Raidak

Can we really imagine about history and civilization of the Indian subcontinent without its rivers? Its answer is known to everyone that the ‘chain of rivers and their basins are inseparably attached with the societal evolution and history of India and its neighbouring countries.’ Since the very beginning of settled civilization, the rivers of South Asian countries are considered to be ‘sacred’ and ‘mother of civilization’. They are of course the guiding mentors, sources of livelihood, trade and commerce, transport, production system and national economy; and closely allied with the religion, culture, language and the national identity. On the other hand, they are the matters of concern in regional, national and transnational conflicts and politics. Construction of dams, barrages, power projects and irrigational canals across the rivers have transformed them as a focal point of ‘developmental discourse’. Naturally, the transnational rivers of South Asia are inseparably attached to the question of economic development, displacement and rehabilitation The present work is a daring attempt to present a transnational river of South Asia called the Raidak [from Bhutan to Bangladesh through India] in the discourse of nationalism, cultural and environmental studies. In Bhutan, the Raidak is known as Wang Chhu which is following from Upper Bhutan through Thimphu and Chukha to the Indo-Bhutan border. Naturally, the Wang Chhu is an eyewitness of origin and evolution of Bhutanese civilization and culture, ‘nation building processes, economic development and immigration of people. In India, the Wang Chhu [with two bifurcated streams called the Raidak I and the Raidak II] along with the Sankosh-Gadadhar-Dudhkumar-Brahmaputra system has intact relationship with the historical development, economic and cultural changes and environmental challenges in Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Lower Assam and northern Bangladesh. All these aspects of history of the Raidak from Thimphu.