The Chindwin River (Burmese: Chindwin Myin), also known as the Ningthi River[3][4] (Meitei: Ningthi Turel[5][6][a]), is a river flowing entirely in Myanmar, and the largest tributary of the country's main river, the Ayeyarwady.[7] Its official name is also spelled Chindwinn.[8]
The headwaters of the Tanai are at about 25°30′N97°0′E / 25.500°N 97.000°E / 25.500; 97.000 on the Shwedaunggyi peak of the Kumon range, 12 miles (19 km) north of Mogaung. It flows due north for the first part until it reaches the Hukawng Valley. In 2004, the government established the world's largest tiger preserve in the Hukawng Valley, the Hukaung Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, with an area of approximately 6,500 km2 (2,500 sq mi); later, the Sanctuary was extended to 21,800 square kilometres (8,400 sq mi), making it the largest protected area in mainland Southeast Asia. The river then turns to the west and flows through the middle of the plain,[7] joined by the Tabye, the Tawan, and the Taron rivers from the right bank. These rivers drain the mountain ranges to the north and northeast of the Hukawng valley.
CourseEdit
The Tanai exits the Hukawng valley through the Taron or Turong valley and through a sharp defile in the river. It then takes on the name of Chindwin, and maintains a general southerly course.[7] It passes the town of Singkaling Hkamti on the left bank, then the town of Homalin, also on the left bank.
The river's course is generally southwesterly until the town of Mingin. It then takes a more southeasterly course entering into broad central plain, passing the city of Monywa on the left bank. Its course at this point forms the boundary between the Sagaing District of Sagaing Region and the Pakokku District of Magway Region.
It enters the Ayeyarwady River (Irrawaddy) at about 21°30′N95°15′E / 21.500°N 95.250°E / 21.500; 95.250. The extreme outlets into the Ayeyarwady are about 22 miles (35 km) apart, the interval forming a succession of long, low, partially populated islands. The lowest mouth of the Chindwin is, according to tradition, an artificial channel, cut by one of the kings of Bagan (Pagan). It was choked up for centuries until 1824 when it was opened out by an exceptional flood.[9] Satellite pictures show this lowest channel to be the widest one today.[10]
DischargeEdit
Average, minimum and maximum discharge of the Chindwin River at Monywa. Period from 1966/01/01 to 2022/12/31:[2][11]
Year
Discharge (m3/s)
Year
Discharge (m3/s)
Min
Mean
Max
Min
Mean
Max
1966
610
5,611
24,550
1995
684
4,977
20,680
1967
775
4,812
17,740
1996
616
3,989
16,080
1968
757
5,137
25,450
1997
432
4,434
20,400
1969
582
4,006
20,130
1998
736
5,113
19,600
1970
548
4,775
19,790
1999
480
5,188
21,530
1971
509
5,792
19,450
2000
632
5,514
18,740
1972
757
3,257
16,490
2001
512
4,278
14,040
1973
530
5,103
21,700
2002
672
4,595
24,300
1974
921
5,566
25,000
2003
744
5,134
18,460
1975
709
4,493
17,840
2004
608
5,862
19,770
1976
892
6,928
26,650
2005
552
3,486
16,200
1977
798
4,398
23,800
2006
242
3,771
16,520
1978
672
3,956
16,540
2007
318
5,355
19,740
1979
530
4,063
18,920
2008
288
4,500
23,270
1980
806
5,075
20,300
2009
257
3,232
16,160
1981
790
3,833
16,010
2010
121
3,898
13,787
1982
650
4,385
23,160
2011
132
3,771
19,673
1983
653
4,247
18,840
2012
343
4,817
16,600
1984
600
5,091
22,710
2013
201
4,236
16,560
1985
613
5,305
19,450
2014
297
3,169
18,081
1986
591
3,981
15,420
2015
4,585
25,510
1987
659
5,339
20,010
2016
802
5,160
19,067
1988
610
5,097
25,450
2017
6,776
21,831
1989
783
4,796
22,490
2018
5,618
19,019
1990
907
5,670
20,580
2019
477
4,290
12,963
1991
852
6,488
25,600
2020
6,114
17,800
1992
1,039
4,102
14,470
2021
276
4,776
16,610
1993
981
4,826
21,140
2022
972
4,603
11,805
1994
644
3,439
13,410
Mean
677
4,751
19,411
TributariesEdit
Uyu River is the largest tributary joining the Chindwin river just below Homalin on the left. The famous jade mines at Hpakant lie in the headwaters of the Uyu.[12][13]
Myittha River drains the Kale valley and joins on the right further downstream. The town of Kalewa is on the left bank of their confluence.
Much of Chindwin's course lies within mountain ranges and forests. Due to the difficulty of access, much of it remains unspoilt. The government of Burma recently created a very large (2,500 square mile) sanctuary for the endangered tiger within the Hukawng Valley.[15]
HistoryEdit
The mountain ranges to the west of the Chindwin are formidable, yet not totally impregnable to armies. The Kabaw valley saw many an invasion by the kingdom of Manipur to the west, most notably during the reign of King Garibaniwaj (1709–1748) when his army crossed over the Chindwin and the Mu, took Myedu, and reached as far as Sagaing opposite the capital Ava. The tables were turned in 1758 after King Alaungpaya ascended the Burmese throne.[16] The Burmese army invaded and occupied Manipur and Assam marching across the western mountain ranges, and even encroached upon British India.
During World War II, when the Japanese had cut off sea access, the British army and other allied forces under General Joseph Stilwell retreated on foot to India across the same mountains, with disastrous results, mainly due to disease and hunger. The Ledo Road was built across the Hukawng valley to supply China.[17] The Chindwin was a major barrier both for the Japanese trying to invade India and for the Allied forces to reoccupy Burma.[18]
Ethnography and cultureEdit
The chindwin river has a great impact on the culture of western Burma.[19] Central Sino-Tibetan languages originated from valley areas of this river.
EconomicsEdit
The Chindwin is served by regular river-going vessels up to the town of Homalin. Teak forests within its drainage area have been a valuable resource since ancient times. The Hukawng Valley is known for its abundance of Burmese amber. Along the river, there are deposits of jade, but Hpakant in the headwaters of the Uyu river is the only place in the world where the finest jade - known as jadeite or imperial jade - is found, along with an abundance of fish.[12][13]
NotesEdit
^The name in Meitei language (officially called Manipuri language) is notable to be mentioned because many important historical events, associated with the Manipuri and the Burmese people, happened in and around the very river. Its Meitei language name is "Ningthi Turel". Here, "Turel" is a Meitei term for "river".
^ Pemberton, R. Boileau (1835). Report On The Eastern Frontier Of British India. Baptist Mission Press, Kolkata. pp. 19–20.; McCulloch, W.Maj (1859). Account of the Valley of Munnipore and of the Hill Tribes; with a Comparative Vocabulary of the Munnipore and other Languages. Bengal Printing Company Limited (Calcutta). pp. 8–40.; Siṃha, Kārāma Manimohana (1989), Hijam Irabot Singh and Political Movements in Manipur, B.R. Publishing Corporation, ISBN978-81-7018-578-9
^"Chindwin River | river, Myanmar | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2023-03-25. Called Ningthi by the Manipuris of India, it drains northwest through the Hukawng valley and then begins its 520-mile (840-kilometre) main course.
^"GENERAL / LATEST NEWS: ENVIS Centre, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Govt. of India". manenvis.nic.in. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India. National Informatics Centre. Retrieved 2023-03-25. The first being the Irrawaddy River Drainage system, where water flowing through the rivers of Manipur falls first into the Ningthi Turel (Chindwin River) and thereafter into the Irrawaddy River before discharging into the Bay of Bengal. . . . The Ningthi Turel (Chindwin River) System includes Tuijang, Taret and Maklang river basins.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^"AIMS writes to Waterways Minister to redevelop inland waterways". www.thesangaiexpress.com. Retrieved 2023-03-25. The riverine systems of Manipur falls into two major systems namely the Irrawaddy River System, where water flowing through the rivers of Manipur falls first into the Ningthi Turel (Chindwin River) and thereafter into the Irrawaddy River before discharging into the Bay of Bengal ...
^Baruah, Sri Surendra. . Tinsukia. Archived from the original on 2008-10-13. Retrieved 2008-11-19.
^"Chindwin River". The Pacific War Online Encyclopaedia. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
^Andrew Hsiu which taken from a journal titled "Morphological Evidence for a Central Branch of Trans-Himalayan (Sino-Tibetan)." by Scott DeLancey which was published on 2015
BibliographyEdit
J. G. Scott, Gazetteer of Upper Burma and the Shan States. 5 vols. Rangoon, 1900–1901
Chindwin River, OpenStreetMap, retrieved 8 August 2023.
Rivers Network - Chindwin Blog
The Chindwin River
October 15, 2023
chindwin, river, burmese, chindwin, myin, also, known, ningthi, river, meitei, ningthi, turel, river, flowing, entirely, myanmar, largest, tributary, country, main, river, ayeyarwady, official, name, also, spelled, chindwinn, burmese, tɕɪ, dwɪ, mjɪʔ, chindwin,. The Chindwin River Burmese Chindwin Myin also known as the Ningthi River 3 4 Meitei Ningthi Turel 5 6 a is a river flowing entirely in Myanmar and the largest tributary of the country s main river the Ayeyarwady 7 Its official name is also spelled Chindwinn 8 Chindwin RiverBurmese ခ င တ င မ စ IPA tɕɪ ɰ dwɪ ɰ mjɪʔ The Chindwin at Homalin The smaller meandering Uyu River can be seen joining the Chindwin LocationCountryMyanmarPhysical characteristicsSource locationHukawng Valley Kachin State coordinates27 3 26 7048 N 97 1 33 618 E 27 057418000 N 97 02600500 E 27 057418000 97 02600500 elevation1 134 m 3 720 ft Mouth locationIrrawaddy River coordinates21 28 26 N 95 16 53 E 21 47389 N 95 28139 E 21 47389 95 28139 elevation55 m 180 ft Length1 207 km 750 mi Basin size114 684 9 km2 44 280 1 sq mi 1 Discharge locationNear mouth average Period 1967 2009 149 7 km3 a 4 740 m3 s 2 Discharge locationMonywa 74 km upstream of mouth Basin size 110 350 km2 42 610 sq mi average Period 1966 2009 4 637 m3 s 163 800 cu ft s 2 minimum Period 1966 2009 649 m3 s 22 900 cu ft s 2 maximum Period 1966 2009 19 935 m3 s 704 000 cu ft s 2 Discharge locationHkamti Basin size 27 420 km2 10 590 sq mi average Period 1972 2009 2 290 m3 s 81 000 cu ft s 2 minimum Period 1972 2009 109 m3 s 3 800 cu ft s 2 maximum Period 1972 2009 14 150 m3 s 500 000 cu ft s 2 Basin featuresTributaries leftUyu rightMyittha Contents 1 Sources 2 Course 3 Discharge 4 Tributaries 5 Towns 6 Environment 7 History 8 Ethnography and culture 9 Economics 10 Notes 11 References 12 Bibliography 13 External linksSources EditThe Chindwin originates in the broad Hukawng Valley of Kachin State of Burma roughly 26 26 18 N 96 33 32 E 26 43833 N 96 55889 E 26 43833 96 55889 where the Tanai the Tabye the Tawan and the Taron also known as Turong or Towang rivers meet The headwaters of the Tanai are at about 25 30 N 97 0 E 25 500 N 97 000 E 25 500 97 000 on the Shwedaunggyi peak of the Kumon range 12 miles 19 km north of Mogaung It flows due north for the first part until it reaches the Hukawng Valley In 2004 the government established the world s largest tiger preserve in the Hukawng Valley the Hukaung Valley Wildlife Sanctuary with an area of approximately 6 500 km2 2 500 sq mi later the Sanctuary was extended to 21 800 square kilometres 8 400 sq mi making it the largest protected area in mainland Southeast Asia The river then turns to the west and flows through the middle of the plain 7 joined by the Tabye the Tawan and the Taron rivers from the right bank These rivers drain the mountain ranges to the north and northeast of the Hukawng valley Course EditThe Tanai exits the Hukawng valley through the Taron or Turong valley and through a sharp defile in the river It then takes on the name of Chindwin and maintains a general southerly course 7 It passes the town of Singkaling Hkamti on the left bank then the town of Homalin also on the left bank The river s course is generally southwesterly until the town of Mingin It then takes a more southeasterly course entering into broad central plain passing the city of Monywa on the left bank Its course at this point forms the boundary between the Sagaing District of Sagaing Region and the Pakokku District of Magway Region It enters the Ayeyarwady River Irrawaddy at about 21 30 N 95 15 E 21 500 N 95 250 E 21 500 95 250 The extreme outlets into the Ayeyarwady are about 22 miles 35 km apart the interval forming a succession of long low partially populated islands The lowest mouth of the Chindwin is according to tradition an artificial channel cut by one of the kings of Bagan Pagan It was choked up for centuries until 1824 when it was opened out by an exceptional flood 9 Satellite pictures show this lowest channel to be the widest one today 10 Discharge EditAverage minimum and maximum discharge of the Chindwin River at Monywa Period from 1966 01 01 to 2022 12 31 2 11 Year Discharge m3 s Year Discharge m3 s Min Mean Max Min Mean Max1966 610 5 611 24 550 1995 684 4 977 20 6801967 775 4 812 17 740 1996 616 3 989 16 0801968 757 5 137 25 450 1997 432 4 434 20 4001969 582 4 006 20 130 1998 736 5 113 19 6001970 548 4 775 19 790 1999 480 5 188 21 5301971 509 5 792 19 450 2000 632 5 514 18 7401972 757 3 257 16 490 2001 512 4 278 14 0401973 530 5 103 21 700 2002 672 4 595 24 3001974 921 5 566 25 000 2003 744 5 134 18 4601975 709 4 493 17 840 2004 608 5 862 19 7701976 892 6 928 26 650 2005 552 3 486 16 2001977 798 4 398 23 800 2006 242 3 771 16 5201978 672 3 956 16 540 2007 318 5 355 19 7401979 530 4 063 18 920 2008 288 4 500 23 2701980 806 5 075 20 300 2009 257 3 232 16 1601981 790 3 833 16 010 2010 121 3 898 13 7871982 650 4 385 23 160 2011 132 3 771 19 6731983 653 4 247 18 840 2012 343 4 817 16 6001984 600 5 091 22 710 2013 201 4 236 16 5601985 613 5 305 19 450 2014 297 3 169 18 0811986 591 3 981 15 420 2015 4 585 25 5101987 659 5 339 20 010 2016 802 5 160 19 0671988 610 5 097 25 450 2017 6 776 21 8311989 783 4 796 22 490 2018 5 618 19 0191990 907 5 670 20 580 2019 477 4 290 12 9631991 852 6 488 25 600 2020 6 114 17 8001992 1 039 4 102 14 470 2021 276 4 776 16 6101993 981 4 826 21 140 2022 972 4 603 11 8051994 644 3 439 13 410 Mean 677 4 751 19 411Tributaries EditUyu River is the largest tributary joining the Chindwin river just below Homalin on the left The famous jade mines at Hpakant lie in the headwaters of the Uyu 12 13 Myittha River drains the Kale valley and joins on the right further downstream The town of Kalewa is on the left bank of their confluence Tizu River originates from central Nagaland in northeast India It flows through Zunheboto and Phek districts and finally joins the Chindwin river citation needed Towns Edit nbsp River Chindwin at Monywa nbsp 1980 River Chindwin 30 km NE of Monywa with Lower Chindwin crater lakeHkamti Htamanthi Homalin Mawlaik Kalewa Kalaymyo Mingin Monywa 14 Environment EditMuch of Chindwin s course lies within mountain ranges and forests Due to the difficulty of access much of it remains unspoilt The government of Burma recently created a very large 2 500 square mile sanctuary for the endangered tiger within the Hukawng Valley 15 History EditThe mountain ranges to the west of the Chindwin are formidable yet not totally impregnable to armies The Kabaw valley saw many an invasion by the kingdom of Manipur to the west most notably during the reign of King Garibaniwaj 1709 1748 when his army crossed over the Chindwin and the Mu took Myedu and reached as far as Sagaing opposite the capital Ava The tables were turned in 1758 after King Alaungpaya ascended the Burmese throne 16 The Burmese army invaded and occupied Manipur and Assam marching across the western mountain ranges and even encroached upon British India During World War II when the Japanese had cut off sea access the British army and other allied forces under General Joseph Stilwell retreated on foot to India across the same mountains with disastrous results mainly due to disease and hunger The Ledo Road was built across the Hukawng valley to supply China 17 The Chindwin was a major barrier both for the Japanese trying to invade India and for the Allied forces to reoccupy Burma 18 Ethnography and culture EditThe chindwin river has a great impact on the culture of western Burma 19 Central Sino Tibetan languages originated from valley areas of this river Economics EditThe Chindwin is served by regular river going vessels up to the town of Homalin Teak forests within its drainage area have been a valuable resource since ancient times The Hukawng Valley is known for its abundance of Burmese amber Along the river there are deposits of jade but Hpakant in the headwaters of the Uyu river is the only place in the world where the finest jade known as jadeite or imperial jade is found along with an abundance of fish 12 13 Notes Edit The name in Meitei language officially called Manipuri language is notable to be mentioned because many important historical events associated with the Manipuri and the Burmese people happened in and around the very river Its Meitei language name is Ningthi Turel Here Turel is a Meitei term for river References Edit Chindwin a b c d e f g h Chikamori Hidetaka Liu Heng Daniell Trevor Myanmar 1 Chindwin River PDF Pemberton R Boileau 1835 Report On The Eastern Frontier Of British India Baptist Mission Press Kolkata pp 19 20 McCulloch W Maj 1859 Account of the Valley of Munnipore and of the Hill Tribes with a Comparative Vocabulary of the Munnipore and other Languages Bengal Printing Company Limited Calcutta pp 8 40 Siṃha Karama Manimohana 1989 Hijam Irabot Singh and Political Movements in Manipur B R Publishing Corporation ISBN 978 81 7018 578 9 Chindwin River river Myanmar Britannica www britannica com Retrieved 2023 03 25 Called Ningthi by the Manipuris of India it drains northwest through the Hukawng valley and then begins its 520 mile 840 kilometre main course GENERAL LATEST NEWS ENVIS Centre Ministry of Environment Forest amp Climate Change Govt of India manenvis nic in Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change Government of India National Informatics Centre Retrieved 2023 03 25 The first being the Irrawaddy River Drainage system where water flowing through the rivers of Manipur falls first into the Ningthi Turel Chindwin River and thereafter into the Irrawaddy River before discharging into the Bay of Bengal The Ningthi Turel Chindwin River System includes Tuijang Taret and Maklang river basins a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint others link AIMS writes to Waterways Minister to redevelop inland waterways www thesangaiexpress com Retrieved 2023 03 25 The riverine systems of Manipur falls into two major systems namely the Irrawaddy River System where water flowing through the rivers of Manipur falls first into the Ningthi Turel Chindwin River and thereafter into the Irrawaddy River before discharging into the Bay of Bengal a b c Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Chindwin Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 6 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 232 Archived copy PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2018 07 28 Retrieved 2018 08 08 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Chindwin River Encyclopaedia Britannica online Retrieved 2008 10 07 Earth from Space NASA November 1998 Archived from the original on 2007 08 02 Retrieved 2008 10 07 River Discharge and Reservoir Storage Changes Using Satellite Microwave Radiometry a b Hpakan Other Rock Mine Myanmar aditnow co uk Retrieved 2008 12 27 a b Richard W Hughes Fred Ward Heaven and Hell The Quest for Jade in Upper Burma Ruby Sapphire com Archived from the original on 2009 02 05 Retrieved 2008 12 27 Map of Sagaing Division Asterism Retrieved 2008 10 07 Rationale for a National Tiger Action Plan for Myanmar PDF Wildlife Conservation Society WCS Archived from the original PDF on 2009 02 26 Retrieved 2008 12 27 Phanjoubam Tarapot 2003 Bleeding Manipur Har Anand Publications pp 112 3 ISBN 978 81 241 0902 1 Retrieved 2008 11 19 Baruah Sri Surendra The Stillwell Road A Historical Review Tinsukia Archived from the original on 2008 10 13 Retrieved 2008 11 19 Chindwin River The Pacific War Online Encyclopaedia Retrieved 2008 10 07 Andrew Hsiu which taken from a journal titled Morphological Evidence for a Central Branch of Trans Himalayan Sino Tibetan by Scott DeLancey which was published on 2015Bibliography EditJ G Scott Gazetteer of Upper Burma and the Shan States 5 vols Rangoon 1900 1901External links EditMap all coordinates using OpenStreetMapDownload coordinates as KML GPX all coordinates GPX primary coordinates GPX secondary coordinates Chindwin River OpenStreetMap retrieved 8 August 2023 Rivers Network Chindwin Blog The Chindwin River Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chindwin River amp oldid 1169952262, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,