies in India and 109 km (68 mi) in Bangladesh. The Teesta is the largest river of Sikkim and second largest river of West Bengal after the Ganges.
The Padma is a major river in Bangladesh. It is the eastern and main distributary of the Ganges, flowing generally southeast for 356 kilometres (221 mi) to its confluence with the Meghna River near the Bay of Bengal. The city of Rajshahi is situated on the banks of the river. Since 1966, over 66,000 hectares of land has been lost to erosion of the Padma.
Pabna District is a district in central Bangladesh. It is an economically important district. Its administrative capital is the eponymous Pabna town. This district is a virtuous district in North Bengal. The main five rivers of this district are : Padma, Jamuna, Baral, Atrai and Chiknai.
The Jamuna River is one of the three main rivers of Bangladesh. It is the lower stream of the Brahmaputra River, which originates in Tibet as Yarlung Tsangpo, before flowing through India and then southwest into Bangladesh. The Jamuna flows south and joins the Padma River, near Goalundo Ghat, before meeting the Meghna River near Chandpur. It then flows into the Bay of Bengal as the Meghna River.
Mahasthangarh is the earliest urban archaeological sites discovered thus far in Bangladesh. The village Mahasthan in Shibganj upazila of Bogra District contains the remains of an ancient city which was called Pundranagara or Paundravardhanapura in the territory of Pundravardhana. A limestone slab bearing six lines in Prakrit in Brahmi script recording a land grant, discovered in 1931, dates Mahasthangarh to at least the 3rd century BCE. It was an important city under the Maurya Empire. The fortified area was in use until the 8th century CE.
Mymensingh District is a district in Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh, and is bordered on the north by Meghalaya, a state of India and the Garo Hills, on the south by Gazipur District, on the east by the districts of Netrokona and Kishoreganj, and on the west by the districts of Sherpur, Jamalpur and Tangail. Mymensingh is the 8th administrative divisional headquarter and 12th city corporation of Bangladesh. According to Ministry of Public Administration, Mymensingh is ranked 4th in district status. The density of Mymensingh city is 44,458/km2 which is the second most densely populated city in Bangladesh. Mymensingh attracts 25 percent of health tourists visiting Bangladesh. Once known as the largest district of the Indian subcontinent. Mymensingh town is the district headquarters.
Bogra, officially known as Bogura, is a city located in Bogra District, Rajshahi Division, Bangladesh. The city is a major commercial hub in Northern Bangladesh. It is the second largest city in terms of both area and population in Rajshahi Division.
Gaibandha District is a district in northern Bangladesh, located within the Rangpur Division. Covering an area of 2,179.27 square kilometers, it had a population of 2,562,232 as of the 2022 census. The district's administrative headquarters and largest urban center is Gaibandha town. Originally established as a subdivision in 1875 under the name Bhabanigonj, it was renamed Gaibandha in the same year. On February 15, 1984, Gaibandha was officially upgraded to district status. The district is known for its agricultural production, particularly rice, jute, and vegetables, and is situated at the confluence of several major rivers, including the Jamuna, Teesta, and Brahmaputra.
Bogra District, officially Bogura District since April 2018, is a district in the northern part of Bangladesh, in the Rajshahi Division. Bogra is an industrial city where many small and mid-sized companies are sited. Bogra was a part of the Pundravardhana territory of ancient Bengal and the ruins of its capital can be found in northern Bogra.
North Bengal or Uttar Banga is a term used for the north-western part of Bangladesh and northern part of West Bengal. The Bangladesh part denotes the Rajshahi Division and Rangpur Division. Generally, it is the area lying west of Jamuna River and north of Padma River and includes the Barind Tract. The West Bengal part denotes Jalpaiguri Division and the Malda division together. The Bihar parts include the Kishanganj district. It also includes parts of Darjeeling Hills. Traditionally, the Ganga River divides Bengal into South Bengal and North Bengal, divided again into Terai and Dooars regions.
The Jaldhaka River (Pron:/ˌdʒælˈdɑːkə/), also known as Dichu, is a tributary of the Brahmaputra and a trans-boundary river flowing through India, Bhutan and Bangladesh with a length of 233 kilometres. It originates from the Bitang Lake at Kupup, Gangtok District, Sikkim, near the Jelep La pass below Dongkya Mountain Range. It flows through Pakyong District of Sikkim, India and then passes through forests of Samtse District of Bhutan where it flows for around 40 kilometres and than re-enters India at Bindu, Kalimpong district. Further it passes through Neora Valley National Park, Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary and Gorumara National Park in West Bengal along with cities and towns, like Paren, Gairibas, Jhalong, Dhupguri, Falakata, Mathabhanga and flows through Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts in West Bengal, India before entering Bangladesh at Mogolhat, Lalmonirhat District of Rangpur Division. It is known as Dharla River in Bangladesh and flows through towns like Kolaghat, Phulbari and Kurigram City and Passes southwards until the Dharla debouches into the Brahmaputra River at Bagua Anantpur of Kurigram District. 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.
Baral river is one of the offshoots of the Ganges, starts its journey at Charghat Upazila of Rajshahi District of Bangladesh. The Baral, flowing through Natore and Pabna, meets with the Gumani River at the east of Bhangura and finally meets with the Hurasagar River after joining with the Karatoya south of Shahjadpur Upazila. The river is approximately 147 kilometres (91 mi) long, and 120 metres (410 ft) wide and 6 metres (20 ft) deep on average. The river receives water from the Ganges only in the monsoon season. But it maintains its flow throughout the year with local runoff water and water from Chalan Beel. Its drainage area is about 230 square kilometres (89 sq mi). Some important places located on the banks of the Baral are: Charghat, Baraigram, Bagatipara, Gurudaspur, Chatmohar, Bhangura and Bera upazilas of Bangladesh. The Baral Bridge is located on this river at Bhangura Upazila.
Gangachara is the northernmost upazila of Bangladesh's Rangpur District, located in the Rangpur Division.
Chalan Beel is a wetland in the Sirajganj, Natore and Pabna districts of Bangladesh. It is a large inland depression, marshy in character, with rich flora and fauna. Forty-seven rivers and other waterways flow into the Chalan Beel. As silt builds up in the beel, its size is being reduced.
The Bangali River is one of the main rivers in northern Bangladesh. As of 2007, the river is in the news because of the possibility that it might merge with the Jamuna River, which could lead to major changes in the geography of the region.
Varendra, also known as Barind, was an ancient and historical territory of Northern Bengal, now mostly in Bangladesh and a little portion in the Indian state of West Bengal and Eastern Bihar.
The Chiknai River, also known as the Dangha, is located in Bangladesh in the beels west of Chatmohor in Pabna District.
Bhitargarh is an archaeological site that includes the remains of an ancient fort city built in and around the 5th century AD. It is located in Panchagarh District in Rangpur Division in the northern part of Bangladesh and is large enough that it can be seen from space. The archaeological significance of the site lies in its strategic position as an intersection of the trade routes between Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and the middle and lower Ganges Valley. At its height the city stretched over 5 km by 3 km and involved rerouting the Talma River.
The Hurasagar River, or Hoorsagar, is a major river of Bangladesh that formerly flowed into the Ganges, but now joins the Jamuna. It receives water from the Baral, the Phuljhar.
