Geography Ch04 – Rivers of India

💧 Drainage Patterns

🌐 5 Drainage Patterns

Radial — Flow in all directions from a mountain
Dendritic — Like tree branches
Parallel — Rivers flow parallel to each other
Trellis — Right angle confluence of rivers
Centripetal — Rivers falling into lake/depression

📊 2 Drainage Systems

Himalayan Drainage System
- Perennial rivers (snow-fed)
- Antecedent rivers mostly
- Deep V-shaped valleys, gorges, waterfalls
Peninsular Drainage System
- Seasonal rivers (rain-fed)
- Fixed course, no meandering
- Flow through rift valleys
- Formed in Early Tertiary Period

🗺️ Rivers — Falls Into

🌊 Bay of Bengal

Ganga

Brahmaputra

Mahanadi

Godavari

Krishna

Kaveri

Damodar

Subarnarekha

🌊 Arabian Sea

Indus

Narmada

Tapti

Luni (→ Rann of Kutch)

Mahi

Sabarmati

Periyar

🏷️ River Nicknames — Exam Favourite

River	Nickname
Kosi	Sorrow of Bihar
Damodar	Sorrow of Bengal
Godavari	Dakshin Ganga / Vriddha Ganga
Kaveri	Ganga of South India / Ponni (Tamil)
Brahmaputra	Siang (AP) / Yarlung Tsangpo (Tibet) / Jamuna (Bangladesh)
Ganga	Padma (Bangladesh) / Bhagirathi (origin)
Punpun	Adi Ganga

🚨 EXAM TRAP

Narmada & Tapti → flow West (Arabian Sea) — most peninsular rivers flow East
Kaveri = only perennial river of South India
Mahi = crosses Tropic of Cancer twice
Luni = inland drainage → Rann of Kutch (not sea)

🏔️ Indus River System

🌊 Indus River — Main Channel

3,180 km

Total Length

1,114 km

In India

Arabian Sea

Falls Into

Origin: Manasarovar Lake, Tibet (China)
In Tibet: Singi Khambon (Lion's Mouth)
Flows between Ladakh and Zaskar ranges
Tributaries: Shyok, Gilgit, Hunza, Shigar, Dras, Zaskar, Nubra

💧 Main Tributaries of Indus

River	Ancient Name	Origin	Length	Key Fact
Jhelum	Vitasta	Verinag Lake (Pir Panjal)	725 km	Srinagar on its banks; trib. of Chenab
Chenab	Asikni	Baralacha La Pass (HP) — Chandra + Bhaga	974 km	Tribs: Jhelum, Ravi, Tawi, Ujh
Ravi	Parushni	Rohtang Pass (Kullu Hills)	725 km	Transboundary river (India-Pakistan); trib. of Chenab
Beas	Vipasha	Rohtang Pass (Beas Kund)	470 km	Tributary of Sutlej
Sutlej	Shatadru	Rakastal Lake (Langchen Khambab, Tibet)	1450 km (1050 in India)	Antecedent river; enters via Shipkila Pass; Gurudwara Patal Puri on its banks

📜 Indus Water Treaty — 1960

Signed in: Karachi
Mediated by: World Bank

Rivers	India Share	Pakistan Share
Indus, Jhelum, Chenab	20%	80%
Ravi, Beas, Sutlej	80%	20%

🚨 EXAM TRAP

Chenab origin = Baralacha La (Chandra + Bhaga) — NOT Rohtang
Ravi + Beas both originate from Rohtang Pass area — different points
Sutlej = antecedent river | enters India via Shipkila Pass
Jhelum = tributary of Chenab, NOT directly Indus
Indus Water Treaty = Karachi (not Delhi, not Islamabad)

🙏 Ganga River System

🌊 Ganga — Mother River

2,525 km

Total Length

8.6 lakh km²

Drainage Area

11 States

Basin Spread

5 States

Flows Through

Origin: Gomukh (Gangotri Glacier) — initially called Bhagirathi
Largest tributary: Yamuna
First tributary: Ramganga
Last tributary: Mahananda
In Bangladesh: Padma

State-wise Length:

State	Length
Uttar Pradesh	1450 km (longest)
West Bengal	520 km
Uttarakhand	260 km
Bihar	445 km
Jharkhand	40 km

⛪ Panch Prayag — Alaknanda Confluences

1. Vishnuprayag

Alaknanda + Dhauliganga

2. Nandprayag

Alaknanda + Nandakini

3. Karnaprayag

Alaknanda + Pindar (Pindari River)

4. Rudraprayag

Alaknanda + Mandakini

5. Devprayag

Alaknanda + Bhagirathi = GANGA forms here

🌿 Major Tributaries of Ganga

Left Bank Tributaries

River	Origin / Key Fact
Ramganga	Garhwal Hills (Dudhatoli) — 1st trib — meets near Kannauj
Ghagara (Ghaghara)	Mapchachungo Glacier — 1080 km — meets Ganga at Chapra, Bihar
Gandak	Nepal (Kaligandak+Trishulganga) — 630 km — meets at Hajipur, Bihar
Kosi	Tibet — 730 km — "Sorrow of Bihar"
Mahananda	Last tributary of Ganga

Right Bank Tributaries

River	Key Fact
Yamuna	Largest trib — origin Yamunotri (Bandarpunch range) — meets at Prayagraj
Son	Origin Amarkantak — 780 km — meets Ganga at Patna
Punpun	Origin Palamu (JH) — meets at Fatuha, Patna — "Adi Ganga"

🌊 Yamuna & Its Tributaries

Origin: Yamunotri Glacier (Bandarpunch Range)
Length: 1376 km
Confluence: Ganga at Prayagraj
Tributaries: Chambal, Sindh, Ken, Betwa, Tons
Water mostly used for irrigation
Delhi Ridge = water divide between Indus and Ganga rivers

Chambal River (Yamuna's main trib):

Origin: Mhow, Malwa Plateau (MP)
Known for badland topography
Tribs: Parvati, Kali, Sindh, Shipra
Flows north of Tropic of Cancer
Banas river → from Aravalli Hills (Rajasthan)

😢 Kosi River — Sorrow of Bihar

Origin: Tibet (antecedent river)
Length: 730 km
Main stream in Tibet: Arun
Arun joins to form Saptakosi
Tributaries: Sun Kosi, Dudh Kosi, Tamur

⚠️ "Sorrow of Bihar" — Kosi river changes its course frequently → floods Bihar every year → massive devastation → hence "Sorrow of Bihar"

🌊 Sarda / Ghagara / Son Key Facts

Sarda (Saryu): Origin Milam Glacier (Nepal) | 350 km | Known as Gauriganga in Nepal | India-Nepal border river
Ghagara: Origin Mapchachungo Glacier | 1080 km | Meets Ganga at Chapra, Bihar | Trib: Sarda, Sarju
Son: Origin Amarkantak Hills | 780 km | Meets Ganga at Patna | Tribs: Koel, Rihand

🚨 EXAM TRAP

Ganga formed at Devprayag (Alaknanda + Bhagirathi)
Largest trib = Yamuna | First trib = Ramganga | Last trib = Mahananda
Gandak meets Ganga at Hajipur (Bihar) — Patna ke saamne!
Son meets Ganga at Patna | Punpun at Fatuha (Patna)
Yamuna origin = Bandarpunch Range (Yamunotri Glacier) — NOT Gangotri
Ganga basin = India's largest drainage system (8.6 lakh km²)

🌀 Brahmaputra River System

🌊 Brahmaputra — The Great River

2,900 km

Total Length

916 km

In India

5,80,000 km²

Basin Area

Origin: Chemayungdung Glacier
Falls into: Bay of Bengal
Forms eastern boundary of Himalayas
Near Namcha Barwa → deep gorge → U-turn → enters Arunachal Pradesh

🏷️ Different Names of Brahmaputra

Region	Name
Tibet	Yarlung Tsangpo
Arunachal Pradesh	Dihang
Assam	Brahmaputra
Bangladesh	Jamuna

🌿 Tributaries of Brahmaputra

Left Bank:

Dibang

Lohit

Dhansiri

Siang

Right Bank:

Subansiri (longest trib)

Kameng

Manas

Sankosh

Teesta

📌 Important Extra Facts

Majuli Island → situated on Brahmaputra (world's largest river island)
Meghna formed when Padma + Jamuna meet → tributary: Barak
World's largest mangrove delta → Sundarban Delta
Kolkata is on Hoogly River (distributary of Ganga)
Wang Chu River → flows in Bhutan (trib of Brahmaputra)
Ghaggar River → originates from Shivalik Hills (HP)
Cities on Ganga: Kanpur, Patna, Prayagraj, Varanasi

🚨 EXAM TRAP

Brahmaputra = Yarlung Tsangpo (Tibet) → Dihang (AP) → Brahmaputra (Assam) → Jamuna (Bangladesh)
Longest tributary = Subansiri (right bank)
U-turn near Namcha Barwa — yahi se India mein aati hai
Kolkata = Hoogly pe (Ganga pe nahi!)

🌴 Bay of Bengal — Peninsular Rivers

River	Origin	Length	Key Facts
Mahanadi	Sihawa Hills, Raipur (CG)	851 km	Drainage: MP+CG(53%), Odisha(47%); Tribs: Seonath, Hasdeo, Ib, Tel
Damodar	Chotanagpur Plateau	592 km	"Sorrow of Bengal"; rift valley; meets Hoogly; Tribs: Bokaro, Barakar
Godavari	Trimbakeshwar, Nashik (MH)	1465 km	Dakshin Ganga; longest in South India; 3.13 lakh km² catchment; via Yanam (Puducherry)
Krishna	Mahabaleshwar (Sahyadri)	1401 km	Drainage: MH(27%), KA(44%), AP(29%); Tribs: Koyna, Tungabhadra, Bhima, Musi
Kaveri	Brahmagiri Hills, Kodagu (KA)	800 km	Only perennial S.India river; Ponni (Tamil); Basin: KA(41%), TN(56%)
Subarnarekha	Chotanagpur Plateau	395 km	JH (Singhbhum) → Odisha → WB

🌴 Arabian Sea — Peninsular Rivers

River	Origin	Length	Key Facts
Narmada	Amarkantak (1057m)	1312 km	Rift valley (Satpura+Vindhyan); estuary at Bharuch (Gulf of Khambhat); Tribs: Orsang, Tawa, Kolar
Tapti	Betul district, MP	724 km	Rift valley (Satpura+Ajanta); Drainage: MH(79%), MP(15%), GJ(6%)
Luni	Near Pushkar (Saraswati+Sabarmati)	320 km	Largest river of Rajasthan; inland drainage → Rann of Kutch
Mahi	Dhar district, MP	585 km	Crosses Tropic of Cancer twice; Gulf of Khambhat
Sabarmati	Aravalli Hills, Udaipur (RJ)	371 km	Gulf of Khambat; RJ + GJ
Periyar	Sivagiri Hills (W.Ghats)	—	Lifeline of Kerala; longest river of Kerala; Tribs: Muthirapuzha, Mullayar

🌿 Other Important Peninsular Rivers

Baitarani → Origin: Keonjhar Plateau, Odisha
Brahmani → Origin: Koel + Shankha rivers confluence (Odisha)
Vaitarna → Maharashtra (Nashik district)
Sharavathi → Shimoga district, Karnataka
Pamba → Kerala → Vembanad Lake
Vaigai → Tamil Nadu (Southernmost river)
Pennar → Origin: Nandi Hills, Karnataka → AP (Somamila dam)
Gumti → Tripura

🚨 EXAM TRAP

Godavari = longest South India river | Kaveri = only perennial South India river
Narmada + Tapti = flow West through rift valleys (exception among peninsular rivers)
Damodar = "Sorrow of Bengal" | Kosi = "Sorrow of Bihar" — dono alag!
Mahi = Tropic of Cancer twice cross karta hai
Tungabhadra = tributary of Krishna (Hampi, Karnataka)
Luni = inland drainage → ends in Rann of Kutch (not sea)
Amarkantak = origin of both Narmada AND Son River

📍 Bihar Special — Rivers Important for BPSC

😢 Kosi — Sorrow of Bihar

Origin: Tibet
Length: 730 km
Main stream in Tibet: Arun → joins to form Saptakosi
Tributaries: Sun Kosi, Dudh Kosi, Tamur
Antecedent river — changes course frequently → floods Bihar
Enters Bihar from Nepal border

🌊 Ganga in Bihar

Ganga flows 445 km through Bihar
Cities: Patna, Hajipur, Munger, Bhagalpur
Enters Bihar from UP border | Exits to Jharkhand/WB

Rivers Meeting Ganga in Bihar:

River	Meets Ganga At	Bank
Gandak	Hajipur, Bihar	Left
Ghagara (Ghaghara)	Chapra, Bihar	Left
Son	Patna, Bihar	Right
Punpun	Fatuha, Patna	Right
Kosi	Kursela, Bihar	Left

💧 Son River — Bihar's Major Right Bank Trib

Origin: Amarkantak Hills (MP)
Length: 780 km
Meets Ganga at: Patna (Dinapur)
Tributaries: Koel, Rihand
Flows through: MP → Jharkhand → Bihar

🌿 Gandak River — Nepal to Hajipur

Formed by: Kaligandak + Trishulganga (Nepal)
Origin: Nepal (between Dhaulagiri and Everest)
Length: 630 km
Meets Ganga: Hajipur, Bihar

🌊 Punpun River — Adi Ganga

Origin: Palamu district, Jharkhand
Length: 200 km
Meets Ganga at: Fatuha (near Patna)
Also known as: "Adi Ganga"

🌊 Ghagara / Sarda — Left Bank Tributaries

Ghagara Origin: Mapchachungo Glacier | Length: 1080 km
Meets Ganga: Chapra, Bihar
Tributary: Sarda River (Kali Ganga) — flows along India-Nepal border
Sarda also called Saryu | Origin: Milam Glacier | known as Gauriganga in Nepal

🏔️ Subarnarekha & Damodar — Near Bihar

Subarnarekha: Origin Chotanagpur Plateau → JH (Singhbhum) → Odisha → WB
Damodar: Origin Chotanagpur Plateau → "Sorrow of Bengal" → meets Hoogly
Brahmani: Formed by Koel + Shankha rivers (Odisha)

⚡ BIHAR MASTER RECALL

Ganga flows 445 km in Bihar
Kosi = Sorrow of Bihar (changes course, Tibet origin, antecedent)
Gandak → Hajipur | Ghagara → Chapra | Son → Patna | Punpun → Fatuha
Punpun = Adi Ganga | Son tribs = Koel + Rihand
Sarda = India-Nepal border river | Also called Saryu / Gauriganga
Damodar (Jharkhand) → "Sorrow of Bengal" | Chotanagpur Plateau origin

🚨 BPSC EXAM TRAP — Bihar Rivers

Gandak meets Ganga at Hajipur — NOT Patna (Patna is opposite bank = Vaishali district)
Son meets Ganga at Patna (right bank)
Kosi origin = Tibet | Main stream in Tibet = Arun
Punpun = Adi Ganga = meets at Fatuha — ye naam yaad rakho
Ghaghara = 1080 km — longest tributary of Ganga

🌊 Indian Geography — Chapter 04