Karnali: "The Longest River of Nepal"

The Brahmaputra emerges from the Eastern face of Mt. Kailash in Tibet. This river is called Tamchok Khambab or the river that comes out of the mouth of the horse. The Brahmaputra travels from Tibet to Bangladesh through India. From the western part of the mountain, another river Satlaj starts its journey. It is called Langchen Khambab or the river that comes from the mouth of an elephant. It is said that this river reaches Punjab in India. On the northern part of the mountain, it is the Indus that springs to life. It is called Singi Khambab or the river that comes out from the mouth of the lion. The river makes its way to the Arabian Sea after passing through Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan.

From the south of Mt. Kailash, the river Karnali, starts its journey. The river is called Mapcha Khambab or the river that comes out from the mouth of the peacock. The Karnali passes through northern districts of Nepal such as Humla, Bajura, Kalikot, Dailekh, Achham, Surkhet, Doti, Bardia, and Kailali. It then transforms into the Ghagara when it reaches India. The Tibetan people consider Mapchuchungu which lies around 30km southwest of Mt. Kailash is the religious and cultural origin of Karnali. The river comes to life as water flows from the base of a hill resembling a peacock around 20 meters downstream and moves with the river that can be traced to the valley on the north-western side. The river morphs into the Karnali after it reaches Hilsa in Nepal's Humla District.