Important Rivers in India: A List of Major River Systems for All Exams

Significance of Important Rivers in India for UPSC CSE

The topic ”Important Rivers in India” is one of the most important portions of the UPSC CSE examination and every competitive exam in this country.

”Important Rivers in India” covers GS 1: Physical Geography, Distribution of Key Natural Resources, Water Resources, Geographical Features, and their Location.

Important Rivers in India – Major River Systems

• There are three main sources of fresh water in our country. These are: rivers, lakes and ground water.
• The rivers are characterized by unidirectional current with a relatively high, average flow ranging from 0.1 to 1 m/s. The river flow is highly variable with time depending on climatic situation and the drainage pattern.
• Most of the rivers discharge their waters into the Bay of Bengal. Some of the rivers flow through the western part of the country and merge into the Arabian Sea.
• The northern parts of the Aravalli range, some parts of Ladakh, and arid regions of the Thar Desert have inland drainage. The origin of the rivers in India comprises three prime watersheds:

• • Himalayas and the Karakoram ranges
  • Vindhya, Satpura ranges and the Chota Nagpur Plateau
  • Western Ghats

Classification of Rivers in India

Rivers in India are classified into four categories on the basis of their origin. They are:
1. Himalayan Rivers
2. Deccan Rivers
3. Coastal Rivers and
4. Rivers of the inland Drainage basin

Major River Systems in India

Given below are the major river systems in India:

Difference between Himalayan and Peninsular Rivers in India

Himalayan Drainage of Rivers in India

– Antecedent drainage i.e. Himalayan rivers are older than lesser Himalayas and shiwaliks (older than the
structures they cut across).
– Nature of flow is perennial- fed by rain and melting glaciers.
– Geologically young
– Long courses
– Flow through lose alluvial soils of northern plains
– Form deep valley and gorges due to intensive erosion.
– Generate large quantities of sediment.
– Cause annual flooding.
– Nature of river course is quiet changing, meandering , forming ox-bow lakes, high waterfalls, deeper basins
and large catchment areas and form deltas.

Peninsular Drainage of Rivers in India

– Super-imposed drainage i.e. regional structures are older than the river valleys that cut through them.
– Nature of flow is seasonal- during S-W monsoons.
– Geologically older.
– Shorter courses.
– Flow through hard granitic soils of peninsular India.
– Shallow-graded valleys with little erosion.
– Shallow valleys, small waterfalls, deltas, and estuaries.

Difference between west-flowing rivers and east-flowing rivers of peninsular India

West Flowing

– Narmada, Tapi , etc
– Flow into Arabian sea
– Through rift valley in straight linear course
– Donot have extensive network of tributaries
– Geologically young
– Generally form estuaries and not deltas
– Their valley floors much above the sea level
– Flow swiftly into the sea.

East Flowing

– Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, etc
– Flow into bay of Bengal
– Have extensive network of tributaries
– Geologically old
– Have large catchment areas and form deltas
– Their valley floors at sea level
– Flow sluggishly into the sea.

Brief Information about Major River Systems in India

Major River Systems in India – The Indus River System

• The Indus arises from the northern slopes of the Kailash range in Tibet near Lake Mansarovar.
• It has a large number of tributaries in both India and Pakistan and has a total length of about 2897 km from the source to the point near Karachi where it falls into the Arabian Sea out of which approx 700km lies in India.
• It enters the Indian Territory in Jammu and Kashmir by forming a picturesque gorge.
• In the Kashmir region, it joins with many tributaries – the Zaskar, the Shyok, the Nubra and the Hunza.
• It flows between the Ladakh Range and the Zaskar Range at Leh.
• It crosses the Himalayas through a 5181 m deep gorge near Attock, which is lying north of Nanga Parbat.
• The major tributaries of the Indus River in India are Jhelum, Ravi, Chenab, Beas, and Sutlej.

Major River Systems in India – The Brahmaputra River System

• The Brahmaputra originates from Mansarovar Lake, which is also a source of the Indus and Sutlej.
• It is 3848kms long, a little longer than the Indus River.
• Most of its course lies outside India.
• It flows parallel to the Himalayas in the eastward direction. When it reaches Namcha Barwa, it takes a U-turn around it and enters India in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
• Here it is known as the Dihang River. In India, it flows through the states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam and is connected by several tributaries.
• The Brahmaputra has a braided channel throughout most of its length in Assam.
• The river is known as the Tsangpo in Tibet.
• It receives less volume of water and has less silt in the Tibet region.
• But in India, the river passes through a region of heavy precipitation, and as such, the river carries large amounts of water during rainfall and a significant amount of silt.
• It is considered one of the largest rivers in India in terms of volume.
• It is known for creating calamities in Assam and Bangladesh.

Major River Systems in India – The Ganga River System

• The Ganga originates as the Bhagirathi from the Gangotri glacier.
• Before it reaches Devprayag in the Garhwal Division, the Mandakini, Pindar, Dhauliganga and Bishenganga rivers merge into the Alaknanda, and the Bheling drain into the Bhagirathi.
• The Pindar River rises from East Trishul and Nanda Devi unite with the Alaknanda at Karan Prayag. The Mandakini meets at Rudraprayag.
• The water from both Bhagirathi and the Alaknanda flows in the name of the Ganga at Devprayag.
• The principal tributaries of the Ganga are Yamuna, Damodar, Sapta Kosi, Ram Ganga, Gomati, Ghaghara, and Son.
• The river after traveling a distance of 2525 km from its source meets the Bay of Bengal.

The concept of Panch Prayag

1. Vishnuprayag: where the river Alaknanda meets river Dhauli Ganga
2. Nandprayag: where river Alaknanda meets river Nandakini
3. Karnaprayag: where river Alaknanda meets river Pinder
4. Rudraprayag: where river Alaknanda meets river Mandakini
5. Devprayag: where river Alaknanda meets river Bhagirathi -GANGA

Major River Systems in India – Yamuna River System

• The Yamuna River is the largest tributary of the Ganga River.
• It originates from the Yamunotri glacier, at the Bandarpoonch peak in Uttarakhand.
• The main tributaries joining the river include the Sin, Hindon, Betwa Ken, and Chambal.
• The Tons is the largest tributary of the Yamuna.
• The catchment of the river extends to the states of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh.

Major River Systems in India – The Narmada River System

• The Narmada is a river located in central India.
• It rises to the summit of the Amarkantak Hill in Madhya Pradesh state.
• It outlines the traditional frontier between North India and South India.
• It is one of the major rivers of peninsular India. Only the Narmada, the Tapti, and the Mahi rivers run from east to west.
• The river flows through the states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
• It drains into the Arabian Sea in the Bharuch district of Gujarat.

Major River Systems in India – The Tapi River System

• It is a central Indian river. It is one of the most important rivers of peninsular India with the run from east to west.
• It originates in the Eastern Satpura Range of southern Madhya Pradesh state.
• It flows in a westward direction, draining some important historic places like Madhya Pradesh’s Nimar region, East Vidarbha region and Maharashtra’s Khandesh in the northwest corner of the Deccan Plateau and South Gujarat before draining into the Gulf of Cambay of the Arabian Sea.
• The River Basin of Tapi River lies mostly in eastern and northern districts Maharashtra state.
• The river also covers some districts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat as well.
• The principal tributaries of Tapi River are Waghur River, Aner River, Girna River, Purna River, Panzara River and Bori River.

Major River Systems in India – The Godavari River System

• The Godavari River is the second-longest course in India with brownish water.
• The river is often referred to as the Dakshin (South) Ganga or Vriddh (Old) Ganga.
• It is a seasonal river, dried during the summers, and widens during the monsoons.
• This river originates from Trimbakeshwar, near Nasik in Maharashtra.
• It flows southeast across south-central India through the states of Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Orissa, and drains into the Bay of Bengal.
• The river forms a fertile delta at Rajahmundry.
• The banks of this river have many pilgrimage sites, Nasik(MH), Bhadrachalam(TS), and Trimbak. Some of its tributaries include Pranahita (Combination of Penuganga and Warda), Indravati River, Bindusara, Sabari, and Manjira.
• Asia’s largest rail-cum-road bridge which links Kovvur and Rajahmundry is located on the river Godavari.

Major River Systems in India – The Krishna River System

• Krishna is one of the longest rivers of India, which originates from Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra.
• It flows through Sangli and drains the sea in the Bay of Bengal.
• The river flows through the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
• Tungabhadra River is the main tributary which itself is formed by the Tunga and Bhadra rivers that originate in the Western Ghats.
• Dudhganga Rivers, Koyna, Bhima, Mallaprabha, Dindi, Ghataprabha, Warna, Yerla, and Musi are some of the other tributaries.

Major River Systems in India – The Cauvery River System

• It originates from Talakaveri located in the Western Ghats.
• It is a famous pilgrimage and tourist place in the Kodagu district of Karnataka.
• The headwaters of the river are in the Western Ghats range of Karnataka state, and from Karnataka through Tamil Nadu.
• The river drains into the Bay of Bengal. The river supports irrigation for agriculture and is considered as a means of support of the ancient kingdoms and modern cities of South India.
• The river has many tributaries called Arkavathy, Shimsha, Hemavati, Kapila, Shimsha, Honnuhole, Amaravati, Lakshmana Kabini, Lokapavani, Bhavani, Noyyal, and Tirtha.

Major River Systems in India – The Mahanadi River System

• The Mahanadi originates from the Satpura Range of central India and it is a river in eastern India.
• It flows east to the Bay of Bengal. The river drains of the state of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Orissa.
• The largest dam, the Hirakud Dam is built on the river.

Some common FAQs on Important Rivers in India

Q. Which are the major tributaries of the Ganga River?

Ans. The major tributaries of the Ganga are Yamuna, Damodar, Sapta Kosi, Ram Ganga, Gomati, Ghaghara, and Son.

Q. How can we classify Rivers in India on the basis of their origin?

Ans. Rivers in India are classified into four categories on the basis of their origin. They are:
1. Himalayan Rivers
2. Deccan Rivers
3. Coastal Rivers and
4. Rivers of the inland Drainage basin

Q. Which River is also known as Dihang River?

Ans. In Arunachal Pradesh, the Brahmputra river is also known as the Dihang River.

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