- By Abhishek Sheoran
- Mon, 08 Apr 2024 01:04 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Widest Rivers in India: India is a land of diverse landscapes where a big network of rivers is routed. These rivers have great historical and cultural significance and play a crucial role in sustaining life, fostering agriculture, and nurturing civilizations. Over 200 rivers flow crisscrossing the vast landscape of India. Most of the Indian rivers originate from the Aravalli, Karakoram, and Himalayas and are mostly situated in the western part of the country. In India, where agriculture sustains a significant portion of the population and economy, rivers are the lifelines of irrigation systems.
These rivers also play an important role in the country's geography, economy, and culture.
Top 10 Longest Rivers In India:
Ganga:
The Ganges, which originates from the Gangotri Glacier in Uttarakhand is the longest river in India. It falls into the Bay of Bengal after passing through several states, including Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal. The length of the Ganga River is approximately 2,525 kilometres. It is also known as the Padma River in Bangladesh. The Ganga is regarded as the most sacred river in India.
Godavari:
It is the second largest river in India after Ganga. The length of this river is approximately 1,465 kilometres. Godavari originates from Trimbak(Western Ghats) in Maharashtra and falls in the Bay of Bengal after passing through the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. The river has a significant cultural and economic importance, serving as a lifeline for millions of people living along its course. Gadavari has many tributaries, including the Pravara, Manjira, Penganga, Wardha, Indravati, Sabari, and others.
Krishna:
This is the third largest river in India and originated from the Western Ghats in Maharashtra. The length of the Krishna River is approximately 1,400 kilometres. This river flows through Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. The tributaries of the Krishna River include the Tungabhadra, Bhima, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, and Musi rivers. The Tungabhadra River, originating in Karnataka, is one of its largest tributaries.
Yamuna:
It is the fourth largest river in India, having an overall measure of length of 1376 kilometres. Yamuna River originates from the Yamunotri glaciers, which are situated in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. It is a tributary of the Ganga. It flows through Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh before merging with the Ganges River in UP’s Allahabad (Prayagraj). Prayagraj is know as Sanagm Nagri due to Ganga-Yamuna confluence.
Narmada:
It is the fifth-largest river in India, which traverses a total distance of approximately 1,312 kilometres. Narmada River is a major river in Central India. It originates from the Amarkantak plateau in Madhya Pradesh. It flows westward through the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat before falling into the Arabian Sea.
Tawa, Barna, Shakkar, and Hiran rivers are the major tributaries of Narmada. Several dams and reservoirs are also constructed on this river for irrigation, hydroelectric power generation, and water supply. The well-known Sardar Sarovar Dam is also located on this river in Gujarat.
Indus:
The Indus River mainly flows through Pakistan but touches western regions of India. It originates from Mansarovar Lake in the Tibetan plateau and flows through Ladakh as well as some parts of Jammu and Kashmir before reaching Pakistan and ultimately emptying into the Arabian Sea. This is the sixth-largest river in India. The overall length of the Indus River is 3,180 kilometres.
Brahmaputra:
It is the seventh-largest river in the country, which originates from the Chemayungdung Glacier near Mount Kailash in the Himalayas. The region lies in China.
The overall length of the Brahmaputra River is approximately 2,900 kilometres but its only 918 kilometres area lies in India. Brahmaputra enters India through Andhra Pradesh where it is known as the Siang River. It flows through Assam and Bangladesh. It merges with the Ganges and the Meghna rivers to form the world’s largest delta, the Sundarbans Delta before falling into the Bay of Bengal.
Mahanadhi:
It is the eighth largest river in India covering a length of 858 kilometres. Mahanadi River originates in the Raipur district of Chhattisgarh and its flow is in the eastward direction. It flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. Seonath, Jonk, Hasdeo, Ong, and Tel are among the major tributaries of Mahanadhi.
The water from the river is extensively used for irrigation, contributing to the agricultural productivity of Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
Kaveri:
It is the ninth-largest river in India. It originates in the Brahmagiri Hills of the Western Ghats in Karnataka. Kaveri River flows eastward through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu before falling into the Bay of Bengal.
It traverses a total distance of approximately 800 kilometres. Hemavati, Kabini, Arkavati, Shimsha, and Amaravati rivers are some of the tributaries of the Kaveri River.
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Tapti:
It is the tenth largest river in India, which originates from the Satpura Range in Madhya Pradesh. Tapti River covers a total distance of approximately 724 kilometres through Maharashtra and Gujarat before emptying into the Gulf of Khambhat which is within the Arabian Sea.