RIVER TAPTI

1. Tapti River Introduction

The Tapti River is a river in central India, in Gujarat passing from Surat and Songadh . It is one of the major rivers of peninsular India with a length of around 724 km. It is one of only three rivers in peninsular India that run from east to west - the others being the Narmada River and the Mahi River of Pondichery state .

We pass through Mahi on the way to Kannur from Calicut of Kerala state!!

The river rises in the eastern Satpura Range of southern Madhya Pradesh state, and flows westward, draining Madhya Pradesh's Nimar region, Maharashtra's Kandesh and east Vidarbha regions in the northwest corner of the Deccan Plateau and south Gujarat, before emptying into the Gulf of Cambay of the Arabian Sea, in the Surat District of Gujarat.

The river, along with the northern parallel Narmada River, forms the boundaries between North and South India. (If I recollect this was toaught in middle school classes)

 The Western Ghats or Sahyadri range starts south of the Tapti River near the border of Gujarat and Maharashtra. The Tapti (Tapi) River empties into the Gulf of Khambhat near the city of Surat in Gujarat.

2. Name- Mythology origin

The Tapti River originates in the Betul district from a place called Multai. The Sanskrit name of Multai is Mulatapi, meaning origin of Tāpī Mātā or the Tapti River.

Tapti is the daughter of Surya, the Sun God. (I knew about YAMI brother of Yama, but Tapthi also daughter of SunGod is new information to me)

The Tapi River in Thailand, was named after India's Tapti River in August 1915.

3. River basin and tributaries

The Tapti River basin encompasses an area of 65,145 km², which is nearly two percent of the total area of India. The basin lies in the states of Maharashtra (51,504 km²), Madhya Pradesh (9,804 km²) and Gujarat (3,837 km²).

The basin lies mostly in the northern and eastern districts Maharashtra state, including Amravati, Akola, Buldhana, Washim, Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar, and Nashik districts, but also includes the Betul and Burhanpur districts of Madhya Pradesh and the Surat district of Gujarat.

4. List of tributaries

The principal tributaries of the Tapti River are the Purna River, Girna River, Panzara River, Waghur River, Bori River and Aner River. Wikipedia list 42 more rivers (Forty two rivers !!!) as other tributaries which include: Shiva River in Nandurbar district of Maharashtra State .Arunavati River in Dhule district of Maharashtra state

Girna River in Nashik, Malegaon, Jalgaon districts of Maharashtra state. Joins Tapti River at Kapileshwar at Dhule and Jalgaon Border

Purna River in Amravati, Akola, Buldhana, Jalgaon districts of Maharashtra state and Madhya Pradesh State. Joins Tapti River at Changdev in Jalgaon

Nala ganga  and Viswa ganga rivers in Buldhana

Viswamithri and Umaa rivers  in Akola

Chandra Bhaga and Khadu rivers in Amaravati

5. Some thing more about Poorna River 

The word Purna means Complete. It is also equivalent to word 'Sampurna' 

Purna River was also called as 'Payoshni' or 'Paisani'. ("Amrut") It is Sanskrit word which means Ambrosia. Perhaps it was called as Payoshni/Paisani because it flows through salt water belt but has very a good taste and is very Hygenic.There are many rivers named as Purna 

5. Places of interest

Major towns along the river include Multai, Betul and Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh, Bhusawal in Maharashtra and Surat in Gujarat.

Major crossings of the river include the road bridge Sawalde in Dhule for National Highway 3 and the railway bridge at Bhusawal for the Bhusawal - Khandwa section of the Central Railway. The river is dammed by Hatnur Dam in Jalgaon, Maharashtra and Ukai Dam in Songadh, Gujarat.

Other important sites along the river include the Melghat Tiger Reserve in Amravati district, part of Project Tiger, on the southeast bank along the Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra boundary. Historical landmarks include the Asirgarh fortress near Burhanpur, also known as the "key to the Deccan", and the ancient Temple of Changdeo Maharaj at Changdev in Jalgaon.

6. Sangamam Introduction

Sangam is the confluence of three of the holiest rivers in Hindu mythology - Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati.

At the Sangam, the waters of the Ganges and the Yamuna can be distinctly seen to merge into one. At Allahabad, the meeting point of the rivers is believed to have great soul cleansing powers and is a major pilgrimage site. It is even more holy because the invisible Saraswati River is supposed to the join the Ganga and Yamuna at this point. It is in Allahabad we perform the 1^st phase of Gaya sraadha.

7. Legendry Saga:

According to mythology, the gods and demons once churned the oceans to retrieve a pitcher containing the nectar of immortality - amrit -- after which a struggle ensued between the two to wrest control of this pitcher. It is said that during the scuffle, a few drops of amrit were spilled at places, making them hallowed and sacred. The waters at the Sangam are believed to have received the amrit too and a dip in these holy waters during the Kumbh is believed to cleanse and purify the soul.

8. Religious Importance:

Brahma is said to have called this spot Tirth Raj, or 'King of Pilgrimage sites'. The holy confluence draws pilgrims at all times, especially during the Kumbh Mela time when loyal pilgrims gather here to offer their penances and seek blessings.

It is believed that it is at the Sangam, that a few drops of the nectar 'Amrit Bindu' fell making its waters truly spiritual and replete with soul-cleansing powers as told earlier too.

9.Kumbha mela

During the month of Magha (Mid Jan to Mid Feb) hundreds of thousands of pilgrims come to the bath at this holy confluence for the festival known as Magh Mela.

The most propitious time of all happens every 12 years when the massive Kumbh Mela takes place. At this time the Sangam truly comes alive and attracts the devout/tourists from all over the world. Millions of devotees bathe ritually in the waters to break the eternal cycle of reincarnation