The Chindwin River (Burmese: Chindwin Myin), also known as the Ningthi River[3][4] (Meitei: Ningthi Turel[5][6][a]), is a river flowing entirely in Myanmar, and the largest tributary of the country's main river, the Irrawaddy.[7] Its official name is also spelled Chindwinn.[8]
The headwaters of the Tanai are at 25°30′N97°0′E / 25.500°N 97.000°E / 25.500; 97.000 on the Shwedaunggyi peak of the Kumon range, 12 miles (19 km) north of Mogaung. It flows due north until it reaches the Hukawng Valley. In 2004, the government established the world's largest tiger preserve in the Hukawng Valley, the Hukaung Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, with an area of approximately 6,500 km2 (2,500 sq mi); later, the Sanctuary was extended to 21,800 square kilometres (8,400 sq mi), making it the largest protected area in mainland Southeast Asia. The river then turns to the west and flows through the middle of the plain,[7] joined by the Tabye, the Tawan, and the Taron rivers from the right bank. These rivers drain the mountain ranges to the north and northeast of the Hukawng valley.
Course
The Tanai exits the Hukawng valley through the Taron or Turong valley and through a sharp defile in the river. It then takes on the name of Chindwin, and maintains a general southerly course.[7] It passes the town of Singkaling Hkamti on the left bank, then the town of Homalin, also on the left bank.
The river's course is generally southwesterly until the town of Mingin. It then takes a more southeasterly course entering the broad central plain, passing the city of Monywa on the left bank. Its course at this point forms the boundary between the Sagaing District of Sagaing Region and the Pakokku District of Magway Region.
It enters the Ayeyarwady River (Irrawaddy) at about 21°30′N95°15′E / 21.500°N 95.250°E / 21.500; 95.250. The extreme outlets into the Ayeyarwady are about 22 miles (35 km) apart, the interval forming a succession of long, low, partially populated islands. The lowest mouth of the Chindwin is, according to tradition, an artificial channel, cut by one of the kings of Bagan (Pagan). It was choked up for centuries until 1824 when it was opened out by an exceptional flood.[9] Satellite pictures show this lowest channel to be the widest one today.[10]
Discharge
Average, minimum and maximum discharge of the Chindwin River at Monywa. Period from 1966/01/01 to 2023/12/31:[2][11][12]
Year
Discharge (m3/s)
Year
Discharge (m3/s)
Min
Mean
Max
Min
Mean
Max
1966
610
5,611
24,550
1995
684
4,977
20,680
1967
775
4,812
17,740
1996
616
3,989
16,080
1968
757
5,137
25,450
1997
432
4,434
20,400
1969
582
4,006
20,130
1998
736
5,113
19,600
1970
548
4,775
19,790
1999
480
5,188
21,530
1971
509
5,792
19,450
2000
632
5,514
18,740
1972
757
3,257
16,490
2001
512
4,278
14,040
1973
530
5,103
21,700
2002
672
4,595
24,300
1974
921
5,566
25,000
2003
744
5,134
18,460
1975
709
4,493
17,840
2004
608
5,862
19,770
1976
892
6,928
26,650
2005
552
3,486
16,200
1977
798
4,398
23,800
2006
242
3,771
16,520
1978
672
3,956
16,540
2007
318
5,355
19,740
1979
530
4,063
18,920
2008
288
4,500
23,270
1980
806
5,075
20,300
2009
257
3,232
16,160
1981
790
3,833
16,010
2010
121
3,898
13,787
1982
650
4,385
23,160
2011
132
3,771
19,673
1983
653
4,247
18,840
2012
343
4,817
16,600
1984
600
5,091
22,710
2013
201
4,236
16,560
1985
613
5,305
19,450
2014
297
3,169
18,081
1986
591
3,981
15,420
2015
4,585
25,510
1987
659
5,339
20,010
2016
802
5,160
19,067
1988
610
5,097
25,450
2017
6,776
21,831
1989
783
4,796
22,490
2018
5,618
19,019
1990
907
5,670
20,580
2019
477
4,290
12,963
1991
852
6,488
25,600
2020
6,114
17,800
1992
1,039
4,102
14,470
2021
276
4,776
16,610
1993
981
4,826
21,140
2022
972
4,603
11,805
1994
644
3,439
13,410
2023
156
4,204
14,527
Tributaries
Uyu River is the largest tributary joining the Chindwin river just below Homalin on the left. The famous jade mines at Hpakant lie in the headwaters of the Uyu.[13][14]
Myittha River drains the Kale valley and joins on the right further downstream. The town of Kalewa is on the left bank of their confluence.
Much of Chindwin's course lies within mountain ranges and forests. Due to the difficulty of access, much of it remains unspoilt. The government of Burma recently created a very large (2,500 square mile) sanctuary for the endangered tiger within the Hukawng Valley.[16]
History
The mountain ranges to the west of the Chindwin are formidable, yet not totally impregnable to armies. The Kabaw valley saw many an invasion by the kingdom of Manipur to the west, most notably during the reign of King Garibaniwaj (1709–1748) when his army crossed over the Chindwin and the Mu, took Myedu, and reached as far as Sagaing opposite the capital Ava. The tables were turned in 1758 after King Alaungpaya ascended the Burmese throne.[17] The Burmese army invaded and occupied Manipur and Assam marching across the western mountain ranges, and even encroached upon British India.
During World War II, when the Japanese had cut off sea access, the British army and other allied forces under General Joseph Stilwell retreated on foot to India across the same mountains, with disastrous results, mainly due to disease and hunger. The Ledo Road was built across the Hukawng valley to supply China.[18] The Chindwin was a major barrier both for the Japanese trying to invade India and for the Allied forces to reoccupy Burma.[19]
Ethnography and culture
The chindwin river has a great impact on the culture of western Burma.[20] Central Sino-Tibetan languages originated from valley areas of this river.
Economics
The Chindwin is served by regular river-going vessels up to the town of Homalin. Teak forests within its drainage area have been a valuable resource since ancient times. The Hukawng Valley is known for its abundance of Burmese amber. Along the river, there are deposits of jade, but Hpakant in the headwaters of the Uyu river is the only place in the world where the finest jade - known as jadeite or imperial jade - is found, along with an abundance of fish.[13][14]
Notes
^The name in Meitei language (officially called Manipuri language) is notable to be mentioned because many important historical events, associated with the Manipuri and the Burmese people, happened in and around the very river. Its Meitei language name is "Ningthi Turel". Here, "Turel" is a Meitei term for "river".
^"Chindwin River | river, Myanmar | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2023-03-25. Called Ningthi by the Manipuris of India, it drains northwest through the Hukawng valley and then begins its 520-mile (840-kilometre) main course.
^"AIMS writes to Waterways Minister to redevelop inland waterways". www.thesangaiexpress.com. Retrieved 2023-03-25. The riverine systems of Manipur falls into two major systems namely the Irrawaddy River System, where water flowing through the rivers of Manipur falls first into the Ningthi Turel (Chindwin River) and thereafter into the Irrawaddy River before discharging into the Bay of Bengal ...
^"Chindwin River". The Pacific War Online Encyclopaedia. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
^Andrew Hsiu which taken from a journal titled
"Morphological Evidence for a Central Branch of Trans-Himalayan (Sino-Tibetan)." by Scott DeLancey which was published on 2015
Bibliography
J. G. Scott, Gazetteer of Upper Burma and the Shan States. 5 vols. Rangoon, 1900–1901