List of Rivers of India and their Origin and Tributaries | Download PDF

List of Rivers of India and their Origin

List of Rivers in India: Discover India’s Rivers Ganges in the north to Kerala’s backwaters in the south. Complete list with lengths, origins, and tributaries. In 2023, numerous Defense Exams will take place, and candidates are eager for essential GK information. Below, we present a comprehensive list of rivers, their lengths, origins, and tributaries relevant to exams like BSF, CISF, CDS, Territorial Army, etc.

A river is a natural waterway of freshwater, flowing toward an ocean, sea, lake or any other river. Most of India’s major rivers flow eastwards and fall into the Bay of Bengal. There are only five rivers in India that flow from east to west, Narmada, Mahi, tapti river, luni and sabarmati and fall into the Arabian Sea. Here we have brought details related to the complete list of major rivers of India and the rivers and their tributaries in India. Also, Check Riverside Cities in India

Rivers in India

In the diverse tapestry of India’s geography, rivers play a fundamental and fascinating role. These majestic water bodies, akin to lifelines, weave through the country’s plains, mountains, and plateaus, shaping its landscapes and nurturing its people. India’s rivers are not just geographical features; they are repositories of culture, history, and spirituality. In this journey through the meandering waters of India, we will explore the significance, stories, and serenity that these rivers bring to the subcontinent.

Indian River System

Let’s explore major River Systems through a table that provides details about their respective lengths.

Indian River System
River System	Total length	Length in  India
Indus River System	3180  km	1114 km
Brahmaputra River System	2900 km	916 km
Ganga River System	2510 km	2510 km
Yamuna river System	1376 km	1376 km
Tapi River System	724 km	724 km
Narmada River System	1312 km	1312 km
Krishna River System	1400 km	1400 km
Cauvery River System	805 km	805 km
Godavari River System	1465 km	1465 km
Mahanadi River System	851 km	851 km

Indian Rivers 

The majority of rivers in India flow into the Bay of Bengal, while a few pass through the western part and fall into the Arabian Sea. Inland drainage exists in certain regions, such as northern Aravalli range, parts of Ladakh, and the arid Thar Desert. The major rivers in India originate from three main watersheds:

• The Himalaya and the Karakoram range
• The Chota Nagpur plateau and Vindhya and Satpura range
• The Western Ghats

Indus River System

Origin: The Indus River originates in the northern slopes of the Kailash range in Tibet, near Lake Mansarovar.

Course: It follows a north-westerly course through Tibet.

Length: It has a total length of about 2897 km from the source to the point near Karachi where it falls into the Arabian Sea, with approximately 700 km lying in India.

Entry into India: It enters the Indian Territory in Jammu and Kashmir where it forms a picturesque gorge.

Joining Tributaries: In the Kashmir region, it joins with several tributaries – the Zaskar, the Shyok, the Nubra, and the Hunza.

Flow through Regions: It flows through the regions of Ladakh, Baltistan, and Gilgit, running between the Ladakh Range and the Zaskar Range at Leh.

Himalayan Crossing: It crosses the Himalayas through a 5181 m deep gorge near Attock, lying north of Nanga Parbat.

Major Tributaries in India: The major tributaries of the Indus River in India are Jhelum, Ravi, Chenab, Beas, and Sutlej.

Brahmaputra River System

Origin: The Brahmaputra originates from Mansarovar Lake, sharing the source with the Indus and Sutlej rivers.

Length: It stretches 3848 km, slightly longer than the Indus River.

Course: Most of its course lies outside India, flowing parallel to the Himalayas eastward. It takes a U-turn around Namcha Barwa and enters India in Arunachal Pradesh, where it is known as the Dihang River.

Undercutting: The river’s undercutting measures approximately 5500 meters.

Flow through India: it flows through Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, being connected by various tributaries. It maintains a braided channel throughout most of its length in Assam.

Tibet Region: In Tibet, the river is known as the Tsangpo, receiving less water and silt. However, India, encounters heavy precipitation, resulting in significant water flow during rainfall and considerable silt.

Volume: It is one of India’s largest rivers in terms of volume.

Calamities: The Brahmaputra is notorious for causing calamities in Assam and Bangladesh.

Ganga River System

Origin: The Ganga originates as the Bhagirathi from the Gangotri glacier.

Confluence: Before reaching Devprayag, the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi merge with rivers like Mandakini, Pindar, Dhauliganga, and Bishenganga.

Panch Prayag: The concept of Panch Prayag includes Vishnuprayag, Nandprayag, Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag, and Devprayag, where the Alaknanda meets its tributaries.

Principal Tributaries: Yamuna, Damodar, Sapta Kosi, Ram Ganga, Gomati, Ghaghara, and Son.

Endpoint: After covering 2525 km, the Ganga meets the Bay of Bengal.

Yamuna River System

Origin: It originates from the Yamunotri glacier, located at the Bandarpoonch peak in Uttarakhand.

Tributaries: The main tributaries joining the river are Sin, Hindon, Betwa, Ken, and Chambal.

Largest Tributary: The Tons is the largest tributary of the Yamuna.

Catchment Area: The river’s catchment extends to the states of Delhi, HP, UP, Haryana, Rajasthan, and MP.

Tapi River System

Origin: It originates in the Eastern Satpura Range of southern Madhya Pradesh state.

Westward Flow: The river flows in a westward direction, passing through important regions like Madhya Pradesh’s Nimar and East Vidarbha regions, Maharashtra’s Khandesh, and South Gujarat before evacuating into the Gulf of Cambay of the Arabian Sea.

River Basin: The River Basin of Tapi River is primarily situated in the eastern and northern districts of Maharashtra state. It also covers some districts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

Principal Tributaries: The principal tributaries of Tapi River include Waghur River, Aner River, Girna River, Purna River, Panzara River, and Bori River.

Narmada River System

Origin: It rises to the summit of the Amarkantak Hill in Madhya Pradesh state.

Frontier: The river outlines the traditional frontier between North India and South India.

Peninsular River: It stands as one of the significant rivers in peninsular India, along with the Tapti and the Mahi rivers, running from east to west.

Flow through States: The river flows through the states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.

Endpoint: It drains into the Arabian Sea in the Bharuch district of Gujarat.

Krishna River System

Length: Krishna is one of the longest rivers in India, approximately 1300 km in length.

Origin: It originates from Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra.

Endpoint: The river flows through Sangli and meets the sea in the Bay of Bengal.

Flow through States: It flows through the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.

Main Tributary: The Tungabhadra River is the main tributary, formed by the Tunga and Bhadra rivers originating in the Western Ghats.

Other Tributaries: Some other tributaries include Dudhganga Rivers, Koyna, Bhima, Mallaprabha, Dindi, Ghataprabha, Warna, Yerla, and Musi.

Cauvery River System

Origin: It originates from Talakaveri in Tamil Nadu, located in the Western Ghats about 5,000 feet (1,500 m) above sea level.

Alternate Name: The Kaveri is also known as Dakshin Ganga.

Pilgrimage and Tourist Place: It is a famous pilgrimage and tourist destination in the Kodagu district of Karnataka.

Flow: The headwaters of the river are in the Western Ghats range of Karnataka state, flowing through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Endpoint: The river drains into the Bay of Bengal. It supports irrigation for agriculture and is essential for the ancient kingdoms and modern cities of South India.

Tributaries: The river has several tributaries, including Arkavathy, Shimsha, Hemavati, Kapila, Honnuhole, Amaravati, Lakshmana Kabini, Lokapavani, Bhavani, Noyyal, and Tirtha.

Godavari River System

Length: it is the second-longest river in India, approximately 1,450 km (900 miles) long, with brownish water.

Nicknames: It is often referred to as the Dakshin (South) Ganga or Vriddh (Old) Ganga.

Seasonal Nature: The river is seasonal, drying up during summers and widening during the monsoons.

Origin: This river originates from Trimbakeshwar, near Nasik in Maharashtra.

Flow: It flows southeast across south-central India, passing through the states of Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha before draining into the Bay of Bengal.

Fertile Delta: The river splits into two streams, forming a fertile delta at Rajahmundry.

Pilgrimage Sites: The banks of this river are home to many pilgrimage sites, such as Nasik in Maharashtra, Bhadrachalam in Telangana, and Trimbak.

Tributaries: Some of its tributaries include Pranahita (formed by the combination of Penuganga and Wardha), Indravati River, Bindusara, Sabari, and Manjira.

Engineering Feat: Asia’s largest rail-cum-road bridge, linking Kovvur and Rajahmundry, is located on the river Godavari.

Mahanadi River System

Location: The Mahanadi is a river in eastern India.

Origin: It rises in the Satpura Range of central India and has a length of around 860 km.

Flow and Drainage: The river flows east to the Bay of Bengal, draining most of the state of Chhattisgarh and much of Odisha, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra.

Hirakud Dam: Near the city of Sambalpur, the Hirakud Dam, the largest dam on the river, is built over the river

Longest Rivers of India

Below is a compilation of the longest rivers in India along with their respective lengths:

S. No.	River	Length in India (km)	Total Length (km)
1.	Ganga	2525	2525
2.	Godavari	1464	1465
3.	Krishna	1400	1400
4.	Yamuna	1376	1376
5.	Narmada	1312	1312
6.	Indus	1114	3180
7.	Brahmaputra	916	2900
8.	Mahanadi	890	890
9.	Kaveri	800	800
10.	Tapti	724	724

Rivers in India, Their Lengths, Origins and Tributaries

Below is a compilation of rivers in India along with their respective lengths, origins, and tributaries.

S. No.	Rivers	Origin	Length (km)	End
1.	Ganga	Gangotri Glacier (Bhagirathi), Uttarakhand	2.525	Bay of Bengal
2.	Yamuna	Yamunotri Glacier, Uttarakhand	1,376	Merges with Ganga at Allahabad (Triveni Sangam – Kumbh Mela spot
3.	Brahmaputra	Himalayan Glacier in Tibet, but enters India in Arunachal Pradesh	1,800	Merges with Ganga and ends in Bay of Bengal
4.	Chambal	Tributary of Yamuna river, starting at Madhya Pradesh	960	Joins Yamuna river in UP
5.	Son	Tributary of Ganga, starting at Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh	784	Joins Ganga just above Patna – also considered part of Vindhya river system
6.	Gandak	Nepal; Ganges tributary at Indo-Nepal border (Triveni Sangam)	630	Joins Ganga near Patna
7.	Kosi	Starts from Bihar near Indo-Nepal border	720	Joins Ganga near Katihar district of Bihar
8.	Betwa	Tributary of Yamuna, rises at Vindhya region, MP	590	Joins Yamuna at Hamirpur in UP
9.	Gomti	Tributary of Ganga, starting at Gomat Taal, UP	900	Joins Ganga in Varanasi district
10.	Ghaghara	Himalayan Glacier in Tibet, tributary of Ganga	1080	Joins Ganga in Bihar
11.	Hugli (Hooghly)	Tributary of Ganga near West Bengal	260	Merges with Ganga at Bay of Bengal
12.	Damodar	Tributary of Hugli near Chandwara, Jharkhand	592	Merges with Hugli in West Bengal
13.	Mahananda	Paglajhora falls, Darjeeling, West Bengal	360	Merge in Ganga
14.	Alaknanda	Satopanth & Bhagirathi-Kharak glacier	190	Merge in Ganga, Devprayag, Uttarakhand
15.	Bhagirathi	Gaumukh, Uttarakhand	205	Merge in Ganga, Devprayag, Uttarakhand
16.	Indus	Originates in Tibetan plateau, Enters India in J&K	3180	Merges into Arabian sea near Sindh
17.	Chenab	Upper Himalayas in the Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh	960	Merges with Indus
18.	Jhelum	Tributary of Chenab river, Punjab	725	Merges with Chenab at Jhang (Pakistan)
19.	Ravi	Starts from Bara Bhangal, Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh	720	Joins Chenab in Pakistan
20.	Sutlej	Tributary of Indus river, originates at Rakshastal, Tibet	1500	Meets Beas river in Pakistan and ends at Arabian sea
21.	Beas	Rises at Himalayas in central Himachal Pradesh	470	Joins Sutlej river in Punjab, India
22.	Parbati	Mantalai Glacier near Pin Prabati Pass	–	Mixes with Beas River at Bhuntar, near Kullu of Himachal Pradesh
23.	Suru	Panzella Glacier, Pensi La Pass, Kargil	185	Indus, Nurla, Skardu, Pakistan
24.	Dras	Machoi Glacier, Zoji La, ear Sonamarg, Jammu & Kashmir	86	Suru River at Kharul, Kargil
25.	Zanskar	Doda River (First Branch), Kargyag and Tsarap River (Second Branch)	–	Indus River near Nimmu in Ladakh
26.	Tsarap	Pankpo La, Sarchu	182	Zanskar River, Padum, Kargil
27.	Doda	Drang-Drung Glacier, Pensi La	79	Zanskar River, Padum, Kargil
28.	Kaveri	Talakaveri in Western Ghats in Karnataka	765	Ends in Bay of Bengal
29.	Krishna	Originates in the Western Ghats near Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra	1400	Ends in Bay of Bengal near Andhra Pradesh
30.	Godavari	Starts in Maharashtra and passes through 7 Indian states	1465	Empties in Bay of Bengal
31.	Tungabhadra	Tributary of Krishna river staring at Karnataka	531	Joins Krishna river along the border of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
32.	Tapti	Rises in Eastern Satpura Ranges, Madhya Pradesh	724	Empties into Gulf of Khambhat, Gujarat
33.	Mahi	Rises in Madhya Pradesh	580	Flows into Arabian sea from Gujarat
34.	Narmada	Starts from Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh	1315	Drains into Arabian sea via Gulf of Cambay
35.	Indravati	Dandakaranya range, Kalahandi district, Odisha	535	Godavari near border of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Telangana
36.	Pranhita	Confluence of Wardha and Wainganga, near Sirpur Kaghaznagar	113	Godavari, near Kaleshwaram, Telangana
37.	Wardha	Satpura range, Multai, Betul district of Madhya Pradesh	528	Pranhita River
38.	Kolab (Sabari)	Sinkaran hills, Koraput, Odisha	200	Godavari
39.	Manjira	Balaghat hills	724	Godavari, near Kandakurthi, Karnataka
40.	Wainganga	Satpura range, Mundara, Seoni district, Madhya Pradesh	579	Pranhita River
41.	Painganga	Ajanta range, Aurangabad, Maharashtra	676	Wardha river, Chandrapur district, Maharashtra
42.	Vedavathi	Confluence of Veda and Avathi	–	Tungabhadra river, near Siruguppa
43.	Bhima	Bhimashankar	861	Krishna river, near raichur
44.	Indrayani	Lonavala, Maharashtra		Bhima river
45.	Pavana	Sahyadri range, Lonavala Maharashtra	58	Mula river
46.	Ghataprabha	Western ghats, Sindhudurg, Maharashtra	283	Krishna river, Almatti
47.	Venna	Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra	130	Krishna river, Satara, Maharashtra
48.	Koyna	Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra	130	Krishna river, near Karad, Satara
49.	Amravati	Anamalai hills, Pambar, Chinnar rivers	282	Kaveri river at Karur, Tamil Nadu
50.	Bhavani	Silent valley National Park, Kerala	135	Kaveri river at Kongu Nadu region of Tamil Nadu
51.	Hemavati	Western Ghats, Chikmagalur, Karnataka	245	Kaveri river near Krishna Raja Sagara, Karnataka
52.	Mahanadi	Dhamtari, Dandakaranya, Chhattisgarh	858	Bay of Bengal, near False Point, Kendrapara, Odisha
53.	Subarnarekha	Chota Nagpur plateau, near Ranchi, Jharkhand	395	Kirtania Port, near Talsari, Bay of Bengal
54.	Kangsabati	Chota Nagpur plateau, Purulia district, West Bengal	465	Bay of Bengal near Haldia
55.	Penner (Penna)	Nandi Hills, Chikkaballapur district, Karnataka	597	Bay of Bengal, near Nellore, Andhra Pradesh
56.	Palar	Nandi hills, Kolar district Karnataka	348	Bay of Bengal, near Vayalur, Tamil Nadu
57.	Vaigai	Varusanadu Hills, Tamil Nadu	258	Palk Strait, Tamil Nadu
58.	Vellar	Shevaroy Hills	150	Bay of Bengal, near Parangipettai, Tamil Nadu
59.	Ponnaiyar	Nandidurg, Chikkaballapur	400	Bay of Bengal
60.	Noyyal	Velliangiri Hills, Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu	180	Kaveri river
61.	Gomai	Satpura Range	–	Tapti river, near Prakasha, Nandurbar, Maharashtra
62.	Panzara	Near Pimpalaner, Dhule, Maharashtra	–	Tapti river
63.	Purna	Satpura Range, Betul, Madhya Pradesh	–	Tapti river, near Changdev, Maharashtra
64.	Kolar	Vindhya Range, near Sehore district, Madhya Pradesh	101	Narmada, near Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh
65.	Tawa	Satpura Range, Betul, Madhya Pradesh	172	Narmada near Hoshangabad district
66.	Sabarmati	Dhebar lake, Aravalli range, near Udaipur, Rajasthan	371	Gulf of Khambhat
67.	Zuari	Hemad-Barshem in western ghats	34	Arabian sea
68.	Ulhas	Near Rajmachi hills, Sahyadri range	122	Vasai creek, Mumbai
69.	Kali	Kushavali, Karnataka	184	Arabian sea
70.	Pamba	Pulachimalai Hills, Western Ghats	176	Vembanad Lake
71.	Chaliyar	Elambaleri Hills, Western Ghats, Wayanad, Kerala	169	Lakshadweep Sea, Kerala
72.	Periyar	Sivagiri hills, Sundaramala, Tamil Nadu	244	Lakshadweep Sea, Kerala
73.	Bharathappuzha	Anamalai Hills, Tamil Nadu	209	Lakshadweep Sea, Ponnani, Kerala
64.	Mithi	Vihar lake and Powai lake	15	Arabian sea, Mahim creek, Mumbai
75.	Mandovi	Bhimgad, Karnataka	77	Arabian sea
76.	Netravati	Kudremukh, Chikmagalur, Karnataka	–	Arabian sea, near Mangalore, Karnataka
77.	Sharavati	Western Ghats, Tirthahalli, Karnataka	128	Arabian sea, near Honnavar, Uttar Kannada district, Karnataka

Rivers of India Names with States

Diversity: From the snow-capped Himalayas to the fertile Indo-Gangetic basin and lush coastal regions, India’s rivers are diverse and vital.

Importance: These rivers are the lifeblood of the nation, providing sustenance, livelihoods, and a sense of belonging to millions of people.

Explore the state-wise list of Indian rivers below to appreciate their significance throughout the country.

S. No.	State	Rivers
1	Andhra Pradesh	Godavari & Musi
2	Bihar	Ganga
3	Delhi	Yamuna
4	Goa	Mandovi
5	Gujarat	Sabarmati
6	Haryana	Yamuna
7	Jharkhand	Damodar, Ganga & Subarnarekha
8	Karnataka	Bhadra, Tungabhadra,Cauvery, Tunga & Pennar
9	Kerala	Pamba
10	Madhya Pradesh	Betwa, Tapti, Wainganga, Khan, Narmada, Kshipra, Beehar, Chambal & Mandakini.
11	Maharashtra	Krishna, Godavari, Tapi and Panchganga
12	Nagaland	Diphu & Dhansiri
13	Orissa	Brahmini & Mahanadi
14	Punjab	Satluj
15	Rajasthan	Chambal
16	Sikkim	Rani Chu
17	Tamil Nadu	Cauvery, Adyar, Cooum, Vennar, Vaigai & Tambarani
18	Uttar Pradesh	Yamuna, Ganga & Gomti
19	Uttranchal	Ganga
20	West Bengal	Ganga, Damodar & Mahananda

Rivers Of India And Their Origin And Tributaries PDF Download

In this article, we have tried to cover up all the information related to the rivers, which are situated in India. Must read the complete article to gain knowledge of the list of rivers of India and their origins. Hope this data will help you to connect with our countries’ rivers.

GK Questions And Answers On Indian Rivers

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1. Name the watershed from where all Major Rivers in India originate?

Answer:
A) Aravalli Range
B) Sahyadri or The Western Ghats in Western India
C) Himalaya and Karakoram Ranges
D) Vindhya and Satpura ranges and Chotanagpur plateau in central India

2. Which Sea do the Rivers in India pour off?

Answer: The Bay of Bengal and The Arabian Sea

3.  Name the three River Basins that Himalayan glaciers divide?

Answer:
A) Indus
B) Ganga
C) Brahmaputra

4. Largest River System in India?

Answer: Ganga

5. Which Indian Rivers pour into Bangladesh?

Answer:
A) Ganga
B) Meghna
C) Brahmaputra

6. How many Major Rivers make up the River System of India?

Answer: 7 (Seven)

7. Name the Major Rivers that make up the River System in India?

Answer:
A) Indus
B) Godavari
C) Brahmaputra
D) Krishna
E) Tapi
F) Narmada
G) Mahanadi

8. Name the 4 classifications of the River Systems in India?

Answer:
1) Himalayan Rivers
2)Deccan Rivers
3) Coastal Rivers
4) Rivers of Inland Water Drainage.

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