What is it about?
প্রচলিত জনশ্রুতি, সংবাদপত্রের কলাম, স্থানীয় সাহিত্য, ইতিহাস, এমনকি গবেষণা পত্রেও চূর্ণী নদীকে কৃত্রিম খাল হিসাবে উল্লেখ করা হয়েছে। বলা হয় যে মহারাজা কৃষ্ণচন্দ্রের দ্বারা ইছামতি নদীর প্রবাহের একটি অংশ দখল করে এই কৃত্রিম খালটি তৈরি. নামকরণ করা হয়েছে ‘চূর্ণী’। অথচ পূর্বের লেখক এবং গবেষকেরা কেউ-ই তাঁদের বক্তব্যের সমর্থনে ইতিহাস থেকে কোন প্রমাণ দেন নি। নদী-বিজ্ঞান ভিত্তিক বিশ্লেষণেও প্রমাণ করেন নি যে চূর্ণী নদী কৃত্রিম খাল। চেষ্টা করেছি ইতিহাসকে ফিরে দেখতে। সঙ্গে রয়েছে নদী-বিজ্ঞান ভিত্তিক বিশ্লেষণও। আমার এ পাঠের সিদ্ধান্ত অন্য রকম। This study delves into the historical background of the Churni River, often considered an artificial canal in local literature. It aims to authenticate claims about its origin, examining existing literature and present channel morphology. The findings suggest that myths surrounding Maharaja Krishnachandra constructing it lack substantial evidence, challenging the perception of Churni as a man-made canal.
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Why is it important?
The historical background of a watercourse, whether it be a natural river or an artificial canal, holds great importance in understanding hydrological heritage, landscape evolution, planning processes, and making informed predictions for the future. Therefore knowing its origin and evolution is crucial.
Perspectives
By delving into available literature and examining the current channel morphology, it becomes evident that the purported myths and speculations surrounding the genesis of the Churni River, proposing its intentional creation as a man-made canal by Maharaja Krishnachandra, lack substantial supporting evidence. Conversely, a more plausible scenario emerges, suggesting that the Maharaja's efforts were likely directed towards revitalizing the deteriorated and silt-laden course of an already existing river. Furthermore, there is no evidence supporting the assertion that Maharaja Krishnachandra bestowed the name "Churni" upon the river, and the alternative name "Kangkana" lacks validation as an appellation for the waterway. This research contributes to a holistic comprehension of the historical and geographical context of the Churni River, illuminating its origin and characteristics while underscoring the importance of historical analysis in discerning natural river channels from artificial canals. This study will broaden the scope of future research on the heritage of rivers in similar circumstances.
Dr Balai Chandra Das
Dept. of Geography, Krishnagar Govt, College, Nadia-741101
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Exploring the past to discern the present: The role of historico‐geographical study in differentiating natural river channels from artificial canals, River, January 2024, Wiley,
DOI: 10.1002/rvr2.73.
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