India Rivers Map

About India Rivers Map

The above India river map shows all the major rivers flows all across the India.

Facts about Indian Rivers

River Name	Length in India (km)	Total Length (km)	Origin / Source	Mouth / Outfall	Basin Area (km², approx.)	Major Tributaries	Key States / UTs Flowed Through	Notable Facts & Significance
Ganga (Ganges)	2,525	2,525	Gangotri Glacier (Bhagirathi + Alaknanda at Devprayag), Uttarakhand	Bay of Bengal (forms large delta with Brahmaputra)	~1,080,000	Left: Ramganga, Gomti, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi, Mahananda; Right: Yamuna, Son, Punpun	Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal	Longest river entirely in India; holiest Hindu river; supports ~40% population; heavily polluted; forms fertile Gangetic Plain
Yamuna	1,376	1,376	Yamunotri Glacier, Bandarpunch Range, Uttarakhand	Joins Ganga at Triveni Sangam, Prayagraj (Allahabad)	~366,000	Chambal, Betwa, Ken, Tons, Sindh, Hindon	Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh	Largest tributary of Ganga; flows through Delhi; major pollution source; site of Kumbh Mela
Brahmaputra	916	~2,900–3,848	Chemayungdung / Angsi Glacier, Tibet (as Yarlung Tsangpo)	Bay of Bengal (joins Ganga as Padma in Bangladesh)	~580,000 (total basin)	Lohit, Subansiri, Teesta, Kameng, Manas, Dibang	Arunachal Pradesh, Assam	One of world's largest; massive sediment load; causes floods; sacred in Assam; Tsangpo Grand Canyon
Indus	1,114	3,180	Northern slopes of Kailash Range, Tibet (near Lake Mansarovar)	Arabian Sea (near Karachi, Pakistan)	~1,165,000 (total)	Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej (Panjnad system)	Ladakh (J&K)	Gave name to "India"; ancient Indus Valley Civilization; Indus Waters Treaty (1960) with Pakistan
Godavari	1,465	1,465	Trimbakeshwar / Brahmagiri Hills, Maharashtra	Bay of Bengal (large delta in Andhra Pradesh)	~312,800	Pranhita, Indravati, Manjira, Sabari, Penganga	Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha	Second-longest in India; "Dakshin Ganga"; supports rice, sugarcane; Kumbh Mela at Nashik
Krishna	1,400	1,400	Mahabaleshwar, Western Ghats, Maharashtra	Bay of Bengal	~258,948	Bhima, Tungabhadra, Musi, Koyna, Ghataprabha	Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh	Supports irrigation in Deccan; major dams (Nagarjuna Sagar); disputes over water sharing
Mahanadi	851–890	851–890	Sihawa, Dandakaranya, Chhattisgarh	Bay of Bengal (Odisha coast)	~141,600	Seonath, Hasdeo, Ib, Tel, Ong	Chhattisgarh, Odisha	"Sorrow of Odisha" due to floods; Hirakud Dam (longest earthen dam)
Cauvery (Kaveri)	800–805	800–805	Talakaveri, Brahmagiri Range, Karnataka	Bay of Bengal (Tamil Nadu coast)	~81,155	Hemavati, Kabini, Shimsha, Arkavati, Bhavani	Karnataka, Tamil Nadu	"Dakshin Bhagirathi"; major irrigation disputes; supports rice bowl of South India
Narmada	1,312	1,312	Amarkantak Plateau, Madhya Pradesh	Arabian Sea (Gulf of Khambhat)	~98,796	Hiran, Tawa, Barna, Kolar	Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat	Forms traditional boundary between North & South India; Sardar Sarovar Dam; flows westward
Tapti (Tapi)	724	724	Multai / Betul Plateau, Madhya Pradesh	Arabian Sea (Gulf of Khambhat)	~65,145	Purna, Girna, Panjhra, Waghur	Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat	Parallel to Narmada; supports cotton & sugarcane; Ukai Dam

Rivers of India

India is one of the big countries in the world and has a large number of rivers which have brought about the geomorphological, social and economic development of the region. These rivers are used for irrigation, electricity generation, means of transportation and providing water for drinking, thus being important to many people. The rivers of India are divided into two groups: Himalayan Rivers and Peninsular Rivers. The Himalayan rivers are glacial rivers and are perennial in nature as they flow all through the year while the Peninsular rivers are rain fed and have fluctuating water flow according to the season. The Ganges, Brahmaputra, Indus, Godavari, Krishna and Yamuna are some of the longest and most significant rivers in India.

Major River Systems of India

The biggest and the most important river system in India from cultural and economical point of view is the Ganges River System. The Ganges River originates from the Gangotri Glacier in the state of Uttarakhand and runs for about 2,525 km (1,569 miles) through 6 states of India to discharge into the Bay of Bengal. The Ganges with its major tributaries, Yamuna, Ghaghara, Gandak, and Kosi provides irrigation and supports agriculture in the Indo-Gangetic plain. The river Ganges is also of great holy importance and some of the most famous pilgrimage places are located on its shore, for example Varanasi and Prayagraj.

Another major river system is the Brahmaputra River System is the Yarlung Tsangpo, which originates from the Angsi Glacier in Tibet. It enters India through Arunachal Pradesh and flows for 2,880 kilometres (1,790 miles) passing through Assam and Bangladesh and then discharges into the sea mixing with the Ganges to form the world's largest delta, the Sundarbans. The Brahmaputra is marked by strong currents and too frequent floods during the monsoon season which are a disaster to agriculture and settlements along its banks.

The Indus River System is one of the longest river systems in the world, covering a length of about 3,180 kilometers (1,976 miles). The source of the Indus river is Tibet and it flows through the Ladakh region and runs across Pakistan, the river is an important water source. The Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum rivers are the major tributaries of the Indus in India and are very important for irrigation in the northwestern states of India.

The Godavari River System is the largest of all the river systems in peninsular India. The Godavari river rises in Maharashtra and runs for about 1,465 kilometres (910 mi), through several states to discharge into the Bay of Bengal. It is also called the ‘Dakshina Ganga’, or the ‘Ganges of the south’ because of its vast basin and cultural importance. Its tributaries are the Manjira, Pranhita and the Indravati rivers, which irrigate extensive tracts of land in Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Another significant southern Indian river system is the Krishna River System, which has its source at Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra and runs for 1,400 kilometres (870 miles) up to the Bay of Bengal. The river is an important water source for irrigation in Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The Tungabhadra, Bhima and Koyna rivers are the major tributaries of the Krishna.

One of the few west flowing rivers of India is the Narmada River System. The Narmada river which is one of the biggest rivers in India originates from the Amarkantak Plateau in Madhya Pradesh and flows for about 1,312 kilometers (815 miles) to discharge into the Arabian Sea. The river is beautiful and picturesque and also separates the northern and the southern parts of India. Amongst these, the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada is one of the biggest and most important water resource projects in the country.

Significance of Rivers in India

India’s rivers are life lines and are used for agricultural, industrial and domestic purposes. The agricultural economy of India relies on the fertile plains formed by rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra and Indus to a large extent. Besides, rivers are source of hydroelectric power generation and major dams – Bhakra Nangal on the Sutlej and Tehri on Bhagirathi – are major contributors to energy production.

Indian rivers are not only of great economic importance but are also rivers which are of deep religious and cultural significance. The Ganges, Yamuna and Godavari are sacred to Hindus and are surrounded by numerous rituals and festivals. The Kumbh Mela, which is held at Prayagraj, at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, is one of the world's largest religious gatherings.

Challenges and Conservation Efforts

However, India’s rivers are facing great challenges including pollution, over exploitation of water and climate change. Industrial waste, domestic sewage and agricultural run off have polluted many of the rivers especially the Ganges and Yamuna. To this end, the Indian government has launched programs such as the Namami Gange Project to clean up and revive the Ganges River. Also, measures such as inter linking of rivers have been suggested to tackle water problems in the arid regions.

To this end, attempts are also being made to restore river ecosystems through measures such as afforestation along river banks, improving wastewater treatment and regulation of sand mining. Community involvement and information campaigns are also very important for the maintenance of these conservation activities.