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Indian Rivers

Most of the rich cultures of ancient history were flourished on the bank of rivers due to the comfort ness of growing crops. Similarly Indian culture was also initiated on a bank of river called the Indus Valley River civilization or culture. Still, today river is a vital necessity for the human being to grow up agriculture, industry and better communications.

According to the resource of rivers we can divide Indian rivers in three distinct types. These are Himalayan River, Rivers of Bindhya & Satpura ranges and the Rivers of Sahyadri or Western Ghats. Maximum of these take its birth from the snow and glaciers of Himalayas higher mountáin ranges and perennially flows across the mountáin region and after that it falls on to the plains and decreased its current and finally meat to the Bay of Bengal or Arabian Sea.

Different types of Rivers in India

Indian rivers are classified as four types according to the landforms on which a river flows. These are Himalayan River, Peninsular River, costal River and the Inland drainage basin.

Himalayan River: This type of river flows perennially from the Himalayas Higher ranges to the Ocean of Bay of Bengal or Indian Ocean. Some important Himalayas Rivers are Ganga, Brahmaputra, Barak, Teesta, Mahananda etc.

Peninsular River: This type of Rivers is non-perennial and flows across on the plain land of India. Some major peninsular rivers of India are Godavari, Krishna, Mahanadi and Kaveri. Usually these rivers flow from north to south across the plain land and finally meet to Bay of Bengal. Other hand the Narmada River is flowing to the Arabian Sea.

Costal River: This type of river is also non-perennial and flow through the costal areas of Arabian and Bay of Bengal as for example the Tâpti, Pennar and Ajay river. Costal Rivers are small in size but it has a very important role in the agriculture system of India. Draining system of more than ten percent land area in India depends on costal rivers.

Inland drainage basin: This type of rivers found in Rajasthan. Usually, these rivers of India are small in length and finally meet to Indian Ocean. Luni River is an example of drainage basin which runs across the Rann of Kutch, Gujarat.

Some Important Rivers of India

Indus River: Indus River takes its birth from the Manas Sarovar (lake) in Tibet. Total length of the River is 3,181 km and has an estimated drainage area about 1,165,001 km2. Its have five major tributaries, namely the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beás and the Sutlej River. Finally it falls in the Arabian Sea.

Ganga River: Largest river of India Ganga takes its birth from the Gangotri glaciers at Gomukh of Himalayas range. Total length of the River is 2,511 km long and has an estimated drainage area over 1,000,001 km2. Its have several tributaries like Yamuna, Gandak, Khandak, Ghagra, Gomti, Kosi and Sabazpati. It flows through Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal and it divided into two parts in WB named Hoogly-Bhagirathi (in India) and Padma (in Bangladesh). Finally the Hoogly River falls into Bay of Bengal. The Gangas is also known as the "National River of India"

Brahmaputra River: This River takes its birth from Manasarovar of Tibet. Brahmaputra River shares a lesser percent of its length in India. But, a major part of the river flows in China where it is called as Tsang-Po.

Narmada River: This River takes its birth from Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh and it flows westward finally meet to Arabian. It forms a border between North and South India with a length of 1,290 km.

Tapi River: The Taapi or Tapti is a river of central India. It is one of the major rivers of peninsular India with the length of about 723 km. It rise in the Satpura Range of southern Madhya Pradesh state and meat to the Arabian Sea in the State of Gujarat.

Godavari River: The Godavari is the second longest river of India. It is called as the Ganga of south India. The river is about 1,450 km long. It rises at Trimbakeshwar, near Nasik and Mumbai in Maharashtra about 381 km away from the Arabian Sea and meets to the Bay of Bengal.

Krishna River: It is one of the longest rivers of India (about 1,301 km in length) and the river takes its birth at Mahabaleswar in Maharashtra and ultimately meets to the Bay of Bengal near Hamasaladeevi in Andhra Pradesh. The Krishna River flows through the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Kaveri River: The Kaveri is one of the great rivers of India and is considered sacred by the Hindus. This is a holy river of south India. Birth place of river Kaveri called as Dakshin Kashi. It empties into the Bay of Bengal.

Mahanadi River: It originates at Sihawa in Amarkantaka hills of Chhatisgarh state. This river make a length of about 901 km which cover an approximately drainage area of 51,001 km². and it finally meets to the Bay of Bengal.