Introduction:
Sutlej is a tributary of the river Indus, with its source at Lake Rakshastal, lying close to the west of Lake Manasarovar and near Mount Kailash in Tibet. The river was known as Satadru in the Vedic period and used to be a tributary of the River Saraswati. During the Mahabharata period, Sutlej is believed to have moved away from Saraswati due to tectonic and climatic reasons leaving the pre-historic river dry and extinct.
Sutlej originating at the Lake Rakshastal's north western tip is the easternmost tributary of the river Indus. The river is more ancient than the young Himalayas, and is one of the three rivers that flowed before the Himalayas rose, the other rivers being Sindhu (Indus), and Brahmaputra.
Originally Lake Rakshastal, the source of the River Sutlej was joined to the sacred lake Manasarovar, and was later split from it due to geological activity. It is still somewhat connected at present with the Manasarovar Lake through a natural channel called as Ganga Chhu. Lake Rakshastal covering a total area of 70 square kilometres (27 sq mi) is at an altitude of 4,752 metres (15,590 ft). As per Hindu myths Lake Rakshastal is believed to be an abode of Ravana, who was the ten-headed demon king of Lanka. The lake set as a contrast to the holy Lake Manasarover according to Hindu Mythology was created by the demon king Ravana, for acquiring superpowers from Lord Shiva. On the other hand Buddhist belief regards the adjacent Lake Manasarovar round in shape like the sun as 'brightness' and Lake Rakshastal on the other-hand shaped like a crescent as 'darkness'. Lake Rakshastal is considered to be poisonous by the locale inhabitants, is void of fish, water weeds, and is salty unlike The Manasarovar, which is a fresh water lake.
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The river flows westwards from Tibet and enters the Indian Territory through a formidable gorge near Shipki La pass in Himachal Pradesh. Thereafter, it flows through the enchanting landscapes of Kinnaur and in its passage across the river successively cuts across three great Himalayan mountain ranges, the Zanskar range, Great Himalayan range and the Dhauladhar range carving a deep and narrow valley.
It joins the Beas River in Hari-Ke-Patan near Amritsar which further joins the Chenab River. The Chenab River joins the Indus River which finally flows into the Arabian Sea near Karachi in Pakistan.
The most spectacular part of the rivers journey is as it cuts through the administrative districts of Kinnaur, Shimla, Kulu and Mandi in the Himachal Himalayas. The area is endowed with some of the most beautiful sceneries and is a traveller’s paradise offering many a choice of picturesque destinations and numerous outdoor activities. The landscapes offer ample sights with towering snow peaks and deep mountain valleys, swift rivers, isolated mountain lakes and meadows, and of course scores of ancient temples and monasteries. The region is an ideal destination for a traveller seeking solitude and relaxation, offers an exceptional sightseeing experience and a prospect for indulging in outdoor activities like Trekking, Camping, Mountaineering, Angling, Para Gliding, Skiing, Ice Skating and golf.
In the next parts, I will try to briefly pen down more details on this great river, its journey to the Arabian Sea, destinations worth visiting and activities for the discerning traveller:
The Sutlej River Valley (Part 2) - Kinnaur Himalayas
The Sutlej River Valley (Part 3) - Hill Station Getaways
The Sutlej River Valley (Part 4) – Outdoor Activities for the Discerning Traveler
The Sutlej River Valley (Part 5) - People, Culture, Fairs & Festivals
The Sutlej River Valley (Part 6) - Journey across the Plains of Punjab, till its convergence with the Indus River
The Sutlej River Valley (Part 7) - Sutlej as a Tributary of Saraswati – The Ancient River Lost in the Desert.
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