Mo Chhu is a major river in
Bhutan. The word "Chhu" means "river" or "water" in
Dzongkha, the official national language in Bhutan. The river rises in
Gasa Dzongkhag (district) near the border between Bhutan and Tibet. From there, the Mo Chhu flows generally southward to
Punakha in central Bhutan, where it joins the Pho Chhu from the northeast. The confluence of the two streams is immediately below the
Punakha Dzong, which is the winter home of the
Dratshang Lhentshog (Central Monk Body) and the
Je Khenpo. The combined streams are then joined by the
Dang Chhu near the town of
Wangdue Phodrang, and the name of the river becomes the
Puna Tsang Chhu. The river then flows through
Dagana and
Tsirang Districts. After leaving Bhutan near the town of
Kalikhola, the river enters
Assam in
India and is known as the
Sankosh. The Sankosh ultimately empties into the
Brahmaputra.