sand on water

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The Brahmaputra river has a east to west stretch of approximately 728 kilometres in Assam. During its early stages and as a young river, it brings with it a lot of eroded materials. The speed of the river somewhat slows down after it enters Assam through Arunachal Pradesh.




The sandbars or the small sandy islands along the river's stretch account for about 5 per cent of the total area of the state. They are locally called char/sor.

Suspended particles and the bed load often combine during floods to create these char formations. Their rich alluvial soil is ideal for crops such as mustard, sugarcane, jute, potatoes and other vegetables. 




But these chars are at a perpetual risk of destruction during the next flood.



I had an opportunity to visit the char areas of North Salmara in connection with polling station inspection of Assembly Elections, 2020. The pictures were taken during those visits.




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