The Rapti River: Odyssey from Nepal to India

A river is system which forms a unique way of representation where it flows from its origin point till it meets another river or debouches into sea or ocean. The rivers in Indian system have either their origin from mountainous terrain, foothills, alluvial plains or peninsular parts. The rivers originating from hilly regions and making their path in alluvial plains have complex nature of landscapes. The Rapti River in this context has unique manifestations of landforms, geomorphic set-up, water transport and erosion capacity, huge floodplain deposits and sedimentological associations. Along with this, the river is identified for various channel geomorphic indices and neo-tectonic activities. The river is also recognized for its catastrophic activities such as floods in the Ganga Plain and landslides in hilly regions of Nepal. Thus, with the differential approach of positive and negative paradigms, the Rapti River has salient features to study for natural resources managements, development projects and geological and geomorphic applications. In the present works, the Rapti River has been explored from its origin to confluence to initiate an understanding for its odyssey and manifestations during its traverse. The study shows the varying facets of the channel morphology, natural hazard dynamics, landform changes and tectonic perturbations of fluvial system.