Rivers of India – Coloured Map & List: Easy to Remember

We’ll navigate the detailed river map of India, including the Ganga River map, the Indus River Map (including 5 Panchnad Rivers), the Brahmaputra River map, the Godavari River map, the Narmada River map etc. along with the direction of the flow (west flowing or east flowing rivers) of respective rivers.

Map of Rivers of India

From the northern mountains to the southern plateaus, the major rivers of India flow across various parts of the nation to drain into either Bay of Bengal or Arabian Sea.

List of Rivers of India

Ganga River

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Origin and Tributaries

• Origin in the Gangotri Glacier in Uttarakhand.
• Converges with Yamuna at Prayagraj (Allahabad) to form the holy Ganga-Yamuna Doab, also called Triveni Sangam of Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati.
• Longest River in India
• Major Tributaries: Yamuna, Ghaghara, Son, Kosi, Gomati, Mahananda

States it passes through

• Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal
• Drains into Bay of Bengal.
• Serves as a natural boundary for several states.

Cultural Importance

• Highly sacred in Hinduism; Pilgrimage destinations: Varanasi, Haridwar, Prayagraj, 5 Prayags etc.
• Ritual bathing for spiritual purification.
• Key rituals and festivals like Kumbh Mela.
• Five sacred confluences called “Prayags“:
  • Devprayag (confluence with Alaknanda)
  • Rudraprayag (confluence with Mandakini)
  • Karnaprayag (confluence with Pindar)
  • Nandaprayag (confluence with Nandakini)
  • Vishnuprayag (confluence with Dhauliganga)

  Environmental Issues

  • Challenges in maintaining the river’s purity.
  • Pollution due to industrial, human and untreated sewage.
  • Government initiatives like Namami Gange for rejuvenation.

  Namami Gange Programme
  – Launch Year: 2014
  – Objective: To rejuvenate and clean the Ganges River and its tributaries
  – Budget Allocation: Over Rs. 20,000 crores (till 2026)
  – Major Factors: Sewerage Infrastructure Development, River Surface Cleaning, Bio-Diversity Conservation, Afforestation, Industrial Waste Monitoring
  – Implementing Authority: National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India

  Indus River

  

  Origin and Tributaries

  • Origin: Near Mansarovar Lake in Tibet
  • Flow: Flows through Tibet, enters India in the Ladakh region, and continues through Pakistan into Arabian Sea.
  • Major Tributaries: Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Satluj (Sutlej) – These 5 are collectively called as Panchnad

  States it passes through

  • In India: Ladakh region (Union Territory of Ladakh).
  • In Pakistan: Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan provinces.
  • Drains into Arabian Sea

  Ecological and Cultural Significance

  • Associated with the ancient Indus Valley Urban Civilization
  • India-Pakistan Relations: Source of historical disputes and conflicts between India and Pakistan, including the Indus Waters Treaty .

  Indus Waters Treaty
  – Signed in: 1960
  – Brokered by: World Bank
  – India allowed: To use Eastern Rivers – Ravi, Beas, Sutlej
  – Pakistan allowed: To use Western Rivers – Indus, Jhelum, Chenab

  Brahmaputra River

  

  Origin and Tributaries

  • Origin: Brahmaputra River originates from the Chemayungdung Glacier in Tibet, China (River also known as the Yarlung Tsangpo there).
  • Major Tributaries: Subansiri, Lohit, Kameng, Dibang, Manas, Teesta

  States it passes through

  • Brahmaputra flows through Tibet, China –> In India: Arunachal Pradesh and Assam –> Bangladesh
  • Its sub-basin lies in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, West Bengal and Sikkim
  • Drains into Bay of Bengal

  Ecological and Cultural Significance

  • Biodiversity: Supports diverse ecosystems, including the Deltas, SundarbansMangrove forest, home to the Bengal tiger
  • Cultural Importance: Integral to the cultures of Assam and Bangladesh
  • Known as the “Sorrow of Bengal” for its annual flooding.

  Water Sharing and Disputes

  • Brahmaputra is a transboundary river with a complex geopolitical context
  • India and China: Ongoing discussions and tensions regarding water sharing and dam construction in Tibet
  • India and Bangladesh: Water sharing agreements and disputes over the distribution of Brahmaputra waters

  Major Projects

  • Teesta Barrage (India-Bangladesh): Barrage on the Teesta River, a Brahmaputra tributary, with water-sharing disputes between India and Bangladesh.
  • Dibang Multipurpose Project: Around 3,000-MW hydroelectric project being constructed on Dibang River in Arunachal Pradesh

  Godavari River

  

  Origin and Tributaries

  • Origin: Godavari River originates near Trimbakeshwar in Western Ghats in Nashik district of Maharahstra
  • Major Tributaries: Pranhita, Indravati, Sabari, Penganga

  States it passes through

  • Godavari flows through Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha
  • Drains into Bay of Bengal
  • Significance: It is often referred to as the “Dakshin Ganga” or the “Ganges of the South” and holds immense cultural, religious, and economic significance.

  Ecological and Cultural Importance

  • Godavari is referred to as the “Dakshin Ganga” or the “Ganga of the South” and holds immense cultural, religious, and economic significance
  • Hindu Pilgrimage: The river is a pilgrimage destination with important ghats and temples along its banks
  • Kumbh Mela: The Godavari hosts the Kumbh Mela at Nashik, Trimbak, and Rajahmundry, drawing millions of devotees

  Major Projects

  • Sriram Sagar Project: Located in Telangana, it is a major irrigation and hydroelectric project on the Godavari
  • Polavaram Project: Multipurpose project under construction in Andhra Pradesh for irrigation and flood control

  Also Check: Climate of India

  Conclusion

  Whether you’re preparing for list of rivers of India for examinations like UPSC , seeking information about the 7 holy rivers of India, or simply intrigued by the enchanting riverscape, this article promises to be an enlightening one.

  Color coded map s will help you visualise and remember the names and respective flow patterns of the major rivers of India

  FAQs

  1. Which rivers are called as the 7 Holy Rivers in India?
  Ganga, Yamuna, Indus, Saraswati, Godavari, Narmada and Kaveri are the 7 holy rivers of India Narmada and Tapi are the major westward flowing rivers of India

  Ganga is the Longest River in India with length of around 2510 Km. (Brahmaputra and Indus are overall 2900 Km long each, but their lengths in India are 916 Km and 710 Km respectively.)

  Godavari is the 2nd Longest River in India with length of around 1450 Km. Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Satluj (Sutlej) rivers are collectively called as Panchnad.

  Doabs are plains between two rivers. Doabs in Indus River System are:
  Sindh Sagar Doab – Between Indus and Jhelum
  Jech Doab – Between Jhelum and Chenab
  Rechna Doab – Between Chenab and Ravi
  Bari Doab – Between Ravi and Beas
  Bist Doab – Between Beas and Sutlej