HIMALAYAN DRAINAGE
The three main Himalayan rivers are the Indus, the Ganga
and the Brahmaputra.
Title and Content Layout with List
⚪THE INDUS RIVER SYSTEM
⚪THE GANGA
⚪ THE YAMUNA RIVER SYSTEM
⚪THE BRAHMAPUTRA
THE INDUS RIVER SYSTEM
It rises near lake ManSarovar in Tibet from the glaciers
of Kailas ranges. It enters India and continues to flow
NW between Ladakh and Zanskar ranges.
Indus receives from PANJNAD (Panchnad) accumulated
waters of five eastern tributaries
THE INDUS RIVER SYSTEM
The right-bank tributaries of Indus: The left-bank tributaries of Indus:
• Shyok • Zaskar
• Gilgit • ‘Panjnad’ joins Indus a little above Mithankot.
• Hunza • The Panjnad is the name given to the five rivers of
• Nubra Punjab, namely:
• Kabul • Satluj
• Khurram • Beas
• Tochi • Ravi
• Gomal • Chenab
• Sangar • Jhelum
• Kunar
THE INDUS RIVER SYSTEM
THE GANGA
•The Ganga originates from the Gangotri glacier near Gaumukh in
the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.
•However, the river, when it originates from the Gangotri glacier, is
known as the Bhagirathi.
•At Devprayag, the Bhagirathi merges with another river, i.e.,
the Alaknanda; and from here, it is known as the Ganga.
•The Alaknanda originates from the Satopanth glacier above
Badrinath.
THE GANGA
The concept of Panch Prayag
• Vishnuprayag: where the river Alaknanda meets river Dhauli Ganga
• Nandprayag: where river Alaknanda meets river Mandakini
• Karnaprayag: where river Alaknanda meets river Pinder
• Rudraprayag: where river Alaknanda meets river Mandakini
• Devprayag: where river Alaknanda meets river Bhagirathi -GANGA
THE GANGA
•The total length of the Ganga in India is 2,525 km, which is shared by
Uttarakhand (110 km); Uttar Pradesh (1,450 km); Bihar (445 km); and
West Bengal (520 km).
•The Ganga river system is the largest river system in India.
•The Son is a major right bank tributary of the Ganga; however, major
left bank tributaries are the Ramganga, the Gomati, the Ghaghara,
the Gandak, the Kosi, and the Mahananda.
•Originating from the Yamunotri glacier on the western slopes
of Bandarpunch range (6,316 km), the Yamuna is the longest tributary
of the Ganga.
•The Yamuna joins the Ganga at Allahabad (Prayag), Uttar Pradesh.
•The Chambal, the Sind, the Betwa, and the Kenon are the right bank
tributaries of the Yamuna and the Hindan, the Rind, the Sengar,
the Varuna, etc. are the left bank tributaries.
•The Chambal rises near Mhow in the Malwa plateau of Madhya Pradesh.
•The Chambal is famous for its badland topography, known as the
Chambal ravines (as shown in the image given below).
THE GANGA
THE GANGA
•Originating from the Nepal Himalayas between the Dhaulagiri and
Mount Everest, the Gandak consists of two streams,
namely Kaligandak and Trishulganga.
•The Gandak joins the Ganga at Sonpur near Patna, Bihar.
•The Ghagra originates from the Mapchachungo glaciers and joins the
Ganga at Chhapra, Bihar.
•The Kosi originates from the north of Mount Everest in Tibet where it is
known as the Arun.
•The Damodar drains the eastern margins of the Chota Nagpur plateau,
where it flows through a rift valley and finally joins the Hugli.
•The Barakar is the main tributary of the Damodar.
•The Sarda or Saryu River rises from the Milam glacier in the Nepal
Himalayas where it is known as the Goriganga. However, along the Indo-
Nepal border, it is called Kali or Chauk, where it joins the Ghaghara.
•Originating from the Darjeeling hills, the Mahananda joins the Ganga as
its last left bank tributary in West Bengal.
•Originating from the Amarkantak plateau, the Son is a large south bank
tributary of the Ganga; it joins the Ganga at Arrah, Bihar.
THE YAMUNA RIVER SYSTEM
•The Yamuna River is the largest tributary of the Ganga
River.
•It originates from the Yamunotri glacier, at the Bandarpoonch
peak in Uttarakhand.
•The main tributaries joining the river include the Sin, Hindon,
Betwa Ken, and Chambal.
•The Tons is the largest tributary of the Yamuna.
•The catchment of the river extends to the states of Delhi,
Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and
Madhya Pradesh.
THE BRAHMAPUTRA
•The Brahmaputra originates from
the Chemayungdung glacier of the Kailash range
near the Mansarovar
•In Tibet, the Brahmaputra is known as
the Tsangpo (means ‘the purifier’).
•The Rango Tsangpo is the major right bank
tributary of the Brahmaputra in Tibet.
•The Brahmaputra enters into India near the west
of Sadiya town in Arunachal Pradesh.
•Major left bank tributaries of the Brahmaputra
are Lohit, Dibang or Sikang, Burhi
Dihing, and Dhansari.
•Major right bank tributaries of the Brahmaputra
are the Subansiri, Kameng, Manas, and Sankosh.
•The Tista joins the Brahmaputra on its right bank
in Bangladesh and from here, the river is known as
the Yamuna.
THE BRAHMAPUTRA
THE END
⚪SOME KEY FEATURES:
Antecedent and consequent drainage
pattern
Dendritic pattern in the plains
Older origin of some rivers compared
to the Himalayan mountains
Glaciers’ role in shaping drainage
patterns
Three major river systems: Indus,
MADE BY , Priyanshu Ganga, and Brahmaputra
Rawat
