A long historical record of channel migration of the Baghmati river system draining the Himalayan foreland basin is presented. Reconstruction of the migration history carried out by maps and satellite imageries reflects a very high frequency of avulsion events (8 major and several minor events in 230 years). Hydrological characteristics, sedimentological readjustments and neotectonic tilting are the important factors triggering avulsions and thereby influencing the development of anabranching. © 2003 Gebrüder Borntraeger, D-14129 Berlin · D-70176 Stuttgart.