Chandra River is one of the two rivers; the other one is Bhaga, which
merges to form the Chenab in the Lahaul region of Himachal Pradesh. It rises
in the snows lying at the base of the main Himalayan range in the Lahaul and
Spiti district. The picturesque lake of Chandra Tal forms at this rivers
source site.
The Valley Of River Chandra
Valley of River Chandra is also known as “Rangloi”.
This river originates from the southeast slope of the Baralacha La and turns
abruptly west after traveling 48-km to flow another 64-km to meet with the
Bhaga River at Tandi. Some of the main villages of this valley are -
Khoksar, Sissu (also spelt as Sisu), Gondhla and Thorang. The area of the
valley is about 2,600-sq-kms.
The Valley Of Bhaga
The Bhaga River rises in a small tarn called Suraj
Tal. The river pursues a southwesterly course for about 64-km and joins
Chandra at Tandi. The main villages in this valley are - Darcha, Peokar,
Satingri, Jispa, Ghemur, Keylong and Khardong. The area of this valley is
approximately 1,150-sq-kms.
The Valley Of Chandrabhaga
Both Chandra and Bhaga rivers meet at
Tandi forming Chandrabhaga or Chenab, which flows northeast. It passes at
Raoli, the last village of Lahaul, into Chamba district. Also known as
Pattan Valley, the area beyond Thirot is called Chamba-Lahaul because of the
of the Chamba supremacy in the past.
The valley area of Chndrabhaga in Lahau region is about 777-sq-kms. The
soil and the people of this area are considered to be the richest in the
region. Main villages over here include Tholand, Shasha, Lote, Jahlman,
Thirot and Udeypur.
The valley of Spiti derives its name from the Spiti River, which rises just
below the 16,000 ft high Kunzum Pass. After flowing for about 60 miles, it
joins the Sutlej River near the village of Namgiya in Kinnaur district. En
route it is fed several streams - Pin Cholmo, Gyundi, Rahtang, Ulah, Lungse,
Mane, Surahi, Hanze, Tagling, Thumpa Lumpa, Kaza, Lingti, Parechu and Tabo.
Valley Of Barren Splendour
Deep inside the inner folds of the
Himalays, behind the greater Himalayan ranges lies the valley of Spiti. The
sheer starkness of its beauty with its dramatic rock shapes and colours and
its distinct cultural identity gives it a unique character that makes it
stand apart from most of the other valleys of the Himalayas.
Huge mountains rise to very high elevations on either side of the Spiti
River and its numerous tributaries. The valley has largely been influenced
by the action of ancient glaciers. The river and its tributaries have
deposited almost barren river terraces. The river attains peak discharge in
late summers when snow on the mountains melts and it occasionally freezes in
winter.
The main settlements that have come up along the Spiti River and its
tributaries are Hansi and Dhankar Gompa.
