| Bagmati (kathmandu) | |
| River | |
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Bagmati River
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| Country | Nepal |
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| Mouth | Confluence with Bishnumati River, |
| - location | Bagdwaar, Kathmandu, Nepal |
| - coordinates | |
The Bagmati River (Nepal Bhasa:बागमती खुसी, Nepali: बागमती नदी) is a river of Nepal and India. It flows through the Kathmandu valley and is the river separating Kathmandu from Lalitpur. It is considered a holy river both by Hindus and Buddhists. A number of Hindu temples are located on the banks of this river.
The importance of Bagmati also lies in the fact that Hindus are cremated on the banks of this holy river, and Kirants are buried in the hills by its side. According to the Nepalese Hindu tradition, the dead body must be dipped three times into the Bagmati river before cremation. The chief mourner (usually the first son) who lights the funeral pyre must take a holy river-water bath immediately after cremation. Many relatives who join the funeral procession also take a bath in the Bagmati River or sprinkle the holy water on their bodies at the end of cremation. The Bagmati River is considered to purify the people spiritually.
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The Bagmati originates where three headwater streams converge at Bāghdwār (Nepali: बाघ bāgh = Tiger; द्वार dwār = gate) [1] [2] above the southern edge of the Shivapuri Hills about 15 km northeast of Kathmandu. Here the Bagmati is wide and swift with a high load of suspended solids, giving the river a grey appearance.[2] The river flows southwest about ten kilometres through terraced rice fields in Kathmandu Valley.[2] Resistant rock strata interrupt the flow in places, including at Pashupatinath Temple.[2] Beyond the temple, the river flows south until joined by the larger west-flowing Monahara River, then turns west itself. After entering Kathmandu's urban area more tributaries enter: relatively unpolluted[2] Dhobī Kholā[3][4] and sewage-laden Tukucha Khola.[2][5] The Bagmati passes the statues of Communist leaders Shapath and his brother Ashmin,[4], then Gokarna temple.
Then the river bends south and the Vishnumati enters from the right at Teku Dovan. The Vishnumati also rises in the Shivapuri Hills, some six km. west of the Bagmati's source. It flows south past Nagarjun Hill and Forest Reserve, Swayambhu Stupa and Durbar Square in Kathmandu. As it passes the center of Kathmandu, this tributary becomes heavily polluted and choked with trash.
Flowing generally south although with many curves, the Bagmatai reaches the edge of the Kathmandu Valley and enters Chobar Gorge near the Dakshinkali temple complex. The gorge cuts through the Mahabharat Range or Lesser Himalaya. The Bagmati also crosses the lower Sivalik Hills before reaching the Terai, then crosses into India at Dheng. It flows across Bihar districts Sitamarhi, Sheohar and finally Muzaffarpur where the Lakhandei joins above the Bagmati's confluence with the Koshi.
The Chobar gorge cuts through the Mahabharat Range, also called the Lesser Himalaya. This 2,000 to 3,000 meter range is the southern limit of the "middle hills" across Nepal, an important cultural boundary between distinctive Nepali and more Indian cultures and languages, as well as a major geological feature.
The basin of the Bagmati River, including the Kathmandu Valley, lies between the much larger Gandaki basin to the West and the Kosi Basin to the east. These adjacent basins extend north of the main Himalayan range and cross it in tremendous gorges, in fact the Arun tributary of the Kosi extends far into Tibet. The smaller Bagmati rises some distance south of the Himalaya. Without glacial sources, its flow is more dependent on rainfall, becoming very low during the hot season (April to early June), then peaking during the monsoon season (Mid June-Mid August). In these respects the Bagmati system resembles the (West) Rapti system lying between the Gandaki basin and the Karnali basin in the far west of Nepal.
Even before entering the urban area of Kathmandu, the Bagmati River is polluted by agricultural runoff and human waste. In Kathmandu the river receives a high load of untreated sewage. There is high pollution in bagmati river in Kathmandu because of its high population. People directly throw garbages in Bagmati river.[6] In particular the Hanumante khola, Dhobi khola, Tukucha khola and Bishnumati khola are the most polluted.[5] Attempts are being made to monitor the Bagmati River system and restore its cleanliness. These include "pollution loads modification, flow augmentation and placement of weirs at critical locations".[7] The "Friends of the Bagmati" is an organisation set up in November 2000. According to its website, its aim is, "to reverse the degradation of the Bagmati river."
There is no affect of flood in most of the areas that it touches but it has caused widespread sufferings to the people in Terai and northern districts of Bihar. In 1993, people have seen the worst destruction by this river. Poor water management, lack of proper weather forecasting and awareness among people were the main cause of mass destruction.[8]
The Temple of Pashupatinath, dedicated to Shiva, stands on an outcrop above the river north of Kathmandu.[2] It is considered to be one of the holy places of Hinduism.[2]
Public baths have been built supplied by a small hot spring.Where? Nearby are two small structure that over the last many centuries were shrines, first to Buddha and then to Hinduism. There a many sculptures along the walls. One sculpture fragment shows the remnant of a Buddha triptych, a Buddha flanked by two bodhisattvas.[9]
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