Atrai River

Atrai River
Atreyee River
Map
Location
CountriesIndia and Bangladesh
StateWest Bengal
Physical characteristics
SourceJorapani river[citation needed]
 • locationnear Baikanthapur forest, Ward No 40, Siliguri, West Bengal, India[1]
MouthChalan Beel
Length390 km (240 mi)
Discharge 
 • locationChalan Beel

Atrai River (also spelt as Atreyee) (Bengali: আত্রাই/আত্রেয়ী নদী, romanizedātrāi/ātrēẏī nadī) flows in West Bengal and northern parts of Bangladesh.

In ancient times the river was called Atreyee and finds a mention in the Mahabharata, one of the two Sanskrit epics of ancient India. It is linked with Jorapani river,[2] Fuleswari river,[3] and Karatoya River. The Atrai originates in Siliguri ward no 40, near Baikanthapur forest of West Bengal and then after flowing through Dinajpur District of Bangladesh, it enters India again.[4] It passes through Kumarganj and Balurghat community development blocks in Dakshin Dinajpur district.[5] The river then renters Bangladesh. It splits into two rivers—the Gabura and the Kankra in Dinajpur district. It crosses the Barind Tract and flows into Chalan Beel.[4] The river serves as a perennial source of fishing, even though it is often the cause of flooding in many areas during monsoons.[6]

The total length of this river is approximately 240 miles (390 km). The maximum depth of the river is 99 feet (30 m).

Atrai river during monsoon, a view from Atrai Upazila, Naogaon District, Bangladesh


References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Siliguri ward No 40 History". Info Data India.
  2. ^ "Flooded: 10 Siliguri wards". The Telegraph (Kolkata).
  3. ^ "Asok taps Centre on river revival". The Telegraph (Kolkata).
  4. ^ a b Mesbah-us-Saleheen (2012). "Atrai River". In Sirajul Islam and Ahmed A. Jamal (ed.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  5. ^ "Dakshin Dinajpur". River. District administration. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  6. ^ "Flood Prevention plan for river Atreyee". District administration. Retrieved 19 August 2009.

25°14′48″N 88°46′32″E / 25.24667°N 88.77556°E / 25.24667; 88.77556