Geography Notes - for Competitive Exams

Part - 14 (Rivers of India)

RIVERS OF INDIA

Indian rivers are broadly divided into two major groups on the basis of their source regions, namely the rivers of the Himalayan region and the rivers of the peninsular region.

Rivers having their sources in the Himalayas or beyond them and flowing through Indian Territory are divided into three major drainage systems – 1) the Indus system, 2) the Ganga system and the 3) Brahmaputra system. Indus system is the most extensive among these three systems.

1. The Indus System: River Indus (Sindhu in Sanskrit) rising beyond Himalayas (Tibetan plateau in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar) dominates this system. A large number of its tributaries rise in the Himalayas. Rivers Shyoke, Shigar, and Gilgit are the main tributaries of this river joining it in Jammu and Kashmir. The more important tributaries, including the Jhelum (Vitastā and Hydaspes by the ancient Greeks), Chenab (Ashikini), Ravi (Purushni in Sanskrit), Beas (Vipasa) and Sutlej (Śutudri), however join it after entering Pakistan. Indus forms a large delta near Karachi before flowing into the Arabian Sea.

2. The Ganga System: The second major drainage system of India is the Ganga system. This system is in fact the largest river system draining about 25 per cent of the total area of the country. The Ganga, the head stream, is constituted of two major rivers – Bhagirathi and Alaknanada, which combine at Dev Prayag to form the Ganga. Bhagirathi is generally considered the mother stream and it rises from the Gangotri glacier. The Yamuna, which joins the Ganga at Allahabad it its major tributary. Other tributaries of the Ganga include Ghaghara, Gandak and Kosi from north and Damodar and Son from south. The important tributaries of Yamuna include the Chambal, Betwa and ken (all from the south)

3. The Brahmaputra System: This is the third major river system of north India. The Brahmaputra, the head stream rises in Tibet, where it is called Tsangpo, and enters the Indian Territory under the name Dihang. The Subansiri, Kameng, Dhansiri, Manas and Teesta are the major rivers joining Brahmaputra from the north and Burhi Dihing, Disang, and Kopoli join from the south. The Lohit is also an important tributary of the Brahmaputra. Brahmaputra changes its direction twice in its course. The Ganga and the Brahmaputra join in Bangladesh and form extensive delta of Sunderban. Part of the Sunderban Delta lies in Bangladesh and part in the West Bengal in India. The Sunderban derives its name from the Sundri tree that grows widely in this region.

Rivers of Peninsular India Flowing into the Bay of Bengal: These comprise five major drainage systems – the Brahmani – Subernarekha system, the Mahanadi system, Godavari system, Krishna system and the Cauvery system.

1. The Brahmani – Subernarekha System: The northernmost among the east-flowing river systems of peninsular India is the Brahmani (is formed by the confluence of the rivers South Koel and Sankh near the major industrial town of Raurkela in Orissa.) and Subernarekha (originates near Piska/ Nagri, near Ranchi) system. Both these rivers rise in the Chhota Nagpur Plateau. The Baitarni, another major river of this system, rises in the Keonjhar Plateau in Orissa.

2. The Mahanadi System: The Mahanadi system consists of the main river of the same name and its tributaries, the important ones being the Seonath, Hasdeo, Mand, Jonk, and Tel. It leads into the Bay of Bengal after flowing through the delta in Cuttack district of Orissa.

3. The Godavari System: The third system – the Godavari is the largest in the peninsular region. This river rises near Nasik in Maharashtra. The Manjira, Penganga, Wardha, Pranhita, Indravati and Sabari are the main tributaries of the river Godavari. Draining parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Godavari reaches the Bay of Bengal. It has formed an extensive delta in Andhra Pradesh.