Republic of Georgia: Where the Rivers Meet But Do Not Mix

---

We had a five hour drive ahead of us in eastern Georgia when we left Borjomi and headed to Stepantsminda in Kazbeghi. The first few hours of driving were to simply retrace our journey from Tbilisi as it seems everything travels through the capital city, even major highways.



Not long after we passed Tbilisi and took our journey north, our driver pulled into a lookout point near the Georgian village of Pasanauri along Georgian Military Road. With little to no mutual language, we determined he wanted us to look at the point where two rivers meet and I am glad we took the moment as it is not everyday you see two different colored rivers merge and travel together maintaining their different colors.



One river is light gray and the other a darker shade of gray. They traveled together as if a line had been drawn and they could not cross, but only run parallel to each other.



What we were witnessing was the Black Aragvi meeting the White Aragvi and becoming simply The Aragvi, but the intrigue is how they meet but do not mix. There are multiple explanations as to why this phenomenon occurs.



One theory is the origins of each river contain rocks of the corresponding color, and the waters have contrasting colors. Furthermore, their waters do not mix immediately because the water mass of each river has its own density, temperature, turbidity and electrical conductivity. The rate of flow of each river is different. Thus, the water streams of the two rivers colloid and start getting mixed up slowly depending upon their above characters.



Another explanation is more of a sad legend:



“High in the mountains lived two very loving sisters, one with blond hair and the other with jet-black hair. Both of them were in love with a handsome knight known for his bravery. The knight married the blonde and then the brunette, not to interfere in the happiness of his beloved sister, rushed into the deep abyss. Her tears formed the Black Aragvi. Not survive the death of the sisters, the blonde rushed into the abyss, and her tears gave rise to the White Aragvi. Both rivers-White and Black — as a symbol of boundless love joined at the village of Pasanauri. At the village of Zhinvali joined Plawska Aragvi is a knight, having learned of the terrible misfortune, also jumped into the abyss and turned into a river.”



The phenomenon of these Georgian rivers that meet but do not merge has another off the wall claim to fame. Several years ago, a photo began circulating on Facebook and was shared several hundred times of two rivers that “meet but never mix” with the claim the photo was captured in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The picture shows two streams of different colors, one light gray and the other a darker shade, flowing parallel to each other at the foot of a small mountain in a lush green landscape. What we know now is that photo was actually captured in The Republic of Georgia!





****For more stories about our travels, please check us out on Facebook at Valeri Crenshaw or on Instagram at Valeri’s Passport!****

---

Comments

[David Ray Brock]

Turbidity
TURBIDITY is my word for the day! Fascinating, this planet we inhabit. Thank you.

[Dancing Dave]

Legends
Legends speak so much about national psyche explaining natural phenomenas. Thanks for sharing this Georgian one of knights, the bond of sisters and love.