Rivers are the lifelines of India and support farming, drinking water and power. Indian rivers are grouped into the Himalayan and Peninsular systems. Their names, sources and tributaries are commonly asked in geography sections of exams.
Himalayan Rivers
These rivers are perennial as they get water from rain and melting snow. The three main systems are:
- Indus system - tributaries include Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej.
- Ganga system - tributaries include Yamuna, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi and Son.
- Brahmaputra system - known as Tsangpo in Tibet and Jamuna in Bangladesh.
The Ganga and Yamuna
The Ganga rises from the Gangotri glacier in Uttarakhand. The Yamuna is its largest tributary and rises from the Yamunotri glacier. The Ganga forms the largest delta, the Sundarbans, with the Brahmaputra.
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Peninsular Rivers
These rivers depend on rain and are mostly seasonal. Most flow east into the Bay of Bengal.
- Godavari - the largest peninsular river, called the Dakshin Ganga.
- Krishna - tributaries include Bhima and Tungabhadra.
- Kaveri - flows through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
- Narmada and Tapi - flow west into the Arabian Sea.
West-Flowing Rivers
The Narmada and Tapi are unusual as they flow westward through rift valleys and form estuaries instead of deltas.
Quick Revision Points
- Two systems: Himalayan (perennial) and Peninsular (seasonal).
- The Ganga rises from the Gangotri glacier.
- The Godavari is the largest peninsular river (Dakshin Ganga).
- Narmada and Tapi flow west into the Arabian Sea.
- The Indus system includes Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej.
- The Sundarbans is the largest delta.
- The Brahmaputra is called Tsangpo in Tibet.