RIVERS
Rivers come in all forms; swift waters flowing in deep gorges, reddish brown from carrying silt, or turquoise reflecting the sky.
Water holds deep spiritual, cultural, and practical significance in Tibetan culture. Rivers dominate life on the Tibetan Plateau, home to some of the world’s largest glaciers, where four of Asia’s most important rivers originate, flow and finally descend into oceans far and wide.
Tibetans view these glaciers and rivers as sacred lifelines, believing that they connect the spiritual and natural worlds. 
Symbolising purity and clarity, water is integral to various religious rituals and spiritual practices. Water offerings, known as yonchap, are a common sight in Tibetan homes and monasteries, where bowls of water are placed on altars to honour the Buddha and other deities.
These offerings signify generosity and respect, embodying the humility of giving something as simple yet vital as water. Moreover, water is one of the five great elements in Tibetan Buddhist cosmology, representing emotional healing and the flow of life itself.
Rivers were also known to be the dwelling areas of spirits, to be respected. People are mindful to keep them free of waste and unpolluted, and there are rituals designed to appease any spirits, mainly Nagas, the snake gods, who may be angered by human negligence.
Mighty rivers, such as the Yarlung Tsampo, are known as the abode of goddess Dorje Phagmo and the Dachu, that of Palden Lhamo, and certain lakes like Yamdrok and Namtso are pilgrimage sites thought to possess special powers, including the ability to offer visions or spiritual guidance.
The reverence for water extends beyond cultural symbolism to the physical landscape of Tibet. Practically, water is essential for sustaining life on the Tibetan Plateau, where the arid, high-altitude environment makes water a precious resource.
Tibetan agriculture, particularly the cultivation of barley, relies heavily on glacial meltwater for irrigation, while nomadic communities depend on rivers and lakes to support their livestock. This deep respect for water is reflected in the sustainable practices of Tibetan farmers and herders, who understand its vital role in maintaining both their spiritual and physical well-being.
Tibetan life on the plateau required constant travel: for trade, pilgrimage, transhumance, and walking over high passes and crossing rivers were regular challenges. The landscape, cut by wide rivers and deep gorges often required enormous detours to reach areas that were otherwise nearby.
A 14th century yogi, Tangthong Gyalpo, talented in song, dance and blacksmithing, designed and built chain bridges all over southern Tibet to facilitate travel. He trained seven beautiful women, known as Achi Lhamo, to sing and dance to raise the funds, marking the origin of the famous Tibetan Lhamo opera, that survives to this day.
Tibetan rivers can be extremely wide, beyond the bridge-building of past centuries, and were crossed on skin coracles and ferries that carried both people and animals. People also forded rivers, swimming across with their horses. Some rivers were navigable to an extent, which facilitated trade.
