Gandak River:
The Gandak River has emerged as the second major river after the Chambal with the highest number of gharials, also known as fish-eating crocodiles.
- The Gandak River, also known as the Narayani and Gandaki, is one of the major rivers in Nepal and a left-bank tributary of the Ganges in India.
- It is mentioned in the ancient Sanskrit epic Mahabharata.
- It originates to the north of Dhaulagiri Mountain in Tibet near the Nepal border.
- After flowing through Tibet, it crosses Nepal, where it is also known as Narayani, to enter the Indian Territory.
- The river enters India from Valmikinagar in the West Champaran district of Bihar. The entry point of the river is at the Indo–Nepal border and is known as Triveni.
- In India, it flows southeast, across the upper Gangetic plain in eastern Uttar Pradesh and northwestern Bihar.
- Gandak joins Ganga near Patna in Vaishali district of Bihar.
- It is bounded on the north by the Himalayas, south by the River Ganga, east by the Burhi Gandak Basin and on the west by the Ghagra Basin.
- Due to the steep slope and loose soil in the upper catchment, Gandak carries a lot of silt and other deposits to the Indian side, resulting in a continuous shifting course of the river.
- While flowing through the Nepal Himalayas, it forms the Kali Gandaki gorge, one of the deepest river gorges in the world.
- Two important protected areas, Chitwan National Park in Nepal and the adjacent Valmiki Tiger reserve in India, have been established in the basin.
- Major Tributaries: Daraudi, Seti, Madi, Marsyandi, and Budhi Gandaki.
