All rivers in India are considered as holy/religious spots and they play a significant role in Indian traditions in different manners since primordial times. India’s every region is spotted with several major rivers. A river is a natural waterway of freshwater, which flows towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river.
Most of the major rivers of India flow towards the east and drain out 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 drain out into the Arabian Sea.
Here we have come up with the details related to the Major rivers of India and the complete list of rivers in India and their tributaries.
Top 5 Major Rivers of India
Here we have come up with the detailed information related to 5 major rivers of India.
1. The Ganga
Being the largest river in India, Ganga has been declared as the National River of India.
Ganga is worshipped as the Goddess of Hindus.
Gangotri Glacier, Nanda Kot, Nanda Devi, Kedarnath, Satopanth Glacier, Kamet, Trisul are the sources of Ganga.
Its length is 2525 km.
It rises from the western Himalaya and drains into the Bay of Bengal. The origin of the Ganga is called as Gangotri.
It flows through the Varanasi, Haridwar, Allahabad, Kolkata, Kanpur, Patna, Ghazipur cities.
The two most bridges of India i.e. Mahatma Gandhi Setu & Vidyasagar Setu are made over the Ganga.
In the General Knowledge section of various competitive exams such as IBPS, SSC & RRB, you may face question related to River Ganga. The questions can be asked in the following forms.
Which is the longest river in India?
Which is the national river of India?
Which is the biggest river in India?
Which river has the largest basin in India?
Which is the largest river in India?
The only answer to all these questions is the holy ‘Ganga River in India’.
2. Godavari
The Godavari is one of the sacred waterways of central India, near Nasik in Maharashtra.
It is the largest river in South India as well as the second longest river in India.
Brahmagiri Mountain is the source of Godavari and its length is 1465 km.
Godavari flows from western to southern India.
It flows towards the east, traversing the Deccan Plateau.
In the end, it pours into the Bay of Bengal at Narasapuram in Andhra Pradesh.
Godavari Bridge and Godavari Arch Bridge are its major bridges.
3. Brahmaputra
The Brahmaputra is the longest river in India which is known by different names based on the regions, it flows through.
Brahmaputra originates from the Kailash Ranges of Himalayas and its length is 2900 km.
Southwest Tibet in the Himalayas is the source of Brahmaputra Waterways.
Naranarayan Setu, Dhola-Sadia, Saraighat Bridges are made over Brahmaputra. And, Bhupen Hazarika Setu (Dhola–Sadiya Bridge) is the longest river bridge in India.
4. Yamuna
The Yamuna, which is the lifeline of Delhi is the second largest tributary river of the Ganga in northern India. The Yamuna is one of the most important rivers in India.
It originates from the Yamunotri Glacier in the uppermost region of the Lower Himalaya in Uttarakhand and drains into the Triveni Sangam.
The Yamuna takes place in the India river map as one of the important rivers in India.
Yamunotri, Champasar Glacier are the sources of Yamuna and its length is 1376 km.
It flows through Agra, Allahabad, Mathura, Yamuna Nagar, Noida, Delhi, Etawah, Baghpat, Firozabad, Kalpi, Hamirpur cities.
New Yamuna Bridge, Allahabad bridges are made over the Yamuna.
The Yamuna also creates natural state borders between the Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
5. Kaveri
The Kaveri is also known as Cauvery. It is the holiest river of South India and one of the important rivers in the territory.
The Kaveri comes in the list of rivers in India which are the most famous amongst Indians.
Talakaveri in the Western Ghats Mountain Range is the source of Kaveri and its length is 765 km.
It flows through Tiruchirappalli, Talakaveri, Thanjavur, Srirangapatna cities. Cauvery Bridge is made over Kaveri.
Shivanasamudra Falls created by Kaveri and Doddabetta is the highest point of the Kaveri basin.
Frequently Asked Questions about All Rivers in India
Ques – 1 How many rivers in India are west flowing?
Ans – There are only 5 rivers in India River Map which are west flowing. These west flowing rivers in India ultimately end up in the Arabian sea.
Ques – 2 Which is the longest river in India?
Ans – The Brahmaputra is the longest river in India. It covers larger distance than the other rivers of India.
Ques – 3 Which is the smallest river in India?
Ans – It is not specified officially in India River Map till now that which one is the smallest river in India.
Ques – 4 Which one is the national river of India?
Ans – The Ganges is declared as the national river of India.
Ques – 5 Which is the largest river basin in India?
Ans – Ganga Basin is the largest river basin in India with area about 861452 sq. km.
Ques – 6 Which is the widest river in India?
Ans – The Brahmaputra is the widest river in India.
Ques - 7 Which is the most polluted river in India?
Ans – The Yamuna is the most polluted river in India.
Ques - 8 How to show all rivers in India River Map?
Ans – All rivers in India river map are shown by the blue outline.
Ques - 9 Which is the largest river in India?
Ans - The Ganga is the largest river in India.
Complete List of Rivers |Their Lengths, Origins and Tributaries
Following list shows the names of rivers in India with their 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. | Mithi | Vihar lake and Powai lake | 15 | Arabian sea, Mahim creek, Mumbai |
| 70. | Mandovi | Bhimgad, Karnataka | 77 | Arabian sea |
| 71. | Kali | Kushavali, Karnataka | 184 | Arabian sea |
| 72. | Netravati | Kudremukh, Chikmagalur, Karnataka | - | Arabian sea, near Mangalore, Karnataka |
| 73. | Sharavati | Western Ghats, Tirthahalli, Karnataka | 128 | Arabian sea, near Honnavar, Uttar Kannada district, Karnataka |
| 74. | Periyar | Sivagiri hills, Sundaramala, Tamil Nadu | 244 | Lakshadweep sea, Kerala |
| 75. | Bharathappuzha | Anamalai Hills, Tamil Nadu | 209 | Lakshadweep sea, Ponnani, Kerala |
| 76. | Pamba | Pulachimalai Hills, Western Ghats | 176 | Vembanad Lake |
| 77. | Chaliyar | Elambaleri Hills, Western Ghats, Wayanad, Kerala | 169 | Lakshadweep sea, Kerala |
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 the knowledge of the rivers of India and their origins. Hope this data will help you to connect with our countries’ rivers.
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