Lohit River

Lohit River is a river in Arunachal Pradesh in India. It is a tributary to the Brahmaputra River.The lohit river rises in eastern Tibet, in the Zayal Chu range and surges through Arunachal Pradesh for two hundred kilometers,before disgorging itself in the plains of Assam. Tempestuous and turbulent, and known as the river of blood, only partly attributable to the lateritic soil, it flows through the Mishmi Hills, to meet the Siang at the head of the Brahmaputra valley.

The valley of the Lohit is full of surprises. Thickly forested for the most part, it is a botanist’s dream,as alpine vegetation gives way to sub-tropicla forests, and then to some of the densest tropical jungles in all of India.rhododendrons bloom in many hues in the upper reaches, orchids reveal themselves in the lower froves. This is indeed a treasure house of medicinal plant and herbs, and the home of Mishmi teeta, the coptis plant, prized the world over for it’s medicinal properties.

The Mishmis hold sway in the hills. In the plains are the Khamptis and the Singphos, fervent Buddhists and migrants from across he Patkai hills from Burma. As the Lohit journeys through, Tibetan theology gives way to animist belief, in turn replaced by Theravada Buddhism and then by Hindu temples as Tibet, south East Asia and the Indian sub-continent mix and merge.

The Lohit river comes into India from China and flows near India's eastern most inhabited tip, at a place called Kibithu. Indian Army uses this river for various expeditions and training.

River rafting

There have been very few raft expeditions on the Lohit River.It is a medium volume continuous Class 4+/5 river in its upper alpine reaches and becomes pool drop towards the latter end of the trip. Rafting was first started in February 1994 by the Indian Army and the first successful kayak descent of the river in December 2003.

External links

• Report Assam Floods 16 Jun 2006 - Lohit