History of Evolution of the Rupnarayan River, West Bengal, India

Abstract

River Silabati joins with river Dwarakeswar at Bandar, near Ghatal and gives the birth of the Rupnarayan river. Earlier maps reveal that river Rupnarayan has changed its course significantly within historic times. In Gastaldi map (1561) the river was named as Ganga and in Van Den Broucke’s map (1660) it was named as Patragatta River. Finally, the river was named as Rupnarayan in Rennell’s map (1764-1776). Gastaldi’s map (1561) shows that, the river Rupnarayan is discharging its water through its two bifurcated channels bordering an island at the mouth. But in the map of 1703, the south-easterly channel has disappeared. Presently, a large amount of water and sediment of Rupnarayan river and its tributaries are being discharged to the Hoogly river (near Geonkhali) through out the year.