Beas River

Beas River, Beas alike spelled Bias, ancient Greek Hyphasis, Sanskrit Vipasha, river in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab lands, northwestern India. It's one of the five rivers that give the Punjab( “ Five Rivers ”) its name.

The Beas rises at an ascent of,308 feet(,361 metres) at Rohtang Pass in the western( Punjab) Himalayas( a region of the vast Himalayas mount range), in medial Himachal Pradesh. From there it flows south through the Kullu Valley, entering tributaries from the flanking mounts, and then turns west to flow past Mandi into the Kangra Valley. After crossing the valley, the Beas enters Punjab land and veers south and also southwest to its convergence with the Sutlej River at Harike after a course of about 290 miles( 470 km). The Beas River was the almost eastern limit of Alexander the Great’s invasion of India in 326 BCE.

By User:Jupitus Smart - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49798875

Map Of Beas River

By Openstreetmap contributors - CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=82933448

Flow Of Beas River

The river rises 4,361 metres(14,308 feet) above ocean- level on the southern cast of Rohtang Pass in Kullu. It traverses the Mandi District and enters the Kangra District at Sandhol, 590 metres(1,940 ft) above ocean- level. During its lower course the Beas is crossed by numerous ferries, numerous of which consist of inflated skins( Darais). Near Reh in Kangra District it divides into three channels, which reunite after reaching Mirthal, 300 metres( 980 ft) above ocean- level. On catching the Sivalik Hills in Hoshiarpur, the river sweeps sprucely northward, forming the boundary line with Kangra District. Then turning round the base of the Sivalik Hills, it takes the southerly direction, dividing the districts of Gurdaspur and Hoshiapur. After touching the Jalandhar district for a little spacing, the river forms the boundary between Amritsar and Kapurthala. ultimately the Beas joins the river Sutlej at the south- western end of Kapurthala district of Punjab after a total course of 470 kilometres( 290 mi). The principal feeders are Bain, Banganga, Luni and Uhal. The Sutlej continues into Pakistani Punjab and joins the Chenab River at Uch near Bahawalpur to form the Panjnad River; the latter in turn joins the Indus River at Mithankot.

The water of the Beas river is assigned to India under the terms of the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan. The mean yearly flow is 14.203 million acre feet( MAF).

History Of Beas River

The Beas River marks the easternmost border line of Alexander the Great's conquests in 326 BC. It was one of the rivers which created challenges in Alexander's invasion of India. His troops mutinied here in 326 BC, refusing to go any further; they had been away from home for eight years. Alexander shut himself in his tent for three days, but when his men didn't change their desires he gave in, raising twelve colossal stands to mark the limit and glory of his travel.

According to the Kavyamimansa of Rajasekhara, the kingdom- territories of the Gurjara- Pratihara monarch Mahipala I extended as far as the upper course of the river Beas in the north- west.

In the 20th century, the river was evolved under the Beas Project for irrigation and hydroelectric power production intentions. The second- aspect Pong Dam was finalized in 1974 succeeded by the first- phase 140 kilometres( 87 mi) upstream, Pandoh Dam in 1977. The Pong Dam served firstly to primarily provide irrigation below Talwara but was soon evolved as well for power production; its power station has a 360 MW initiated cubage. The Pandoh Dam diverts the river through a system of tunnels and channels to the 990 MW Dehar Power Station on the Sutlej River, connecting both rivers.

The Shahnehar canal takes off from the Shahnehar barrage/ headwork which is located just downstream of Pong dam to supply water for irrigation essentials and four balancing power houses at the canal drops before releasing water farther downstream in the Beas river. These power stations, named Mukerian hydel( 12 units), has 207 MW complete generating capacity. At the conjunction with the Sutlej river, Harike barrage was contrived to divert the combined water flows of both rivers to irrigation channels to serve Rajasthan and Punjab regions.

Hindu Mythology

Veda Vyasa, the author of Indian grand Mahabharata, is the eponym of the river Beas; he's said to have created it from its origin lake, the Beas Kund.

Before Veda Vyasa, the Vipasa river was grasped as Saraswati. Rishi Vashishta, the great grandfather of Vyasa tried to jump into this river from an commanding hillock, to sacrifice his spirit. He banded himself with several cords to drown himself. However, the river altered form to become a sandbed, saving him. And in this course, the cords got broken up, so Vashishta named the river Vipasa, which means cord- breaker. On account of this circumstance, the great Rishi decided to settle near the river, and framed it a residence for some years. Thereby, it became known as Vashisht( after Vashishta). We can find Vashishta Brahmarishi Temple in this village. Rig- veda calls the stream Vipāś, which means unfettered, in later Sanskrit texts it's been bayed Vipāśā, Yāska identifies it with Argrikiya.

Ancient Greeks called it Hyphasis( Greek Ύφασης), Plinius called it Hypasis, an approximation to the vedic Vipāś. Other classical names are Hynais, Bipasis, Bibasis. In ultramodern times it's also been called Bias or Bejah.

Environment Of Beas River

On May 17, 2018, innumerous composition of fishes and other aquatic creatures were found dead in Beas river due to discharge of molasses from a sugar mill positioned on its shore at Kiri Afgana village in Gurdaspur district. Locals have commented that the river color has changed to rust brown and dead fishes were floating in the river. Punjab Pollution Control Board have ordered the closure of the plant and an enquiry has been constituted. Besides sealing, the sugar mill has been charged a fine ofRs. 25 lakh for this carelessness.