THE rivers of India play an important role in the lives of the Indians. They provide potable water, cheap transportation, electricity, and the livelihood for a large number of people all over the country. This easily explains why nearly all the major cities of India are located by the banks of rivers.
10. TAPTI
Major river in Central India.Origin : Satpura Range, Madhya PradeshDistance Covered : 724 Km.Major Towns along the river : Multai, Nepanagar, Betul and Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh, Bhusawal in Maharashtra and Surat and Songadh in Gujarat.Merge into : Gulf of Cambay of Arabian Sea, Surat (Gujrat).
9. NARMADA
also known as Life Line of Madhya PradeshOrigin: narmada Kund, Amarkantak, Madhya PradeshDistance Covered : 1312 Km.Major Towns along the river : Jabalpur (MP), Bharch (Gujarat)Merge : Arabian Sea (Gujarat)
8. KAVERI
Origin : Talakaveri (Western Ghats, Karnataka)Important Tributaries : Amravati, Shemsha, Hemavati.Major Towns along the river :Kushalnagar, Mysuru northern suburbs, Srirangapatna, Karur, Tiruchirapalli (TN), Kumbakonam, Mayiladuthurai, Poompuhar.Distance Covered : 765 Km.Merge : Bay of Bengal.
7. KRISHNA
also known as Krishnaveni4th largest in India (after the Ganges, Godavari and Brahmaputra).Origin : Mahabaleshwar (Maharashtra)Distance Covered : 1400 KmMajor Towns along the river : Sangali (MH), Konya (MH), Vijaywada (AP)Major Tributaries : Bhima, Paleru, Malaprabha, Tungbhadra.It is a major source of irrigation for Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.Major Dam on river : Nagarjun Sagar Dam, Dhom Dam, Narayanpur Dam.The delta of this river is one of the most fertile regions in India and was the home to ancient Satavahana and Ikshvaku Sun Dynasty kings. Vijayawada is the largest city on the River Krishna.Merge into : Bay of Bengal.
6. GODAVARI
Longest river in Southern India also known as ‘Dakshina Ganga’2nd Largest after Gangus (Ganga)Origin : Tryambakeshwar, MaharashtraDistance : 1465 KmMajor Towns along the river :Rajahmundry (AP), Nashik (MH), Nanded (MH), Nizamabad (AP).States Covered : Maharashtra, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry (Yanam).Major Dam on River : Gangapur Dam, Sriram sagar dam.The Krishna Godavari Basin is one of the main nesting sites of the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle.Merge into : Bay of Bengal.
5. MAHANADI
It is the major river in Chattisgarh and OdishaUsed in Irrigation and Drinking Purposealso known as The Ruin of Orrisa. (Devastating flood over the years but before the construction of HIRAKUND DAM)Source : Sihawa, Dhamtari, Dandakaranya, Chhattisgarh.Distance Covered : 858 Km.Major Cities on River : Cuttak, Sambalpur.
4. INDUS
also known as Sindhu RiverPakistan has 93%, India has 5% and China has 2% share of this river.Origin : Tibetan Plateau.Flows through : The LadakhEntered into : PakistanDistance Covered : 3180 KmMajor Cities : Leh, Sukur, Hyderabad (Pakistan).Major Tributaries : Balram river, Beas, Chenab, Dras, Gilgit, Jhelum, Ravi, Satluj.Merges into : Arabian Sea.
3. BRAHMPUTRA
also called as Tsangpo-BrahmaputraOrigin : Angsi Glacier (Tibet)Entered from : Arunachal Pradesh to Assam.Distance Covered : 2900 Km.Major Cities : Dibrugarh (Assam), Guwahati.Another name : Jamuna (Bengali), Tsangpo (Tibet), Pinyin or Yarlung Zangbo (China).Merges into : Padma river of Bangladesh.
2. YAMUNA
also known as JamunaOrigin : Yamunotri Glaciers (Himalaya)70% of water to Delhi from Yamuna.Tajmahal is situated on the banks of it.Major Cities : Etawah (UP), Auraiya (UP), Mathura, New Delhi.States Covered : Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, DelhiMajor Tributaries : Hanuman Ganga, Sharda, ChambalMerges into : Ganga, Allahbad (It is the longest river in India which does not directly flow to the sea).
1. GANGA
Origin : Gangotri (Himalaya)Distance Covered : 2525Km.Third Largest River in the world.Major Cities : Patliputra, Kashi, Allahbad, Varanasi, Kolkata, Badrinath, Haridwar, Kanpur, Patna, Farrukhabad, Fatehgarh, Kannauj, Chakeri.It had also created the World’s Largest DELTA in West Bengal – Sundarban Delta.Major Tributaries : Gomti, Ghaghra, Tamsa, Yamuna, Koshi.Merges into : Bay of Bengal.