Lohit River

The Lohit River is the Brahmaputra River's farthest east tributary. The river rises in the Tirap Phasi Ranges of Eastern Tibet and flows into India through Kibitho, a small town near the border post. After entering the country, the river passes through Anjaw's Mishmi Hills before heading to Lohit district.

 

The river flows for about 200 kilometres from Tibet to Arunachal Pradesh before merging with the Brahmaputra River in Assam. This river is described as turbulent and uncontrollable. The name "Lohit" comes from the fact that it is a very active animal.

 

The Lohit River flows through the red laterite soils of the Lohit Basin before merging with the Brahmaputra River in Assam, earning it the nickname "the river of blood."

 

The Lohit River is vital to the state's socioeconomic development. The main river of Arunachal Pradesh contributes significantly to the state's drinking water, agriculture, and energy needs. The river is well-known for hosting a variety of water sports activities.

 

The Lohit Valley is a lovely, green place. It is a botanist's dream, as alpine vegetation gives way to sub-tropical forests in this densely forested area. This region contains some of India's most dense tropical jungles. Along the upper course of the river, rhododendrons bloom in a variety of colours, while orchids bloom in the lower course. The banks of the Lohit River are a veritable treasure trove of medicinal plants and herbs, as well as the home of Mishmi teeta, a Coptis plant with world-renowned medicinal properties.

 

In the hills, the Mishmis rule. The Khamptis and Singphos live in the plains, fervent Buddhists and migrants from Burma across the Patkai hills. Tibetan theology gives way to animist belief, which is replaced by Theravada Buddhism, which is then replaced by Hindu temples as the Lohit travels through. Near the tripoint of Tibet, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, this region is a melting pot of cultures.

 

The river is 2677 kilometres long in total. The river flows for a long time through Tibet's flat and dry regions before entering India's Arunachal Pradesh. Throughout the year, the river's water current is soothing. The geology of the Lohit River points to the river basin's productive alluvial plains. Singphos are the towns surrounding the Lohit River, where Burmese migrants have settled.

 

The Lohit River enters India from China and flows through Kibithu, India's easternmost inhabited point. This river is used by the Indian Army for various expeditions and training.

 

The Dhola–Sadiya Bridge, also known as the Bhupen Hazarika Setu, is India's longest beam bridge, connecting Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in the northeast. The bridge connects the villages of Dhola in the south and Sadiya in the north across the Lohit River.

 

On the lower reaches of Lohit, there is a Hindu pilgrimage called Parshuram Kund. Every year on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, in January, over 70,000 devotees and sadhus take a holy dip in its water.

 

The Bhupen Hazarika Setu, also known as the Dhola–Sadiya Bridge, is an Indian beam bridge that connects the states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in the northeast. From the village of Dhola (Tinsukia District) in the south to Sadiya in the north, the bridge spans the Lohit River, a major tributary of the Brahmaputra River. The bridge is the first permanent road link between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh's northern and eastern regions.

 

It is India's longest bridge over water, measuring 9.15 kilometres in length. The 9.76-kilometer Kacchi Dargah–Bidupur Bridge, which is currently under construction in the Indian state of Bihar, is expected to be India's longest bridge when it is completed in 2021.

 

The Dhola–Sadiya Bridge was designed to handle the weight of 60-tonne tanks like the Indian Army's Arjun and T-72 main battle tanks, allowing for rapid movement of India's defence assets in the aftermath of Chinese Army incursions. China has contested India's claim to Arunachal Pradesh along the Line of Actual Control since the Sino-Indian War, making the bridge an important tactical asset in the ongoing dispute.

 

The bridge was opened by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nitin Gadkari on May 26, 2017. (Minister of Road Transport and Highways). Bhupen Hazarika, an Assamese artist and filmmaker, is honoured with the bridge's name.