Beas River

The Beas is a river in India.

It starts in the high mountains. It flows through lands called Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.

The river is one of five big rivers in its area. A tiny group of dolphins lives in the water. The river moves through hills and flat lands. It eventually joins another river called the Sutlej. People use the water to grow food. It is a very important river for the land.

The Beas River is in northwestern India.

It starts high in the Himalayas. The water flows through Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.

It is the smallest of five major rivers in the Punjab region. A tiny group of Indus dolphins lives in the water.

The river moves through many different places. It flows near Manali and through the Mandi District. Near Reh, the river splits into three paths. These paths join back together later. The river eventually meets the Sutlej River.

People use the river for many things. They build dams to make power. These dams help make electricity. People also use the water to help crops grow. In the past, the river changed its path many times. It used to flow toward different places.

Sometimes the river can be dangerous. In 2023, heavy rains caused big floods. This caused damage in Himachal Pradesh. In 2018, a sugar mill let waste into the water. This hurt many fish in the river. People work to keep the river clean.

The Beas River is a major river in northwestern India.

It flows through the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. This river is the smallest of the five big rivers in the Punjab region. It starts very high up in the Himalayas. Specifically, it rises on the southern side of the Rohtang Pass in Kullu. The water travels through the Mandi District and the Kangra District. Eventually, the Beas flows into the Sutlej River.

A tiny, isolated group of Indus dolphins lives in these waters.

The river follows a winding path through the land. Near a place called Reh, the river actually splits into three separate channels. These channels flow apart but then join back together after passing Mirthal. As the river moves lower, it hits the Sivalik Hills at Mukerian. There, it turns sharply toward the north. It then bends around the base of the hills to flow south. This movement helps form the borders between different districts like Gurdaspur and Hoshiapur. The river also marks the boundary between Amritsar and Kapurthala.

Many old stories and names are tied to this water. In very old texts, the river was called Vipāś, which means "unfettered." Another legend says the river was once called Saraswati. There is also a story about a man named Vashishta. He tried to jump into the river, but the water changed into a sandbed to save him. Because his ropes broke, he named the river Vipasa, meaning "cord-breaker." The famous author Veda Vyasa is also linked to the river. Legend says he created the river from a lake called Beas Kund.

History shows that the Beas has seen many famous people. In 326 BC, the river was the eastern border of Alexander the Great's conquests. His soldiers refused to go any further at a place called Mukerian. Alexander even built twelve huge altars to mark his journey. Later, the river's path changed many times over the centuries. Between 1750 and 1800, the flow shifted and was captured by the Sutlej River. Even today, the water is shared between India and Pakistan through a special agreement called the Indus Waters Treaty.

Humans use the Beas River to create energy and grow food. In the 20th century, people built the Beas Project for power and farming. There are several dams along the river, like the Pandoh Dam and the Pong Dam. The Pong Dam was finished in 1974 and holds a huge amount of water. These projects help make electricity for many people. However, the river can also be difficult to manage. In 2023, heavy monsoon rains caused big floods in Himachal Pradesh. These floods caused a lot of damage to the area.

The Beas River is a significant waterway in northwestern India. It is the smallest of the five major rivers in the Punjab region. The river flows through the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.

It serves as a vital resource for irrigation and hydroelectric power. The river also supports a tiny, isolated population of the Indus dolphin. This rare mammal lives within the river's waters as of 2017.

The river begins its journey high in the Himalayas. It rises on the southern face of the Rohtang Pass in Kullu. From there, it travels through the Mandi District. It then enters the Kangra District at a place called Sandhol. Near Reh in the Kangra District, the river undergoes a unique change. It divides into three separate channels. These channels reunite after they pass Mirthal.

As the river reaches the Sivalik Hills at Mukerian, it sweeps sharply northward. It then bends around the base of these hills to flow south. This path creates boundaries between several districts, including Gurdaspur and Hoshiapur. Finally, the Beas joins the Sutlej River at the southwestern boundary of the Kapurthala district. Its main tributaries include the Bain, Banganga, Luni, and Uhal rivers.

Ancient texts and legends provide many names for the river. The Rig-veda calls it Vipāś, which means "unfettered." In later Sanskrit texts, it is known as Vipāśā. The Greek historian Plinius used the name Hypasis. Some legends suggest the river was once known as the Saraswati. One story involves the Rishi Vashishta. He reportedly tried to drown himself by jumping from a hill. The river changed into a sandbed to save him. This event broke his cords, so he named the river Vipasa, meaning "cord-breaker." Another legend links the name Beas to the author Veda Vyasa. He is said to have created the river from the Beas Kund lake.

History shows the river has been a landmark for many empires. In 326 BC, the Beas marked the eastern limit of Alexander the Great's conquests. His troops mutinied at Mukerian and refused to advance further. Alexander responded by building twelve colossal altars to mark his expedition. The exact location of these altars remains unknown. Some historians believe they were later used to make the Pillars of Ashoka. Centuries later, the kingdom of the monarch Mahipala I extended to the upper course of the Beas. The river's physical course has also shifted significantly over time. Between 1750 and 1800, the flow was captured by the Sutlej River. This followed many previous changes to its path.

Modern engineering has transformed how the river is used. The Beas Project was developed in the 20th century for power and farming. The Pandoh Dam is located in the Mandi District. It generates 990 MW of power and diverts water to the Sutlej River. The Pong Dam, completed in 1974, is an earth-fill dam in the Kangra District. It holds 8570 MCM of water for irrigation and electricity. Nearby, the Shahnehar Barrage was completed in 1983. It provides 207 MW of power. The Harike Barrage sits at the confluence of the Beas and Sutlej rivers. It diverts water into canals for use in Punjab and Rajasthan.

While the river provides much, it also presents challenges. In 2023, heavy monsoon rains caused severe flooding in Himachal Pradesh. The damage to the state was estimated at $1B. The floods resulted in a loss of life exceeding 400 people. There was also a tragedy involving the Larji dam. When its flood gates opened, 24 engineering students and one operator drowned. Human activity can also affect water quality. In 2018, a sugar mill released molasses into the river near Gurdaspur. This caused many fish and aquatic animals to die. The river turned a rust brown color during this event.

The Beas River is part of a much larger system. Its water is managed under the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan. The mean annual flow of the river is 14.203 million acre feet. The Sutlej River, which the Beas joins, eventually flows into Pakistani Punjab. It joins the Chenab River to form the Panjnad River. This river finally joins the Indus River at Mithankot. The river remains a central part of the geography and history of the region.