The Teesta River - The Mightiest Drainer of the Eastern Himalayas

The Teesta, the most magnificient river in the district, has its source in Lake Cholamo, situated at an elevation on 17,500', which exceeds twice the height of the well known Tiger Hill of Darjeeling by 500'. This lake lies to the north of the Donkia Pass near Shetschen, where from the summit of the pass is about 5 miles away to the north-east of Darjeeling as the crow flies.

On its way, contributions are made to it by streams which rise in Thangu, Yeumthang and Donkia La ranges far far away from and due north of Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim. Then, as it approaches the Teesta Suspension Bridge, which joins Kalimpong with Darjeeling, it receives a mighty torrent of water from a stream called the Great Rangeet. From this confluence of the two rivers, the aforesaid bridge is nearly 4 miles. The Teesta river debouches through the gorge at the Teesta bridge, at an almost imperceptible gradient, taking a southerly course and finally enters into the plains through Sevoke, where it has been spanned by a Coronation Bridge.

It would be of much interest to many to mention here that this river passes through the Jalpaiguri and the Rungpore districts and falls into the great Brahmaputra at Fulcherry. The combined waters then flow on to Goalundo, where the Padma, uniting with them forms the unbounded expanse of waters known as the Meghna (skyblue) river, over 60 miles in width, the tall palm trees on either bank look like so many tiny plants or even dots.

The Great Rangeet takes its rise from the glacier of Kabru, and proceeds southwards till it meets the Rammam river coming down from its source near Phalut in the Singalila range. The combined waters, after traversing just a quarter of a mile, take up a further tribute from the Little Rangeet hailing from the base of the Tonglu spur in the Singalila range, and therefrom the Great Rangeet flows on for a distance of about 9 miles till it merges into the Teesta river.

While proceeding down the Tukvar road which leads to Singla Bazaar, all of a sudden at a bend of the road the lovely valleys of these two streams meandering over a level tract of land encircled by mighty hills on all sides greet the vision of the spectator from an elevation of nearly 1000 feet.

The Great Rangeet presents to the view bright green colour very nearly resembling that of emerald, while the little Rangeet wears a bright blue face.The graceful mountain cows of the valleys looming at a distance of nearly a mile as the crow flies, the tropical trees, scrubs, and exuberant foliage characteristic of the vegetations of such low elevations that cover the slopes in front of the spectator, the lovely delta covered with sands, scrubs and long grasses, the attrative windings of the streams, looking artificially coloured, the towering ranges of prodigious heights standing like sentinets over the valleys - all combined together to form a landscape which does not lend itself to description.

On the top all these, when one reaches the right bank of the Great Rangeet, after traversing a further distance of nearly two miles, one finds to this great astonishment pebbles of variegated colours very closely strewn over the right bank of the river. All that can be said is that here is a scene which must be seen to be believed.

The gradient of the rocky and boulder-strewn bed of the Great Rangeet near Singla Bazaar is not perceptible, but still the current is very strong. In 1914 when Mr. G.P. Robertson, the then Municipal Engineer of Darjeeling, while engaged in surveying the river in a jolly-boat in connection with the installation of electric power station was drowned in the river nearly a mile from Singla Bazaar along the downward course of the stream. The boat which had been going off like a shot had to ere long confront the fearful turbulence of waters at a place where they struck against a huge boulder peeping out of the water surface. The whirlpool proved more than a match for the frail specimen of the floating craft which at short notice sank down leaving no trace of those who were on the boat.

And, the Great Rangeet has not so far been harnessed to provide motive power to be utilised for illumination.

The Mahanady River has its source near Mahaldiram hill to the east of Kurseong. As soon as it debouches through a gorge of the Himalaya, it runs through a subterranean stratum of sand for a distance of nearly four miles before heaving into sight again. In the rainy season, this queer phenomenon disappears with the rushing in of a mighty torrent from the hills, which makes the river overflow its banks. This river has been spanned by an iron bridge to the north of the town of Siliguri. At a distance of four miles from the bridge, and in the downward course of the river, it receives its contribution from the Balasun river which flows past the valley below Kurseong.