Which River Is Known As The Gold River Of India?

India is a land of many rivers. There are about 400 small and large rivers flowing across the country. These are divided into 20 major river basins, with the Ganga basin being the largest. The Ganga is also the longest river in India, stretching over 2,525 km. In contrast, the Brahmaputra is known as the widest river, especially during the monsoon. Many rivers in India have unique nicknames. For example, the Godavari is called the "Dakshin Ganga" (Ganga of the South). But do you know which river is known as the "Gold River of India"? Interestingly, this river gets its name because people used to find real gold particles in its bed! Even today, some believe its sands still hide tiny traces of the precious metal. In this article, we'll take a look at the history, origin, and fascinating facts behind this "Golden Streak" of India.

Which River Is Known As The River Of Gold?

The river known as the Gold River of India is the Subarnarekha River. Its name comes from the Sanskrit words "Subarna" (gold) and "Rekha" (line or streak), literally translating to "Streak of Gold".

The Path of the Golden River

The Subarnarekha is a rain-fed river that flows for about 474 kilometres across eastern India.

• Where It Starts: The river originates at Rani Chuan in the Nagri village, located about 15 km from Ranchi in Jharkhand.
• The Journey: It flows through the Chota Nagpur Plateau and moves eastward. On its way, it creates the famous Hundru Falls, where the water drops 98 meters.
• States It Travels Through: It flows through three primary states: Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha.
• Where it Ends: Unlike many rivers that join larger ones, the Subarnarekha is independent. It empties directly into the Bay of Bengal near Talsari in the Balasore district of Odisha.

10 Lesser-Known Facts About the Subarnarekha

• The river is scientifically classified as "auriferous", meaning its bed naturally contains gold-bearing rocks.
• Most gold found here is in the form of "placer gold", which means the particles are as tiny as a grain of rice.
• Its tributary, the Karkari River, also carries gold particles, which scientists believe wash down from the surrounding hills.
• Despite the presence of gold, the concentration is too low for large-scale industrial mining to be profitable.
• The river flows through some of the oldest rock formations in the world, dating back to the Archean era.
• Besides gold, the river basin is rich in rare minerals, including uranium and copper, particularly near the Jadugora mines.
• It is one of the few rivers in India that does not join any other river before reaching the sea.
• The river is a significant theme in the works of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore and famous author Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay.
• In 1965, filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak used the river as a powerful metaphor for hope and survival in his film titled Subarnarekha.
• Because it is rain-fed, the river is known for sudden "flash floods" during the monsoon, often changing the shape of its sandy banks overnight.

Which River Is Known As the Yellow River?

The Yellow River, or Huang He, is the second-longest river in China and is often called the "Cradle of Chinese Civilisation". It gets its famous name from the massive amounts of yellow loess sediment (fine silt) it picks up while flowing through the Loess Plateau. This sediment turns the water a distinct golden-yellow colour. While it is a source of life, it is also known as "China's Sorrow" due to its history of devastating floods.

Which River Is Known As The Diamond River In India?

In India, the Krishna River is famously associated with diamonds. Historically, the banks of this river in Andhra Pradesh were home to the legendary Kollur Mines, which were part of the Golconda diamond region. This "Diamond River" produced some of the world's most famous gems, including the Koh-i-Noor and the Hope Diamond. Even today, locals often search the riverbeds and nearby fields for small diamonds that surface after heavy monsoon rains.

Which River Is Called The Silver River?

The Río de la Plata, located between Argentina and Uruguay, is literally translated from Spanish as the "River of Silver". It earned this name during the age of exploration when European conquerors believed the region was filled with vast silver treasures. Although the water itself usually looks brown due to heavy silt, the myth of the "Silver Mountains" nearby was so potent that the country Argentina was even named after the Latin word for silver, argentum.