[Prelims Spotlight] Major Rivers in India

Indus River System

Indus	Ancient name → Sindhu Origin → Bokharchu Glacier, Near Mansarovar In Tibet, Called Singi Khamban / Lion’s mouth Enters In India through Ladakh, flows only in J &K Enters Pak through hair pin bend of Nanga Parbat Finally Discharges in Arabian Sea Flows approx. ( 709 / 2880 ) Km in India India uses 20 % of its water by Indo  Pak water treaty of 1960
Shyok	Originates from Rimo Glacier Known as river of death flows through Ladakh in India A tributary of the Indus River
Jhelum	Ancient name → Vitasta Origin → Verinag Spring (Kashmir) Tributary of Indus, flows only in J &K Flows Northward to Wular Lake Cut through gorge in Pir- Panjal range to reach Muzzafarabad (POK)

Chenab	Ancient name → Akshani / Iskmati Origin → Bara Lacha Pass (Himachal) Known as chandra-bhaga in Himachal Chandra River → Water flowing south from the pass Bhaga River     → Water Flowing north from the pass Flows Northward & parallel to Pir –Panjal Range for some distance Cut through gorge in Pir – Panjal & Turns southward Largest tributary of Indus, Flows through Himachal & J & K Famous Projects → Duhasti, Baglihar & Salal hydroelectric project
Ravi	Ancient name → Purushni Origin → Kullu hills near Rohtang Pass (Himachal) Tributary of Chenab Smallest of 5 rivers Flows through Indo – Pak boundary Flows northward b/w Pir – Panjal & Dhauladhar Ranges Cut a gorge through Dhauladhar range & flows southward
Beas	Ancient name → Vipasha Origin → Beas kund near Rohtang Pass, Himachal Tributary of Satluj Only river flowing entirely in India Runs southward, Cut a deep gorge in Dhauladhar & turns west to meet Satluj near Harike (Punjab) Famous Project → Pong Dam
Sutluj	Ancient name → Shatadru Origin → Rakas lake, Tibet, near Mansarovar Enter Himachal at Shipki La Pass Collects water from Ravi, Chenab, Jhelum & Beas to join Indus near Mithalkot (Pak) Famous Projects → Naptha Jhakri Project & Bhakra Nagal Dam with Govind Sagar Reservoir

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Ganga River System

• Origin → As Bhagirathi from Gangotri Glacier (Uttarkashi – Uttarakhand)
• Alakananda unites with Bhagirathi at Devprayag, Uttarakhand → Henceforth known as Ganga
• Passing through Rishikesh, it debounches in plains of Haridwar
• From Haridwar, it flows Southward to reach Allahabad where it joins Yamuna
• Near Rajmahal Hills, it turns southeast & bifurcate at Farraka into Hoogly (Kolkata) & Padma (BD)
• At Bangladesh, Ganga merges with Brahmputra (Known as Jamuna in Bangladesh) at Goalundo Ghats
• Mixture is known as Padma River

• Then it merges with Meghna & finally falls in Bay of Bengal
• Meghna → Known as Barack river in India 

• Major tributaries → Yamuna, Gomti, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi, Son & Punpun

Ghaghara	Origin → Bharchachungar Glacier (Rakas lake) near Mansarovar Joins Ganga at Chhapr. Known as Manchu or Karnali in Nepal. Known as Saryu or Ghaghra in UP Perennial river Major tributaries → Sarda & Rakti
Gandak	Origin → Sino – Nepal Boundary (Dhaulagiri range) Known as Kalyani in Nepal Major River of Nepal Joins Ganga at Sonpur, Bihar
Kosi	Origin → Gosainath peak (Tibet) Merges with river Ganga at Bhagalpur (Bihar) Consists of 7 streams & known as Saptakoshi in Nepal Main stream → Arun, Tamur & Sun Koshi Formerly Known as Sorrow of Bihar Major Projects → Kusha Dam
Son	Origin → Amarkantak Plateau (Near north of origin of Narmada) Flows through Kaimur Range to meet Ganga at Patna
Gomti	Originates from Gomat Taal / Fulhaar jheel – Pilibhit A tributary of Ganga
Yamuna	Origin → Yamunotri Glacier (Uttarkashi – Uttarakhand) Largest Tributary of Ganga After cutting deep gorge across Shivalik, it enters into plains near Tajewala Flows southward up to Agra & then turns southeast to meet Ganga at Allahabad Famous tributaries → Chambal, Sind, Betwa & Ken
Betwa	Major Tributaries → Tributary of Yamuna, rises from Vindhya range, MP Major Projects       → Matatila dam & Rajghat dam
Ken	Rises from Kaimur hills in Satna (Madhya Pradesh), a tributary of Yamuna Famous for its Shajar stone &  Raneh waterfalls
Chambal	Origin → Vindhya Range (Mhow, MP) Passes through Kota & Dhaulpur (Rajasthan) Merge with Yamuna at Etawah (UP) forms boundary between Rajasthan & MP Major tributaries       → Kali Sindh, Parvati & Banas Main Power Projects → Gandhisagar, Rana Pratap Sagar & Jawahar Sagar
Banas	Originate from eastern slopes of Aravali Tributary of Chambal
Damodar	Origin → Eastern part of Chhota Nagpur Plateu Meets Hoogli at Falta Power Projects → Talaiya, Maithan, Barakar & Panchet

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Brahmaputra River System

• Origin → Chemayungdung Glacier (Kailash Range, Tibet)
• In Tibet, known as TSANG – PO
• In China, known as YARLUNG ZANBO

• Forms grand canyon in Tibet
• Turns southward near Namcha – Barwa
• Enters Arunachal Pradesh as Dihang River at Sadiya, emerging from the mountains
• Joined by Dibang river from the north & Lohit river from the south → Known as Brahamputra
• Turns at Dhubri to enter into Bangladesh
• After joining Teesta, known as Jamuna in BD
• Joins Ganga & Megna → Merges to BOB.
• Forms many river island of which Majuli is world 2^nd largest one

• Major tributaries → Dihang, Lohit, Subansiri, Teesta, Meghna (Barack in Assam), Manas 

Teesta	Major tributary of Brahmaputra Rises from Sikkim Known as lifeline of Sikkim
Lohit	Tributary of Brahmaputra Flows through Arunachal Pradesh Along with river Dihang merges into Brahmaputra, at Sadia town (Arunachal Pradesh)

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Peninsular Rivers India – Flowing East to West

Luni	Desertic river, also known as the Sagarmati Rises from the western slopes of the Aravalli Range near Ajmer Ends in the marshy lands of Rann of Kutch in Gujarat Inspite of high salinity, it is a major river in region Serves as a primary source of irrigation
Sabarmati	Rises from Dhebar lake in Aravalli Range of the Udaipur (Rajasthan) Flow Route: Udaipur → Gulf of Khambat → Arabian Sea via Estuary
Mahi	Rises from Vindhya range (MP) flows through MP, Rajasthan & Gujrat & drains in Gulf of Cambay Famous Projects → Banswara Dam & Kadana dam

Narmada	Origin → Amarkantak, Shahdol, MP Also known as Rewa River Flows through rift valley of Vindhya & Satpura Flow Route: MP → Bharuch (Gujrat) → Gulf of Khambat (Gujrat) → Arabian Sea via Estuary Longest among all east to west flowing rivers Known as Life line of MP Forms Duandhar falls at Jabalpur Only tributary → Hiran River Aliabet → Largest Island in Estuary Famous projects →Sardar Sarovar Dam, Maheshwar Dam, Indira Gandhi Sagar Dam
Tawa	Rises in the Satpura Range of Betul (MP) Narmada’s longest tributary
Tapi	Origin → Mahadev hills, Satpura range, Betul district, MP Flow Route: MP   → Maharashtra → Gulf of Khambat or Cambay → Arabian Sea via Estuary Famous projects → Kakrapar Dam & Ukai Dam
Periyar	Rises from Western Ghats in Kerala Flows towards west & drains in Arabian Sea via an estuary

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Peninsular Rivers India – Flowing West to East

Mahanadi	Origin → Dandakaranya Hills, Raipur Flow Route: Chhattisgarh → Orissa → EGs → BOB Famous Project : Hirakund Dam
Godavari	Origin → Triambakeshwar Plateau, Nashik, WGs Largest Peninsular River Known as Dakshina / Vriddha Ganga Flow Route: Nashik  → Andhra Pradesh → BOB Famous Tributaries → Penganga, Sabri, Wardha & Indravati Famous Projects     →  Poochampad,  Jayakwadi, Polavaram
Penganga	Rises from Ajanta hills (Maharashtra) a tributary of River Wardha which finally merges into Godavari

Krishna	Origin → Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra, WGs Flow Route: Maharashtra → Andhra Pradesh → BOB Famous Projects → Koyna, Tugrabhdra, Srisailam & Nagarjuna Sagar Dam
Tungabhadra	a major tributary of Krishna Rises from Western Ghats
Bhima	Rises from Balaghat range (Maharashtra) Tributary of Krishna
Kaveri	Origin → Brahamgiri hills, Karnataka, WGs Flow Route: Karnataka → Kaveripatnam (TN) →BOB Perrenial River Forms Shivasundaram Waterfalls Famous projects → Krishnaraja sagar & Mettur
Penner	Rises from Karnataka Flows b/w Krishna & Kaveri Drains into BOB
Vaigai	Rises from Palni hills (TN) A seasonal river flows through TN Drains in Gulf of Mannar