Sutlej, Mountain river in Tibet, China.
The Sutlej begins at Lake La'nga in the Tibetan highlands above 4,500 meters and flows south through deep gorges cut into the mountains. The river crosses several regions before joining the Indus system as its easternmost tributary, carrying water toward the Arabian Sea.
Early settlements from the Indus civilization grew along its banks thousands of years ago, using the water for farming and transport. Over centuries, changing kingdoms and empires altered how the river was used, yet it continued to serve as a natural boundary and trade route.
Sanskrit texts name the river Shātadru, referring to its fast-flowing waters that carved paths through the Himalayan landscape over millennia.
Several dams along the river generate electricity and regulate water flow for irrigation systems across the farming plains. Access to the banks varies by region, with some sections running through remote mountain areas while others pass through towns and villages.
The river changes its appearance dramatically when it moves from the rocky Tibetan plateau into the green plains of northern India. This transition marks one of the greatest elevation drops for any Himalayan watercourse and shows in the shifting current speed and water color.
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