Teesta River

The Teesta River (Pron:ti:ˈstə) or Tista (Nepali: टिष्टा, Hindi टीस्ता, Bengali তিস্তা) is said to be the lifeline of the Indian state of Sikkim, flowing for almost the entire length of the state and carving out verdant Himalayan temperate and tropical river valleys. The river then forms the border between Sikkim and West Bengal before joining the Jamuna (Brahmaputra) as a tributary in Bangladesh. The total length of the river is 309 kilometres (192 mi). It drains an area of 12,540 square kilometres (4,840 sq mi).

Course

The Teesta River originates from the Pahunri (or Teesta Kangse) glacier above 7,068 metres (23,189 ft), and flows southward through gorges and rapids in the Sikkim Himalaya. It is fed by rivulets arising in the Thangu, Yumthang and Donkha mountain ranges. The river then flows past the town of Rangpo where the Rangpo River joins, and where it forms the border between Sikkim and West Bengal up to Teesta Bazaar. Just before the Teesta Bridge, where the roads from Kalimpong and Darjeeling join, the river is met by its main tributary, the Rangeet River. At this point, it changes course southwards flowing into West Bengal. The river hits the plains at Sevoke, 22 kilometres (14 mi) north of Siliguri, where it is spanned by the Coronation Bridge linking the northeast states to the rest of India. The river then courses its way to Jalpaiguri and then touches a very small part of Cooch Behar and then enters into the Rangpur District of Bangladesh, before finally merging with the Brahmaputra River at Fulchori.