RUPNARAYAN RIVER

river in West Bengal state, northeastern India. It rises as the Dhaleswari (Dhalkisor) in the Chota Nagpur plateau foothills northeast of Purulia town and follows a tortuous southeasterly course past the town of Bankura, where it is known as the Dwarkeswar. It is joined by the Silai near the town of Ghatal, where it takes the name Rupnarayan. The river then joins the Hooghly after completing a 150-mile (240-kilometre) course. The Rupnarayan originally formed a western exit of the Ganges and is important for its irrigation potential. It is tidal through its entire course and constitutes a principal danger to navigation of the Hooghly because it forces that river to deposit silt upon dangerous shoals.