a tributary of the Jamuna River ( Brahmaputra River), flowing through India and Bangladesh. It rises in the Himalayas near Chunthang in Sikkim (India), flows to the south, cutting a deep gorge through the Siwalik Hills (Siwalik Range) east of Darjiling (in West Bengal, India), and turns southeast to run through the Sivok Khola pass onto the plains of West Bengal. Originally, the river continued southward to empty directly into the upper Padma River (Ganges 【Ganga】 River (Ganges River)). About 1787, however, the river changed its course to flow eastward, crossing the Rangpur region of Bangladesh to join the Jamuna River near Chilmari after a total course of about 200 miles (320 km).

The flow of the Tista is greatest during the summer (June to September), when the monsoon rains are heaviest and glaciers (glacier) supply abundant meltwater. Its lower reaches are marked by flooding and frequent, violent course changes; navigation is impaired by shoals and quicksand near the junction with the Jamuna. The Tista Barrage is a dam that helps to provide irrigation for the plains between the upper Padma and the Jamuna.