Fluvio-Historical Evolution of a Moribund Channel & Historical Background: Case Study Sunti River, 24 Pgs (N), West Bengal, India

Abstract

River can be conceptualized as a part of history as maximum civilization and historical evidences were developed and expanded along the banks of rivers. Any of the moribund channels or rivers of a region existing today could have fossilized history. As the evolution of a river is important from the aspect of fluvial morphology it is also significant for re-excavating history. Sunti River was a spill channel of Jamuna River that was an important branch of Bhagirathi River in 15^th century. The evolution of the Sunti River is Significant because; a part of the fluvial set up of lower Bengal was dependent on the river. More specifically the Western branch of Bidyadhari River was fed by this spill channel until there was sufficient discharge from Jamuna River. This Sunti River helped to discharge excessive water from the Jamuna River and surroundings through Bidyadhari River, then through Matla System and finally into Bay of Bengal. So the evolution of Bidyadhari River was also related with Sunti River. Except this the river has witnessed number of important chapters of contemporary history also.  Representing the evolutionary history of a moribund channel like Sunti River and the historical incidents related with it is basic the objective of this paper.