Early History of Orissa

SR No.: 006922
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Amarchand Mittal
Publisher: Jain Cultural Research Society
Publication Year: 1957
Total Pages: 506
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 9 MB

Page 33

AN EARLY HISTORY OF ORISSA
checked upon the level delta, and they break up into a hundred tributaries like a pitcher of water thrown violently on the ground. These tributaries roam over the delta, struggling by a thousand contortions and convolutions towards the coast, and forming a network of rivers, which, after innumerable interlacings and bifurcations generally reunite with one of the three parent channels as they approach the sea. Only a map on a very large scale can give a complete idea of their innumerable twistings, combinations and divergencies.
Besides these great rivers—namely, the Mahanadi, the Brahmani and the Vaitarni—three other of less importance enter Orissa farther north-the Suvarnarekha, the Burabalang and the Kansbans. The drainage of an area aggregating 63,350 sq. miles is thus accumulated on the narrow Orissa strip between the mountains and the sea. The Mahanadi ( lit. the Great River ) rises in the Madhya Pradeśa, and after collecting the rainfall of 45,000 sq. miles, pours down on the delta through a narrow gorge just above the city of Cuttack. It illustrates with peculiar clearness the biography of a great Indian river. In its first stage it runs on a lower level than the surrounding country winding through mountains, valleys and skirting the base of the hills. During the long part of its career it receives innumerable streams and tributaries from the higher country on both banks. But no sooner does it reach the delta its whole life changes. Instead of running along the lowest ground it gradually finds itself hoisted up until its banks form ridges which rise high above the adjacent country. Instead of receiving confluents, it shoots forth a hundred distributaries. In short, it enters upon its career as a deltic river.
This change arises from a single cause. The rapadity of the current, acquired among the mountains and table.