From Ganga to Narmada: How Many Rivers Are There in India? 10 Major River Systems in India

इमययःयःयःयःयःयःतेतेतेतेतेतेतेपतीचपपपःःःःःति

This is a beautiful poem by Chandogya upanishad, describing how rivers flow before they finally merge into the ocean, emphasizing their interconnection and vastness.

You are watching: From Ganga to Narmada: How Many Rivers Are There in India? 10 Major River Systems in India

Rivers are an important part of life, providing water for irrigation, livelihoods, economic transportation, power, etc. These rivers originate from the Himalayas, head to villages and cities and support life with clean water.

But, do you know how many rivers there are in India? How do they originate, the different types of Indus Rivers, their names, etc.? Let us know!

View | These are the three deepest rivers in India, please check here

What is a river system? Everything you need to know

There are many rivers in India, with about 400-500 rivers flowing all over the country. These rivers are roughly divided into four groups:

• Himalayan River: These rivers originate from the Himalayan River, mainly snow-feeding, including major rivers such as the Ganges, Brahmin Muputra and the Indus.
• Deccan Rivers: These rivers are located in the Indian Peninsula and flow into the Gulf of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Examples include Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri Rivers.
• Coastal rivers: Short rivers along the western coast of India, mainly Kerala and Karnataka states.
• Inland rivers: Rivers that do not flow into the sea, usually found in areas such as Ladakh and Thar Desert.

Some of India’s major rivers include:

• Ganges: 2,510 km long and originated from the Gangotri Glacier in Uttarakhand
• Brahmaputra: 2,900 km long, entering India through Arunachal Pradesh
• The Indus River: 2,900 kilometers long and originated from the Tibetan Plateau
• Godavari: 1,450 km long and originated in Maharashtra
• Narmada: 1,290 km, originated from Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh

Other famous rivers:

• Yamuna: 1,376 km long and originated from the Yamunotri Glacier in Uttarakhand
• Krishna: 1,290 km long and originated from the Western Ghats in Maharashtra
• Mahanadi: 890 km long, originated from Dhamtri in Chhattisgarh
• Kaveri: 760 km long, originated from the Western Ghats in Karnataka

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What is a river system?

Many of you will wonder, where does the river originate? What is their starting point? So let’s understand it in a very simple way.

• A river is a natural flow of water.
• When the Himalayan glaciers melt, the water flows down the mountain ranges to form a river.
• The river is then divided into small tributaries and distributed.
• When rivers and their tributaries collect water from various sources, including rainfall, melted snow and underground springs, they are directed to larger waters, such as the ocean and the ocean. This watershed or drainage basin is called a river system.

List of major river systems in India

There are 10 major rivers in India, as well as their tributaries, which create a river system that plays a crucial role in all areas of agriculture, transportation and hydropower generation. This is a list of major river systems in India.

River system	Total length (km)	Length of India (km)
Indus River System	3,180	1,114
Brahmaputra River System	2,900	916
Ganges System	2,510	2,510
Yamuna River System	1,376	1,376
Nalmada River System	1,312	1,312
Cassava River System	724	724
Godavari River System	1,465	1,465
Krishna River System	1,400	1,400
Cauvery River System	805	805
Mahanadi River System	851	851

#1. Indus River System

Source: civilspedia.com

• The Indus River originates from the northern slope of the Kailash Mountains in Tibet near Lake Mansarova.
• It extends about 2,897 km, it flows through India and Pakistan and then empties into the Arabian Sea near Karachi.
• In India, the river covers about 700 km and enters Jamu and Kashmir through scenic canyons. In Kashmir region, it converges with several tributaries including Zaskar, Shyok, Nubra and Hunza.
• The flow range between Ladakh and Zaskar between the Indus River is within the Leh range and passes through the Himalayas through a 5,181-meter long canyon near Attock.
• Its main Indian tributaries include Jhelum, Ravi, Chenab, Beas and Sutlej Rivers.

#2. Brahmaputra River System

Source: civilspedia.com

• The Brahmaputra River originates from Mansarovar Lake in Tibet and shares its source with the Indus River and Sutlej Rivers.
• Stretching 3,848 kilometers, slightly longer than the Indus River. Most of its routes are located outside India, parallel to the Himalayas, then make a turn at Namcha Barwa and enter the Arunachal Pradesh as the Dihang River in India.
• In India, it flows through Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, receiving several tributaries. Brahmaputra is known for its braided passage in Assam, which contains a lot of water and silt due to the heavy precipitation in the area.
• It is considered one of India’s largest rivers and can easily cause disasters in Assam and Bangladesh. In Tibet, it is called the Tsangpo River.

#3. Ganges System

Source: civilspedia.com

• The Bhagirathi River flows down from the Gangotri Glacier from the Himalayas. It then merged with the Alaknanda River, the Satopanth glacier originating from the Devprayag, to form the Ganges.
• The Alaknanda River joins several tributaries including Mandakini, Pindar and Dhauliganga, called panch prayag:
• Vishnuprayag (Dhauli Ganga meets Alaknanda); NandPrayag (Nandakini meets Alaknanda); Karnaprayag (Pindar meets Alaknanda); Rudraprayag (Mandakini meets Alaknanda); Devprayag (Bhagirathi meets Alaknanda, forming the Ganges)
• The main tributaries of the Ganges include Yamuna, Damodar, Sapta Kosi, Ram Ganga, Gomati, Ghaghara and Son.
• After driving 2,525 kilometers, the Ganges encountered the Bay of Bengal.

#4. Yamuna River System

Source: civilspedia.com

• The Yamuna River is the largest tributary of the Ganges River and originates from the Yamunotri Glacier on the Bandarpoonch Peak in Uttarakhand.
• Its main tributaries include: Ton (the largest tributaries), Sin, Hinton, Betwa, Ken and Chanmbal.
• Yamuna’s catchment areas are found in several states, including Delhi, Himaal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

#5. Nalmada River System

Source: River Insight

• The Narmada River is located in central India and originates from Amarkantak Hill in Madhya Pradesh.
• It marks the traditional border between North India.
• The river flows westward, one of the few rivers in India, as well as the Tapti and Mahi Rivers.
• Narmada travels through Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra states, and then pours into the Arabian Sea in the Bharuch region of Gujarat.

#6. Cassava River System

• The Tapi River is a central river in the Indus, flowing from east to west, originating from the Satepula Mountains in southern Madrid.
• It flows westward through historical areas such as Nimar in Madhya Pradesh, Khandesh in Maharashtra and South Gujarat in Maharashtra, and then flows into the Gulf of Campe in the Arabian Sea.
• The Cassava River Basin is mainly located in the eastern and northern Maharashtra, extending partly to Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
• Its main tributaries include the Wag River, the Anna River, the Gina River, the Pune River, the Panzara River and the Bori River.
• The Tapi River is an important river on the Indian Peninsula and is famous for its flow to the west.

#7. Godavari River System

• The Godavari River is the second longest river in India, commonly known as Dakshin Ganga or vriddh ganga.
• It originated from Trimbakeshwar near Nasik, Maharashtra and flowed southeastward through Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, before draining into the Bay of Bengal.
• The river is seasonal, expands during the monsoon and drys in the summer.
• It formed a fertile delta in Rajahmundry, with many pilgrimage sites along its bank, including Nasik, Bhadrachalam and Trimbak.
• Some of its main tributaries include the pranahita (a combination of the five-defense and Vodada), the Indravati River, the Bindusara, Sabari and the Manjira River.
• The Godavari River is also home to Asia’s largest railway – road bridge, connecting Kovvur and Rajahmundry.

#8. Krishna River System

• The Krishna River is one of the longest rivers in India and originates from Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra.
• It flows through the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and then flows into the Bay of Bengal.
• Some of its main tributaries include the Tungabhadra River (consisting of Tunga and Bhadra Rivers), Dudhganga, Koyna, Bhima, Mallaprabha, Dindi, Dindi, Ghataprabha, Warna, Yerla and Musi.
• The Krishna River flows through Sangli and then drains out of the Bay of Bengal.

#9. Kaveri (Cauvery) River System

• The Kaveri River originates from Talakaveri in the Western Ghats in the Kodagu region of Karnataka.
• This is an important pilgrimage and tourist destination.
• The river flows through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and then flows into the Bay of Bengal.
• Kaveri supports agriculture through irrigation and has historically continued ancient kingdoms and modern cities in southern India.
• Some of its key tributaries include Arkavathy, Shimsha, Hemavati, Kapila, Honnuhole, Amaravati, Lakshmana, Kabini, Lokapapavani, Bhavananadi, Bhavananadi, Bhavani, Bhavani, Bhavani, Noyyal, Noyyal and Tirtha.
• The Kaviri River is an important source of water and spiritual significance in southern India.

#10. Mahanadi River System

• The Mahanadi River originates from the Satpura Mountains in central India and flows eastward through eastern India.
• It flows into the Bay of Bengal and passes through the states of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha.
• One of its notable features is the Hirakud Dam, one of the largest dams in India, built on the river.

List of all rivers in India

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the river system in India is consolidated into 20 river units, including 14 major river systems and 99 smaller river basins, divided into 6 rivers.

rank	river	See more : Observation Skills Test : Can you find the number 3383 among 3333 in 10 seconds? Length (km)	origin	outflow	The main tributary	State/ut
1	Indus River	3,180	Himalayas	Arabian Sea	Panjnad, Shyok, Dras, Zanskar	Ladakh, Gujarat
2	Brahman	2,880		Bay of Bengal	Lhasa, Lohit, Subansiri, Teesta	Assam Arunachal Pradesh
3	Ganges	2,525			Yamuna, Ghaghara, Gomti, Gandaki, Kosi, son	Uttar Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal
4	Goldwary	1,465	Western Ghats		Manjira, Indravati, Sabari, Purna	Maharashtra, Tlangana, Andhra Pradesh
5	Satley	1,450	Himalayas	Indus River	Chenab, Beas	Himaal Pradesh, Punjab
6	Krishna	1,400	Western Ghats	Bay of Bengal	Bhima, Tungabhadra, Ghataprabha	Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tlangana, Andhra Pradesh
7	Yamuna	1,376	Himalayas	Ganges	Chambal, Betwa, Ken	Uttar Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi
8	Nalmerda	1,312	Vindhya and Satpura	Arabian Sea	Kolar, Sher, Tawa	Madhya Pradesh in Maharashtra, Gujarat
9	Ghaghara	1,080	Himalayas	Ganges	Seti, Bheri	Bihar Uttar Pradesh
10	Chambal	1,024	Vindhya and Satpura		Banas, Parbati, Shipra	Madhya Pradesh in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh
11	Mahanadi	900	Eastern Ghats	Bay of Bengal	Hasdeo, Seonath, Jonk, Ong River	chhattisgarh, Odisha
12	Chenab	890	Himalayas	Satley	Ravi, Jhelum, Tawi	Himaal Pradesh, Jamu and Kashmir
13	Kaveri	805	Western Ghats	Bay of Bengal	Amaravati, Hemavati, Bhavani, Noyyal	Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
14	Sone	784	Vindhya and Satpura	Ganges	Gopad, Rihand, Kanhar	Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar
15	Jerem	729	Himalayas	Chenab	Poonch, Lidder, Neelum	Jamuk and Kashmir
16	Ravi	720			Budhil, Baira, Siul, Tant Giri, Sewa, Chirchind Nallah, Bhadal, Ujh, Bein and Basantar	Himaal Pradesh, Punjab
17	Kossi	720		Ganges	Sun Kosi, Arun, Tamur	Bihar Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh

Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Optical Illusion