Rivers of India: Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra and the Peninsular Rivers
Rivers are the lifeline of India. They water the fields, carry goods, produce hydel power and shape the plains on which most of the country's people live. For exams, the rivers of India are usually divided into the Himalayan rivers, which are snow-fed and flow throughout the year, and the peninsular rivers, which are rain-fed and carry much less water in the dry season. It also helps to divide them by where they end: the Ganga, the Brahmaputra, the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri flow into the Bay of Bengal, while the Indus, the Narmada, the Tapi, the Sabarmati and the Mahi flow into the Arabian Sea. This single division solves a large number of objective questions.
The Ganga
The Ganga is the longest river of India, with a length of about 2,525 kilometres. It originates as the Bhagirathi from the Gangotri glacier in Uttarakhand, and at Devprayag the Bhagirathi meets the Alaknanda, after which the river is called the Ganga. It flows across the northern plains and at last falls into the Bay of Bengal through the Sundarbans delta, the largest delta in the world. The Yamuna, which rises from the Yamunotri glacier, is the longest tributary of the Ganga, while the Ghaghara is its largest tributary by volume of water. Other important tributaries are the Ramganga, the Gomti, the Gandak, the Kosi and the Mahananda on the left bank, and the Son, the Chambal, the Betwa and the Ken on the right bank. The Damodar is called the Sorrow of Bengal and the Kosi the Sorrow of Bihar.
The Indus
The Indus is the longest river of the world that flows through India, though most of its course lies in Tibet and Pakistan. It rises in the high plateau near Mansarovar in Tibet, enters India in Ladakh and flows through Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab before entering Pakistan and reaching the Arabian Sea. Its main tributaries are the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, which together water the fertile plains of Punjab. Because the Indus system is fed by both snow and rain, it is a perennial river and supports a vast irrigation network.
The Brahmaputra
The Brahmaputra is the longest river of North-East India. It originates from the Chemayungdung glacier near Manasarovar in Tibet, where it is known as the Tsangpo. It enters India in Arunachal Pradesh as the Dihang or Siang, and after the Siang joins the Dibang and the Lohit at Sadiya it is called the Brahmaputra. It is a braided river that builds many sandbars or chars, and in it lies Majuli, the largest river island in the world. Its main north-bank tributaries are the Subansiri, Siang, Dibang, Lohit and Manas, and its main south-bank tributaries are the Kopili, Dihing, Dhansiri and Burhidihing. The Subansiri is the largest tributary of the Brahmaputra in Assam. In the Barak valley the main river is the Barak, which becomes the Surma and later the Meghna in Bangladesh.
The peninsular rivers
Among the peninsular rivers, the Godavari is the longest, about 1,465 kilometres, rising from the Trimbakeshwar hills near Nashik in Maharashtra, and it is often called the Dakshin Ganga or Ganga of the South. The Krishna is the second longest peninsular river and rises near Mahabaleshwar. The Kaveri rises from Brahmagiri in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, is the southernmost of the major rivers and is known as the Ganga of the South for its sacred and agricultural importance. The Narmada, which rises from the Amarkantak plateau, and the Tapi are the two great west-flowing peninsular rivers, and both flow through rift valleys, so they form estuaries instead of deltas. The Luni flows through the Thar desert, while the Sabarmati and the Mahi also reach the Arabian Sea. The Sharavati river forms the Jog falls, one of the highest waterfalls in India.
Quick revision of the river systems
For quick revision, divide the rivers by their destination. Into the Bay of Bengal flow the Ganga, the Brahmaputra, the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri, while into the Arabian Sea flow the Indus, the Narmada, the Tapi, the Sabarmati, the Mahi and the Luni. The Ganga rises from the Gangotri glacier, is joined by the Alaknanda at Devprayag and ends in the Sundarbans; the Indus and the Brahmaputra both rise near Mansarovar, and the Brahmaputra is called Tsangpo in Tibet and Dihang or Siang in Arunachal Pradesh. The peninsular rivers are older and flow in shallow valleys, with the Godavari the longest, the Krishna second and the Kaveri the southernmost. Keep the special names ready: Dakshin Ganga for the Godavari, Ganga of the South for the Kaveri, Sorrow of Bengal for the Damodar and Sorrow of Bihar for the Kosi.
How to prepare this topic
- First divide the rivers by where they end: Bay of Bengal or Arabian Sea. This immediately separates the Ganga system from the Indus and Narmada systems.
- Learn the origins: Ganga from Gangotri, Yamuna from Yamunotri, Indus and Brahmaputra near Mansarovar, Godavari from Trimbakeshwar, Krishna from Mahabaleshwar and Kaveri from Brahmagiri.
- Fix the length records: Ganga the longest in India, Godavari the longest peninsular river and Krishna the second.
- Remember the Brahmaputra's three names in three regions: Tsangpo in Tibet, Dihang or Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and Brahmaputra in Assam.
- Keep the special facts together: Narmada and Tapi in rift valleys, the Luni in the Thar desert, the Sharavati at Jog falls, and the Damodar and Kosi as the sorrows of Bengal and Bihar.
Common exam traps
- The Ganga is the longest river of India, but the longest river flowing through India is the Indus.
- The Yamuna is the longest tributary of the Ganga, while the Ghaghara is its largest by water volume.
- The Godavari is the longest peninsular river, not the Krishna.
- The Narmada and the Tapi flow through rift valleys and make estuaries, not deltas.
- The Brahmaputra is called Tsangpo in Tibet and Dihang or Siang in Arunachal Pradesh, and only after Sadiya is it called the Brahmaputra.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the longest river of India and which is the longest river flowing through India?
The longest river of India is the Ganga, with a length of about 2,525 kilometres, rising as the Bhagirathi from the Gangotri glacier and reaching the Bay of Bengal through the Sundarbans delta. The longest river of the world that flows through India is the Indus, which rises near Mansarovar in Tibet, enters India in Ladakh and reaches the Arabian Sea. The Ganga is the larger river within India, while the Indus has the longer total course.
What are the main tributaries of the Ganga and which is the longest one?
The longest tributary of the Ganga is the Yamuna, which rises from the Yamunotri glacier, while the Ghaghara is the largest tributary by volume of water. On the left bank the important tributaries are the Ramganga, Gomti, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi and Mahananda, and on the right bank they are the Yamuna, Son, Chambal, Betwa and Ken. The Damodar is called the Sorrow of Bengal and the Kosi the Sorrow of Bihar.
What are the different names of the Brahmaputra and its main tributaries?
The Brahmaputra rises from the Chemayungdung glacier near Manasarovar in Tibet, where it is called the Tsangpo. It enters India in Arunachal Pradesh as the Dihang or Siang and is called the Brahmaputra after the Siang joins the Dibang and the Lohit at Sadiya. Its main north-bank tributaries are the Subansiri, Siang, Dibang, Lohit and Manas, with the Subansiri the largest in Assam, and its main south-bank tributaries are the Kopili, Dihing, Dhansiri and Burhidihing.
Which are the longest peninsular rivers of India and where do they originate?
The longest peninsular river is the Godavari, about 1,465 kilometres, rising from the Trimbakeshwar hills near Nashik in Maharashtra, and it is called the Dakshin Ganga. The Krishna is the second longest peninsular river and rises near Mahabaleshwar, while the Kaveri rises from Brahmagiri in the Western Ghats and is known as the Ganga of the South. The Mahanadi is another important east-flowing peninsular river.
Which rivers of India flow westwards and which special rivers should be remembered?
The Narmada, rising from the Amarkantak plateau, and the Tapi are the two great west-flowing peninsular rivers, and both flow through rift valleys and form estuaries instead of deltas. The Sabarmati, the Mahi and the Luni also reach the Arabian Sea, with the Luni flowing through the Thar desert. The Sharavati river forms the Jog falls, one of the highest waterfalls in India, and the Barak is the main river of the Barak valley, becoming the Surma and later the Meghna in Bangladesh.