General Knowledge about Rivers of India: Read general knowledge about the rivers of India. India drainage and rivers GK. Read the facts about Indian river systems, the flowing areas and the tributaries of major Indian rivers. Listing the origins, mouths, and length of Indian rivers. The major cities, populated nearby the rivers. Question and answers based on Rivers of India asked in various competitive examinations.
Deepest, Shortest, Longest River in India
Some interesting facts about the rivers of India are given following. Check these quiz based on Rivers of India.
Q.: Which is the most polluted river in India?
A.: Damodar is the most polluted river of India (by 2003).
Q.: Which is the only river in India declared as living?
A.: Ganges is declared as living being in India (by 2018).
Q.: Which is the longest river in India?
A.: Indus is the longest river of India having a length of 3180 kilometers.
Q.: Which is the deepest river in India?
A.: Brahmaputra is the deepest river of India having a maximum depth of 380 ft.
Q.: Which is the deepest river valley in India?
A.: The valley of Bhagirathi & Alaknanda is the deepest river valley of India.
Q.: Which is the smallest river in India?
A.: Arvari river is considered as the smallest river of India having a length of 90 kms. It flows through the Rajasthan state.
The Himalayan River Systems Of India
There are three major Himalayan river systems. Following is the list of Himalayan river system is given below. Following are the tables providing general knowledge of rivers of India. Name of origins, mouths, length, major cities on banks, and tributaries of rivers are included. This study material is available at free of cost.
| Name of River System | Name of Major Rivers |
|---|---|
| The Indus River System: | Indus, Sutlej, Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, Beas, Shyok, Zanskar |
| The Ganga (Ganges) River System: | Ganga, Chambal, Betwa, Yamuna, Gomti, Ghaghra, Son, Kosi, Brahmaputra |
| The Brahmaputra River System: | Yarlung Tsangpo, Siang, Dibang, Lohit, Subansiri, Brahmaputra, Teesta, Padma, Jamuna river (Bangladesh) |
Indus River
Indus river is also known as Sindhu. The name India is retrieved from the Indus.
- Origin: Lake Manasarovar, Tibetan Plateau
- Mouth: Arabian Sea
- Length: 3180 km
- Flowing area: Tibet (China), India, Pakistan
- Major cities: Leh, Skardu, Dasu, Besham, Thakot, Swabi, Dera Ismail Khan, Sukkur, Hyderabad
- Tributaries (left side): Zanskar, Suru, Soan, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, Panjnad, Ghaggar-Hakra
- Tributaries (right side): Shyok, Hunza, Gilgit, Swat, Kunar, Kabul, Kurram, Gomal, Zhob
Ganges (Ganga) River
Ganga river is the national river of India and first-ever declared as living being. Ganga is a holy river and worshiped as mother by Indians. After entering Bangladesh, the main branch of Ganga is known as Padma river. Padma is confluenced by Jamuna River, the largest distributary of Brahmaputra river.
- Origin: Gangotri (Gaumukh) glacier, Uttarakhand
- Mouth: Bay of Bengal
- Length: 2525 km
- Flowing area: Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal (5 states)
- Major cities: Rishikesh, Haridwar, Kannauj, Kanpur, Raebareli, Fatehpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Buxar, Patna, Munger, Farakka, Murshidabad, Plassey, Nabadwip Mayapur, Kolkata
- Tributaries (left side): Ramganga, Gomti, Karnali, Gandaki, Koshi, Mahananda
- Tributaries (right side): Yamuna, Tamsa, Son, Punpun
Yamuna River
- Origin: Saptarishi Kund, Champasar glacier, Yamunotri, Uttarakhand
- Mouth: Ganges, Triveni Sangam, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh
- Length: 1376 km
- Flowing area: Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh (3 states, 1 UT)
- Major cities: Delhi, Agra, Mathura, Allahabad, Yamunanagar, Noida, Kalpi, Etawah, Hamirpur, Baghpat, Firozabad
- Tributaries (left side): Hindon, Sharda, Giri, Rishiganga, Hanuman Ganga, Sasur Khaderi
- Tributaries (right side): Chambal, Betwa, Ken, Sindh, Tons
Brahmaputra River
- Origin: Manasarovar Lake, Tibetan Plateau
- Mouth: Bay of Bengal
- Length: 2628 km
- Flowing area: Tibet (China), India, Bangladesh
- Major cities: Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Tezpur
- Tributaries (left side): Dibang, Lohit, Dhansiri, Kolong
- Tributaries (right side): Kameng, Manas, Beki, Raidak, Jaldhaka, Teesta, Subansiri
Chambal River
- Origin: Singar Chouri, Madhya Pradesh
- Mouth: Yamuna river, Jalaun, U.P
- Length: 960 km
- Flowing area: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh
- Major cities: Kota
- Tributaries (left side): Banas, Mej
- Tributaries (right side): Parbati, Kali Sindh, Shipra
Beas River
The ancient name of Beas river is Vipasha.
- Origin: Beas Kund, H.P
- Mouth: Sutlej river, Kapurthala, Punjab
- Length: 470 km
- Flowing area: Himachal Pradesh, Punjab
- Major cities: Manali, Kullu
- Tributaries: Bain, Banganga, Parvati, Uhal
Chenab River
The other name of Chenab river is Chandrabhaga. Chandrabhaga river originates in Himachal Pradesh on the confluence of two rivers namely Chandra and Bhaga.
- Origin: Suraj Tal, Baralacha La, H.P
- Mouth: Indus river, Uch Sharif, Pakistan
- Length: 960 km
- Flowing area: Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan
- Tributaries: Marusadar
Koshi River
The Koshi river is also known as Saptakoshi.
- Origin: Sun Koshi, Arun and Tamor rivers forms Saptakoshi at Tribenighat, Nepal
- Mouth: Ganges river, Kursela, Bihar
- Length: 729 km
- Flowing area: Tibet (China), Nepal, India
- Major cities: Supaul, Katihar, Biratnagar, Purnia
- Tributaries: Sun Koshi, Arun, Tamor
Jhelum River
The Jhelum river is also known as Vitastā.
- Origin: Verinag, J&K
- Mouth: Chenab river, Trimmu, Pakistan
- Length: 725 km
- Flowing area: India, Pakistan
- Major cities: Srinagar, Muzaffarabad, Baramulla, Mirpur, Anantnag, Jhang, Sopore, Awantipora, Pampore
- Tributaries: Lidder, Neelum (Krishna), Sind
Teesta (or Tista) River
- Origin: Pahunri (or Teesta Kangse) glacier, Tibet
- Mouth: Brahmaputra river, Fulchhari, Bangladesh
- Length: 309 km
- Flowing area: Tibet, India (Sikkim, West Bengal), Bangladesh
- Major cities: Rangpo, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling
- Tributaries (left side): Dik Chhu, Rangpo, Lang Lang Chu, Lachung, Rani Khola
- Tributaries (right side): Ranghap Chhu, Rangeet, Ringyong Chhu
Betwa River
Betwa river is also known as Vetravati or Betravati.
- Origin: Jhiri, M.P
- Mouth: Yamuna river, Hamirpur, U.P
- Length: 590 km
- Flowing area: Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh
- Major cities: Vidisha, Sanchi, Orchha
- Tributaries (left side): Sindhu (Ashok nagar-Guna)
- Tributaries (right side): Bina, Dhasaan
Ghaghara River
Ghaghara river is also known as Karnali.
- Origin: Mapchachungo glacier, Tibet
- Mouth: Ganges river, Revelganj, Bihar
- Length: 1080 km
- Flowing area: Tibet, Nepal, India
- Major cities: Ayodhya, Bahraich, Barabanki, Basti, Deoria, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Sitapur, Saint Kabir Nagar,
- hapra, Siwan, Sonepur
- Tributaries (left side): Bheri, Sarju, Kuwana, Rapti, Chhoti Gandak
- Tributaries (right side): Seti, Dahawar, Sarda, Budhi Ganga
Ravi River
The ancient name of Ravi river is Parushani or Iravati.
- Origin: Multhan, Kangra, H.P
- Mouth: Chenab river, Ahmadpur Sial, Pakistan
- Length: 720 km
- Flowing area: India, Pakistan
- Major cities: Lahore
- Tributaries: Siul, Ujh, Tant Gari
Gomti River
- Origin: Gomat Taal (formally known as Fulhaar jheel), Madho Tanda, Pilibhit, U.P
- Mouth: Ganges near Saidpur, Kaithi, U.P
- Length: 960 km
- Flowing area: Uttar Pradesh
- Major cities: Lucknow, Sultanpur, Jaunpur
- Tributaries: Gaihaaee, Sukheta, Choha, Andhra Choha, Sai
Bhāgīrathī River
This is the general belief that the same river is Ganga. However, the name Ganga originates at Devparyag (Uttarakhand) where the confluence of Alaknanda and Bhāgīrathī happens.
- Origin: Gaumukh glacier, U.K
- Mouth: Ganges river, Devprayag, U.K
- Length: 205 km
- Flowing area: Uttarakhand
- Major cities: Devprayag
- Tributaries: Kedar Ganga, Jadh Ganga, Asi Ganga, Bhilangna
Alaknanda River
Alaknanda river is also known as Vishnu Ganga.
- Origin: Confluence of Satopanth Glacier and Bhagirathi Kharak, U.K
- Mouth: Ganges river, Devprayag, U.K
- Length: 195 km
- Flowing area: Uttarakhand
- Major cities: Nandprayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, Srinagar (UK), Devprayag
- Tributaries (left side): Saraswati, Dhauliganga, Nandakini, Pindar
- Tributaries (right side): Mandakini
Damodar River
Damodar was earlier known as Sorrow of Bengal due to the floods of river.
- Origin: Chandwa, Latehar (Chota Nagpur Plateau), Jharkhand
- Mouth: Hooghly river, Howrah, West Bengal
- Length: 590 km
- Flowing area: Jharkhand, West Bengal
- Major cities: Durgapur, Bardhaman, Asansol, Bokaro, Howrah
- Tributaries (left side): Barakar, Konar, Jamunia, Nunia
- Tributaries (right side): Sali
Gandaki River
Gandaki river is also known as Narayani or Gandak.
- Origin: Nhubine Himal Glacier, Mustang, Nepal
- Mouth: Ganges river, Sonpur, Bihar
- Length: 630 km
- Flowing area: Tibet, Nepal, India (Bihar)
- Major cities: Devgat, Narayangarh, Valmikinagar, Triveni, Hajipur, Sonpur, Bagaha
- Tributaries (left side): Trishuli, Budhi Gandaki, Marshyangdi, Madi, Seti Gandaki
- Tributaries (right side): Kali Gandaki
Sutlej River
Sutlej river is also known as Satluj or Shutudri or Shatadrum.
- Origin: Lake Rakshastal, Tibet
- Mouth: Confluence with Chenab to form Panjnad (Bahawalpur, Pakistan)
- Length: 1500 km
- Flowing area: Tibet, India (Himachal Praesh, Punjab), Pakistan
- Major cities: Ferozepur, Ludhiana
- Tributaries (left side): Baspa
- Tributaries (right side): Spiti, Beas
Ghaggar River
- Origin: Dagshai, Shivalik Hills, H.P
- Mouth: Ottu, Haryana
- Length: 320 km
- Flowing area: Himachal Pradesh, Haryana
- Major cities: Sirsa
- Tributaries (left side): Kaushalya
- Tributaries (right side): Markanda, Sarsuti, Tangri, Chautang
Manas River
Manas river is also known as Drangme Chhu or Gongri or Niamjang.
- Origin: West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh
- Mouth: Brahmaputra river, Jogighopa, Assam
- Length: 376 km
- Flowing area: India (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam), Bhutan, Tibet
- Tributaries: Aie
Lohit River
Lohit river is also known as Zayü.
- Origin: Kangri Garpo range, Tibet
- Mouth: Siang (Brahmaputra)
- Length: appx 200 km
- Flowing area: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh
Barak River
Barak river is also known as Avourei.
- Origin: Liyai Kullen, Manipur
- Mouth: Bay of Bengal
- Length: 564 km
- Flowing area: Manipur, Nagaland, Assam
- Tributaries: Jiri, Dhaleshwari (Tlawng), Longai, Madhura, Sonai (Tuirial), Rukni, Katakhal
Son River
Son river is also spelt as Sone.
- Origin: near Amarkantak, M.P
- Mouth: Ganges river, near Goldiganj, Bihar
- Length: 784 km
- Flowing area: Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar
- Major cities: Sidhi, Dehri, Patna, Daudnagar, Sonbhadra
- Tributaries (left side): Ghaghar, Johilla
- Tributaries (right side): Gopad, Rihand, Kanhar, North Koel River
The Peninsular River Systems Of India
The list of Indian peninsular river system is given below. Following tables contains the general study of rivers of South India. Name of rivers, origins, mouths, length, major cities on banks, and the tributaries are included. This study material is available at free of cost.
- The Mahanadi River System
- The Godavari River System
- The Krishna River System
- The Cauvery River System
Mahanadi River
Mahanadi is a major river of east-central India. Hirakud, the largest dam of India, is build over the Mahanadi river.
- Origin: Sihawa, Dhamtari, Chhattisgarh
- Mouth: False Point, Jagatsinghpur, Delta, Odisha (Bay of Bengal)
- Length: 850 km
- Flowing area: Chhattisgarh, Odisha
- Major cities: Rajim, Sambalpur, Cuttack, Sonepur, Birmaharajpur, Subalaya, Kantilo, Boudh, Cuttack, Banki
Godavari River
Being the largest peninsular river system it is also called Dakshin Ganga or Vridha Ganga.
- Origin: Brahmagiri, Tryambakeshwar (Nashik), Maharashtra
- Mouth: Antarvedi (Bay of Bengal), Andhra Pradesh
- Length: 1465 km
- Flowing area: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Pondicherry (Yanam district), Andhra Pradesh
- Major cities: Rajamundry, Nasik, Nanded, Parbhani
- Tributaries (left side): Banganga, Taliperu, Kadva, Purna, Kadam, Pranahita, Shivana, Indravati, Sabari
- Tributaries (right side): Nasardi, Pravara, Darna, Sindphana, Manair, Manjira, Kinnerasani
Krishna River
Krishna is the second largest east flowing peninsular river in south India.
- Origin: Mahabaleswar (Satara), Maharashtra
- Mouth: Hamsaladeevi (Bay of Bengal), Andhra Pradesh
- Length: 1400 km
- Flowing area: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh
- Major cities: Vijayawada, Sangli
- Tributaries (left side): Bhima, Dindi, Peddavagu, Musi, Paleru, Munneru
- Tributaries (right side): Venna, Koyna, Panchganga, Dudhaganga, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, Tungabhadra
Kaveri (Cauvery) River
Kaveri is the third largest river in south India. It is the largest river in Tamil Nadu state.
- Origin: Talakaveri (Kodagu), Karnataka
- Mouth: Poompuhar (Bay of Bengal), Tamil Nadu
- Length: 805 km
- Flowing area: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
- Major cities: Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur, Srirangapatna, Kumbakonam, Kushalnagar
- Tributaries (left side): Hemavati, Shimsha, Arkavathy
- Tributaries (right side): Lakshmana Tirtha, Kabini, Noyyal, Bhavani, Amaravati river, Moyar
Tungabhadra River
In the epic Ramayana, the Tungabhadra River was known by the name of Pampa. Still by the time the Pampa Sarovar is in existance.
- Origin: Koodli (The place where the Thunga and Bhadra rivers meet)
- Mouth: Krishna River, Sangameswaram, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh
- Length: 531 km
- Flowing area: Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh
- Major cities: Harihar, Hospet, Hampi, Kampli, Mantralayam, Kurnool
- Tributaries (left side): Tunga, Kumudvati, Varada
- Tributaries (right side): Bhadra, Vedavathi, Handri
Narmada River
Narmada is an important and holy river of central India. It is also called the Rewa or Nerbudda.
- Origin: Amarkantak (Narmada Kund), Madhya Pradesh
- Mouth: Gulf of Khambhat (Arabian Sea), Gujarat
- Length: 1312 km
- Flowing area: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat
- Major cities: Dindori, Harda, Mandhata, Barwani, Omkareshwar, Barwaha, Maheshwar, Mandla, Bharuch, Rajpipla, Dharampuri, Vadodara
- Tributaries (left side): Burhner, Banjar, Shakkar, Dudhi, Tawa, Kundi, Goi, Karjan
- Tributaries (right side): Hiran, Tendoni, Choral, Kolar, Man, Hatni, Orsang
Tapi River
- Origin: Multai (Betul), M.P
- Mouth: Gulf of Khambhat (Arabian Sea), Gujarat
- Length: 725 km
- Flowing area: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat
- Major cities: Nepanagar, Burhanpur, Bhusawal, Surat
Banas River
Banas river is also known as Van Ki Asha.
- Origin: Khamnor Hills of Aravalli, Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan
- Mouth: Chambal river, Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan
- Length: 512 km
- Flowing area: Rajasthan
- Major cities: Kumbhalgarh, Sawai Madhopur
- Tributaries (left side): Kothari, Khari, Dai, Dheel, Sohadara, Morel, Kalisil
- Tributaries (right side): Berach, Menali
Luni River
Luni river is also known as Lonari, Lavanavari, Lavanavati, Sagarmati etc. It is an important river in Rajasthan state.
- Origin: Pushkar valley (Aravalli) near Ajmer, Rajasthan
- Mouth: Rann of Kutch, Gujarat
- Length: 495 km
- Flowing area: Rajasthan, Gujarat
- Tributaries (left side): Sukri, Guhiya, Bandi, Mithri, Khari, Jawai and Sagi
- Tributaries (right side): Jojhari
Sabarmati River
- Origin: Dhebar lake (Udaipur), Rajasthan
- Mouth: Gulf of Khambhat, Gujarat
- Length: 371 km
- Flowing area: Gujarat, Rajasthan
- Major cities: Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar
- Tributaries: Wakal, Watrak, Sei Nadi, Harnav, Hathmati, Madhumati
Mahi River
- Origin: Minda (Vindhyanchal), Madhya pradesh
- Mouth: Gulf of Khambhat (Arabian Sea), Gujarat
- Length: 580 km
- Flowing area: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat
Himalayan Rivers Vs. Peninsular Rivers – A Compartive Study of India River Systems
Question: What are differences between Himalayan and Peninsular Rivers?
Answer:
- The origin of Himalayan rivers are the annually snow covered mountains and glaciers of Himalayas. The source of Peninsular rivers is generally the plateau and highlands of central India.
- Himalayan rivers have deep and young valleys. Comparatively, Peninsular rivers are broad and have largely-graded shallow valleys.
- Himalayan rivers receive water from the glaciers and rainfall & flow through all over the year. Peninsular rivers are seasonal and dependent on monsoon rainfall for water catchment.
- Himalayan rivers have very large basins, whereas, Peninsular rivers have relatively smaller basins.
- Himalayan rivers originate and flow through the rugged mountains and keep changing the course, even after entering the plains of northern India. Peninsular rivers have smaller course but flow through the comparatively dry parts.
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