Jhelum River Explained

The Jhelum River is a major river in South Asia, flowing through India and Pakistan, and is the westernmost of the five major rivers of the Punjab region. It originates at Verinag in India-administered Jammu and Kashmir, flows into Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir, and then flows through the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is a tributary of the Chenab River and has a total length of about 725km (450miles).^[6]

Etymology

A Pakistani author, Anjum Sultan Shahbaz, recorded some stories of the name Jhelum in his book Tareekh-e-Jhelum:

The Sanskrit name for the river is Vitástā, derived from an apocryphal^[7] legend regarding the origin of the river in the Nilamata Purana. The name survives in the Kashmiri name for this river, Vyath and in Punjabi (and more commonly in Saraiki^[8]) as Vehat.^[9] It was called the Hydaspes by the armies of Alexander the Great.^[10]

History

The river Jhelum was originally recognized by the name Vitasta. The river was called Hydaspes (el|Ὑδάσπης) by the ancient Greeks.

According to Greek sources, Alexander III of Macedon and his army crossed the Jhelum River in 326 BCE and defeated the Indian King Porus at the Battle of the Hydaspes.^[11] After the battle, Alexander founded two cities: Nikaia, on the site where the battle was fought, and Bucephala, located at the site where he first crossed the River Hydaspes and subsequently named in honor of his recently deceased horse, Bucephalas.^[12]

The modern-day town of Jalalpur Sharif, outside Jhelum, is said to be where Bucephalus is buried.^[13] Residents of the nearby Mandi Bahauddin district believe that their tehsil, the town of Phalia, is named after Alexander's horse, saying that the name Phalia was a distortion of Bucephala.

The waters of the Jhelum are allocated to Pakistan under the terms of the Indus Waters Treaty. India is working on a hydropower project on a tributary of Jhelum river to establish first-use rights on the river water over Pakistan as per the Indus Waters Treaty.^[14]

Legends

According to Hindu puranas, the goddess Parvati was requested by the sage Kashyapa to come to Kashmir to purify the land from the evil practices and impurities of the pishachas living there. Parvati assumed the form of a river in the netherworld. Her consort Shiva struck with his spear near the abode of Nila, (Verinag spring). With this stroke of the spear, Parvati emerged from the netherworld. He excavated a ditch measuring one vitasti using the spear,^[15] through which the river, originating from the netherworld, came out, and so he gave her the name Vitástā.^[16]

The ancient Greeks also regarded the river as a god, as they did most mountains and streams. The poet Nonnus in the Dionysiaca^[17] calls the Hydaspes a titan-descended god, the son of the sea-god Thaumas and the cloud-goddess Elektra, the brother of Iris, goddess of the rainbow, and half-brother to the harpies, the snatching winds. Since the river is in a foreign country, it is not clear whether they named the river after the god, or whether the god Hydaspes was named after the river.

Course

Present course

The river Jhelum rises from Verinag spring at the foot of the Pir Panjal in the southeastern Kashmir Valley administered by India. It is joined by its tributaries

• • • Lidder River near village Mirgund at Khanabal Veshaw River at Sangam in Anantnag Sind River at Shadipora
• Pohru River at Doabgah in Sopore, Jammu and Kashmir.

It flows through Srinagar and Wular Lake before entering Pakistan-administered Kashmir through a deep narrow gorge. The Kishanganga River/Neelum River, the largest tributary of the Jhelum, joins it at Domel, Muzaffarabad, as does the next largest, the Kunhar River of Kaghan Valley. It is then joined by the Poonch River, and flows into the Mangla Dam reservoir in the Mirpur District. The Jhelum enters Pakistani Punjab in the Jhelum District. From there, it flows through the plains of Pakistan's Punjab, forming the boundary between the Jech and Sindh Sagar Doabs. It ends in a confluence with the Chenab River at Trimmu in the Jhang District. The Chenab merges with the Sutlej to form the Panjnad River, which joins the Indus River at Mithankot.

Most of the villages and important cities of Kashmir valley are situated on the banks of Jhelum.^[18]

Historical course

The Jhelum may have once flowed in a southeastern direction into the Chenab valley, which is the opposite of its present course.^[19] Some evidence of this is that some of the present tributaries of the Jhelum join it in a direction opposite to the present course of the river and the greater topographical maturity of the Chenab valley compared to the Jhelum valley.

Infrastructure

Bridges

• Victoria Bridge, Haranpur, constructed in 1973, approximate 5 km from Malakwal near Chak Nizam village. Its length is 1 km, mainly used by Pakistan Railways, but there is a passage for light vehicles, motorcycles, cycles and pedestrians on one side.

Dams

Listed in the order of upstream to downstream.

India

The river has rich power generation potential in India. Water control structures are being built as a result of the Indus Basin Project, including the following:

• On Jhelum
  • Kishanganga Hydroelectric Power Project, 330 MW, in Bandipora district, completed in 2018.^[20] In May 2025, after suspending IWT, India has decided to significantly increase the capacity of the Kishanganga Project.^[21]
  • Uri-I Stage-I Hydroelectric Power Project, 480 MW, in Baramulla district, completed in 1997.^[22]
  • Uri-I Stage-II Hydroelectric Power Project, 240 MW, in Baramulla district, under tendering in 2025.^{[23] [24]}
• On tributaries of Jhelum
  • Owari Nag Nallah
    • Karnah Hydroelectric Power Project, 12 MW, at village Haridal (Pingla Haridal) in the Kupwara district. 53% complete in October 2023.^[25]
  • Kalnai River
    • Lower Kalnai Hydroelectric Project, 48 MW, at Donadi in Doda district,^[26] under-construction stalled project expedited in April 2025 after the termination of IWT.^[27]
  • Sind River
    • Upper Sind Hydroelectric Project 1st at Sumbal in Bandipora district, 22.6 MW, completed in 1973.^[28]
    • Upper Sind Hydroelectric Project 2nd, 127.6 MW, at Kangan in Ganderbal district, completed in 2002.^[29]
    • Lower Sind Hydroelectric Power project at Ganderbal in Ganderbal district, 15 MW (produced only 2MW due to reduced flow), completed in 1955.^{[30] [31]}

Pakistan

• Karot Hydropower Project, 720 MW, concrete-core rockfill gravity large dam in Pakistan was completed in 2022.^[32]
• Mangla Dam, 1070 MW, 7278 MCM, completed in 1967, is one of the largest earth-fill dams in the world.
• Rasul Barrage, 22 MW, constructed in 1967, has a maximum flow of 850,000 ft³/s (24,000 m³/s).
• Trimmu Barrage, 1263 MW, constructed in 1939 20 km from Jhang city at the confluence with the Chenab, has maximum discharge capacity of 645,000 ft³/s (18,000 m³/s).

Canals

• Pakistan
  • Upper Jhelum Canal runs from Mangla Dam to the Chenab.
    • • Rasul-Qadirabad Link Canal Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal runs from the Chashma Barrage on the Indus River to the Jhelum river.

External links

• Livius.org pictures of the Hydaspes

Notes and References

1. Book: The Quarterly Review . 1816 . Murray . 170 . 17 March 2017 . en . 16 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230716120100/https://books.google.com/books?id=XrNZAAAAcAAJ&q=hydaspes&pg=RA1-PA170 . live .
2. Book: Bakshi . S. R. . Kashmir Through Ages . 1997 . Sarup & Sons . 9788185431710 . 110 . 17 March 2017 . en . 16 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230716120058/https://books.google.com/books?id=ONDsQCO9yTQC&q=jhelum&pg=PA110 . live . Five volumes.
3. Book: Rapson . E. J. . Ancient India: From the Earliest Times to the First Century AD . 9 June 2011 . Cambridge University Press . 9780521229371 . 171 . en . 1 November 2020 . 16 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230716120103/https://books.google.com/books?id=AKn3p64hGycC&q=vitasta&pg=PA171 . live .
4. Book: Naqvi . Saiyid Ali . Indus Waters and Social Change: The Evolution and Transition of Agrarian Society in Pakistan . November 2012 . Oxford University Press Pakistan . 9780199063963 . 10 . 17 March 2017 . en . 16 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230716120101/https://books.google.com/books?id=45bcAgAAQBAJ&q=jhelum&pg=PA10 . live .
5. Book: Know Your State: Jammu and Kashmir . November 2012 . Arihant Publications (India) Ltd . 35 . 9789313169161 . 6 November 2021 . en . 7 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220407010344/https://books.google.com/books?id=NhrzDwAAQBAJ . live .
6. https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/303711/Jhelum-River "Jhelum River"
7. Book: Vedakumārī . Studies in phonetics and phonology: with special reference to Dogri . 1991 . Ariana Publ. House . 978-81-85347-20-2 . 1. publ . New Delhi . 45-47.
8. Web site: Punjab Portal . 12 June 2024 . or Vehat, the latter name being more common towards the south of the district. .
9. Web site: Soofi . Mushtaq . 2015-11-20 . Punjab Notes: Vehat: where great warriors clashed . 2024-06-12 . DAWN.COM . en.
10. Locke . Ralph P. . 2016 . Alexander the Great and the Indian Rajah Puru. Exoticism in a Metastasio Libretto As Set by Hasse and by Handel . Revue de Musicologie . 102 . 2 . 275–317 . 44739484 . 0035-1601 . The elephants of Puru's army were overwhelmed by the Greeks' horses in 326 BC on the left bank of the Hydaspes, a river - also known as the Jhelum or Jhelam - that is located in what is today Pakistan.
11. Book: Arrian . The Anabasis of Alexander; or, The history of the wars and conquests of Alexander the Great. Literally translated, with a commentary, from the Greek of Arrian, the Nicomedian . 1884 . London, Hodder and Stoughton . Cornell University Library . 280-295.
12. Web site: The Project Gutenberg eBook of Anabasis of Alexander, by Arrian. . 2025-07-30 . www.gutenberg.org.
13. [Michael Wood (historian)|Michael Wood]
14. Web site: India fast-tracks work on Jhelum river hydroelectric power project . 25 May 2010 . 3 June 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100603211347/http://www.livemint.com/2010/05/25214132/India-fasttracks-work-on-Jhel.html . live .
15. (a particular measure of length defined either as a long span between the extended thumb and little finger, or as the distance between the wrist and the tip of the fingers, and said to be about 9 inches
16. [Nilamata Purana]
17. section 26, line 350
18. District Survey Report On Kashmir . District Survey Report . 13 February 2022 . 14 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220214235016/https://cdn.s3waas.gov.in/s3f4b9ec30ad9f68f89b29639786cb62ef/uploads/2018/11/2018112886.pdf . live .
19. Book: Krishnan, M. S. . Geology of India and Burma . Higginbothams . 1956 . 3rd . 22–25 . The Indus System.
20. Web site: NHPC Limited : Projects : Power Stations : Kishanganga . 14 February 2021 . www.nhpcindia.com.
21. https://www.msn.com/hi-in/news/india/%E0%A4%B8-%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%81-%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%B2-%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%A7-%E0%A4%95-%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D-%E0%A4%AF-%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0-%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%87-%E0%A4%9C-%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9-%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%88-%E0%A4%AE-%E0%A4%A6-%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%95-%E0%A4%B0-%E0%A4%95-%E0%A4%B8-%E0%A4%A8-%E0%A4%82-%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%87-%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B5-%E0%A4%A6-%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%82-%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%B0-%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%87-%E0%A4%95-%E0%A4%96%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B2-%E0%A4%B8/ar-AA1F8u6j?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=bba154bf80c34f52bce04cfd6624dfb5&ei=33 सिंधु जल संधि का क्‍या हश्र करने जा रही है मोदी सरकार? किसानों से संवाद में इरादे का खुलासा
22. Web site: NHPC Limited : Projects : Power Stations : Uri – I . 14 February 2021 . www.nhpcindia.com . 5 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220405155036/http://www.nhpcindia.com/Default.aspx?id=186&lg=eng&CatId=1&ProjectId=27 . live .
23. Web site: NHPC Limited : Projects : Power Stations : Uri-II . 14 February 2021 . www.nhpcindia.com . 30 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191030065520/http://www.nhpcindia.com/Default.aspx?id=186&lg=eng&CatId=1&ProjectId=14 . live .
24. https://www.msn.com/hi-in/news/india/%E0%A4%AA-%E0%A4%A8-%E0%A4%95-%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B0-%E0%A4%97-%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%BC%E0%A4%97-%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%BC-%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9-%E0%A4%AA-%E0%A4%95-%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%B0-%E0%A4%AD-%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A4-%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%87-%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%A8-%E0%A4%B2-%E0%A4%AF-%E0%A4%96-%E0%A4%B8-%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B2-%E0%A4%A8-%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%8F-%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0-%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9F%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B8-%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%82-%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9F-%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%9C-%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B0-%E0%A4%AB-%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B8/ar-AA1GtT2T?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=4bd0551e275a4787a99f76d9247fb3b4&ei=21 पानी को लेकर गिड़गिड़ा रहा पाक, इधर भारत ने बना लिया खास प्लान; नए प्रोजेक्ट्स में स्टोरेज पर फोकस
25. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1988259 Energy deficit in J&K down from 17.8% during 2018-19 to 1.5% up to November 2023 during 2023-24: Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy
26. Web site: Excelsior . Daily . Hanging fate of Lower Kalnai power project . . 24 February 2022 . 10 July 2023.
27. https://www.timesnownews.com/business-economy/economy/indus-waters-treaty-suspended-modi-government-fast-tracks-five-major-hydropower-projects-in-jammu-kashmir-details-here-article-151516416 Indus Waters Treaty Suspended: Modi Government Fast-Tracks Five Major Hydropower Projects in Jammu & Kashmir - Details Here
28. Web site: Upper Sindh partially resumes generation. greaterkashmir.com. 2010-04-27.
29. Web site: Upper Sindh Project still not working. greaterkashmir.com. 2009-09-15.
30. https://ganderbal.nic.in/about-district Genderbal district
31. https://www.greaterkashmir.com/front-page-2/ganderbals-15-mw-hydel-plant-now-producing-just-2-mw Ganderbal’s 15 MW hydel plant now producing just 2 MW
32. Web site: 2022-07-01. CPEC's Karot Hydropower Plant put into 'full commercial operation'. 2022-07-01. The Express Tribune. en.