Learn all about important Indian rivers - Ganga, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Indus, Narmada, Godavari, Krishna, Sutlej and others

List of all the major rivers of India: Names, Origin and Length

Archana Venkatraman

Rivers in India do not just play a big role in the agriculture and economy of the country. They are also culturally important with many considering some rivers such as the Ganges very holy. All the major rivers of India begin their journeys at one of the three main watersheds – The Himalaya and Karakoram mountain ranges (Northern India); the Sahyadri or the Western Ghats (Western India); or the Vindhya and Satpura mountain ranges (Central India). Most of the major rivers of India end up joining the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea.

River Ganga near its origin
River Ganga near its origin
Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons (Atarax42 - Own work)

The Himalaya and Karakoram Glacier Rivers include:

  • Ganga (Ganges)
  • Brahmaputra
  • Indus (Sindhu)

Ganga is the most sacred river of India and is known around the world for its significance of purity in the Hindu culture. The Ganga and Indus Basin are themselves major river systems featuring 16 important Indian rivers (10 rivers in Ganga basin and 6 major rivers in the Indus basin).

The Ganga River System includes the following rivers (10 major rivers plus Damodar river and Hugli river):

Rivers 

Length (KM)

Origin

End

Ganga 2,525 Gangotri Glacier (Bhagirathi), Uttarakhand Bay of Bengal
Yamuna 1,376 Yamunotri Glacier, Uttarakhand Merges with Ganga at Allahabad (Triveni Sangam - Kumbh Mela spot
Brahmaputra 1,800 Himalayan Glacier in Tibet, but enters India in Arunachal Pradesh Merges with Ganga and ends in Bay of Bengal
Chambal 960 Tributary of Yamuna river, starting at Madhya Pradesh Joins Yamuna river in UP
Son 784 Tributary of Ganga, starting at Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh Joins Ganga just above Patna - also considered part of Vindhya river system
Gandak 630 Nepal; Ganges tributary at Indo-Nepal border (Triveni Sangam)  Joins Ganga near Patna
Kosi 720 Starts from Bihar near Indo-Nepal border Joins Ganga near Katihar district of Bihar
Betwa 590 Tributary of Yamuna, rises at Vindhya region, MP Joins Yamuna at Hamirpur in UP
Gomti 900 Tributary of Ganga, starting at Gomat Taal, UP Joins Ganga in Varanasi district
Ghaghra 1080 Himalayan Glacier in tibet, tributary of Ganga Joins Ganga in Bihar
Hugli (Hooghly)  260 Tributary of Ganga near West Bengal Merges with Ganga at Bay of Bengal
Damodar 592 Tributary of Hugli near Chandwar, Jharkhand Merges with Hugli in West Bengal

Although Hugli and Damodar rivers play a very important role in shaping the local civilisation and local economy, they are not considered as the most important rivers of the Ganga river river system. 

The Indus River System includes the following 6 major rivers: 

Rivers 

Length (KM)

Origin

End

Indus 3180 Originates in Tibetan plateau, Enters India in J&K Merges into Arabina sea near Sindh
Chenab 960 Upper Himalayas in the Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh  Merges with Indus
Jhelum 725 Tributary of Chenub river, Punjab Merges with Chenab at Jhang (Pakistan)
Ravi 720 Starts from Bara Bhangal, Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh Joins Chenab in Pakistan
Sutlej 1500 Tributary of Indus river, originates at Rakshastal, Tibet Meets Beas river in Pakistan and ends at Arabian sea
Beas 470 Rises at Himalayas in central Himachal Pradesh Joins Sutlej river in Punjab, India


Western Ghats Rivers: 

Rivers 

Length (KM)

Origin

End

Kaveri 765 Talakaveri in Western Ghats in Karnataka Ends in Bay of Bengal
Krishna 1400 Originates in the Western Ghats near Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra Ends in Bay of Bengal near Andhra Pradesh
Godavari 1465 Starts in Maharashtra and passes through 7 Indian states Empties in Bay of Bengal
Tungabhadra 531 Tributary of Krishna river staring at Karnataka Joins Krishna river along the border of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh


Vindhya and Satpura Ranges rivers:

Rivers 

Length (KM)

Origin

End

Tapti 724 Rises in Eastern Satpura Ranges, Madhya Pradesh Empties into Gulf of Khambat, Gujarat
Mahi 580 Rises in Madhya Pradesh Flows into Arabian sea from Gujarat
Narmada 1315 Starts from Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh Drains into Arabian sea via Gulf of Cambay


Other Important notes on Indian rivers to remember:

  • River Saraswati is a mythical river and is part of the Hindu triveni Sangam mythology of the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers. Saraswati river is thought to be flowing under the ground and meeting Ganga and Yamuna at the Kumbh mela spot.
  • Meghna a major river in Bangladesh is a tributary if Indian Brahmaptura river and also empties in Bay of Bengal.
  • River Tapi is a river in Thailand and is not to be confused with Indian river Tapti (Tapati). 
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