India is the land of mythology and spirituality. Rivers are often worshipped here as goddesses. For ages, the rivers flowing through different Indian cities have been satiating the thirst of Indians. So, if you want to know how many rivers are there in India, the cleanest river in India, and the longest river in India, then keep reading. Scroll down for the answers.
1. How many Rivers are there in India?
There are approximately 77 rivers in India, and most of them are listed below:
- Ganga, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Chambal, Son,
- Gandak, Kosi, Betwa, Gomti, Ghaghar, Hoogly,
- Damodar, Mahananda, Alaknanda, Bhagirathi,
- Indus, Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, Sutlej, Beas,
- Parbati, Suru, Dras, Zanskar, Tsarap, Doda,
- Kaveri, Krishna, Godavari, Tungabhadra, Tapti,
- Mahi, Narmada, Indravati, Pranhita, Wardha,
- Kolab (Sabari), Manjira, Wainganga, Painganga,
- Vedavathi, Bhima, Indrayani, Pavana, Ghataprabha,
- Venna, Koyna, Amravati, Bhavani, Hemavati, Mahanadi,
- Subarnarekha, Kangsabati, Penna, Palar, Vaigai, Vellar,
- Ponnaiyar, Noyyal, Gomai, Panzara, Purna, Kolar, Tawa,
- Sabarmati, Zuari, Ulhas, Mithi, Mandovi, Kali, Netravati,
- Sharavati, Periyar, Bharatappuzha, Pamba, and Chaliyar.
2. What are India’s 8 Major Rivers?
Since you know how many rivers are there in India, take a look at the 8 major rivers:
- Indus river: The Indus has its beginnings in the northern Kailash range in Tibet, close to Lake Manasarovar. Through Tibet, it travels in a northwest direction. The Indus River also flows through Jammu and Kashmir and crosses the borders of Indian territory. The Indus River creates a great-looking gorge in this area. In the Kashmir area, it is joined by the Zaskar, the Shyok, the Nubra, and the Hunza. Between the Ladakh Range and the Zanskar Range, it passes through the areas of Gilgit, Baltistan, and Ladakh. It travels through a gorge that is 5,181 meters deep in Attock, which is located north of Nanga Parbat, and then curves to the southwest before entering Pakistan.
- Brahmaputra river: The source of the Brahmaputra is the Mansarovar lake, which is also the source of the Indus and the Satluj. The Brahmaputra river’s major part flows outside of India, but it is significantly longer than the Indus. The Brahmaputra runs parallel to the Himalayas to the east.
- Ganga River: At a height of around 4100 meters above sea level, the Ganga (also known as the Ganges) originates from the Gangotri Glacier in the Garhwal Himalayas under the name Bhagirathi. This river’s main stream travels through the Himalayas till it meets up with the Mandakini and Alaknanda streams at the confluence point at Dev Prayag. The resulting stream is referred to as the Ganga. The Yamuna, Ram Ganga, Ghaghara, Gomati, Son, Damodar, and Sapta Kosi are the major tributaries of the Ganga.
- Yamuna River: The Yamunotri glacier, located 6,387 meters above mean sea level (MSL) on the Banderpoonch hill in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district, is the source of the Yamuna River. The river’s catchment area includes the whole union territory of Delhi as well as the states of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh. The Hindon, Chambal, Sind, Betwa, and Ken are some of the major tributaries that feed into the river.
- Narmada River: The Narmada River flows through India’s central region. It is 1,289 kilometers long and serves as the traditional border between North and South India. Other than the Narmada, the rivers Tapti and Mahi flow from the eastern to western parts of India.
- Tapti River: The Tapi River runs through Central Indian states. With a length of around 724 km and a direction of flow from east to west, it is one of the major rivers in India. The Tapi flows through Madhya Pradesh’s Satpura range, the Nimar region, Khandesh, and Vidarbha of Maharashtra, then enters through the Deccan plateau, the south of Gujarat, and empties into the Gulf of Cambay in the Arabian sea.
- Godavari River: The Godavari River is India’s second-longest course and is also known as the Dakshin (South) Ganga or the Vriddh (Old) Ganga. The name could be appropriate in more ways than one, given that the river traces the path of Ganga’s tragedy. Around 380 kilometers from the Arabian Sea, it originates in Maharashtra in Trimbakeshwar. From there, it runs southeast through the states of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa, and Andhra Pradesh before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.
- Krishna River: The Krishna is one of India’s longest rivers (about 1300 km in length). It starts at Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra, travels through Sangli, and finally reaches the sea near Hamasaladeevi in Andhra Pradesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. The Krishna River flows through different Indian states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
3. Which is the No 1 River in India?
After learning how many rivers are there in India, you must know that in India, Ganga is the holiest and most sacred river. Hindus worship Ganga as a goddess. The river Ganga is the third largest river in the world and it passes through cities like Kashi, Prayagraj(Allahabad), Varanasi, Badrinath, Kolkata, Haridwar, Patna, Kanpur, Farrukhabad, Kannauj, Fatehgarh, and Chakeri. The Ganga has been responsible for creating the world’s largest delta in West Bengal, at Sunderban. Therefore, considering its significance to Indians and to India, the river Ganga is the no. 1 river in India. Must read How much does a Backyard Lazy River cost?
4. Which is Longest River in India?
As per the Statista report, the longest river in India is Ganga which is 2525 kilometers long. The other rivers followed by Ganga are:
- Godavari – 1,464 km
- Krishna – 1,400 km
- Yamuna – 1,376 km
- Narmada – 1,312 km
- Indus –1,114 km
5. Which are the 3 longest Rivers in India?
As per the report by Statista, the 3 longest rivers in India are:
- Ganga – 2525 km
- Godavari – 1464 km
- Krishna – 1400 km.
6. Which is the Deepest River in India?
Besides wondering how many rivers are there in India, note that the Brahmaputra is India’s deepest river, and it is around 380 feet deep. The Brahmaputra is also known as one of the largest rivers in the world. It originates from the Chemayundung glacier of the Kailash Mountain range, which is near Mansarovar lake. Some of the Brahmaputra river’s major tributaries are Burhi Dihing, Dhansari, Subansiri, Manas, Kameng, and Sankosh.
7. Which River Gave India its Name?
The Sindh River gave rise to the name India. One of the world’s first civilizations emerged in the Indus Valley. Since the Indian civilization emerged close to the Indus River in approximately 3300 BCE, the term India was given to the country. There was a native tribe named the Bharata in India, and that’s how we derived the name, Bharat. Learn What are the Waterways in Pakistan?
8. Which is the Cleanest River in India?
As you are aware of how many rivers are there in India, now have a look at the five cleanest rivers in India:
- Umngot River (Meghalaya)
- Chambal River (between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh)
- Teesta River (Sikkim and West Bengal)
- Brahmaputra River (Assam)
- Tuipui River (India and Myanmar)
9. Which River is called Father of Water?
From the list of how many rivers are there in India, the Indus River is called the Father of water and, according to the Rig Veda, Indus has been worshipped as the only male god. (Also read Which river is the smallest river in the length?)
