India is known as the “Land of Rivers” because of the numerous rivers that run through it. India is a land of rivers, and these vast bodies of water play a vital part in the country’s economic development.
Himalayan Rivers (rivers that originate in the Himalayas) and Peninsular Rivers are the two types of rivers in India (rivers that originate in the Peninsula).
Peninsular Rivers are rain-fed, whereas Himalayan Rivers are perennial.
We shall discuss the top ten longest rivers in India in this article.
Table of Contents
The following is a list of India’s top ten longest rivers in terms of length.
| Sr. No. | River Name | Total Length (km) | Length in India (km) |
| 10 | Tapti | 724 | 724 |
| 9 | Kaveri | 800 | 800 |
| 8 | Mahanadi | 890 | 890 |
| 7 | Narmada | 1312 | 1312 |
| 6 | Yamuna | 1376 | 1376 |
| 5 | Krishna | 1400 | 1400 |
| 4 | Godavari | 1465 | 1464 |
| 3 | The Ganges | 2525 | 2525 |
| 2 | Brahmaputra | 2900 | 916 |
| 1 | The Indus | 3180 | 1114 |
The Tapti is one of only three rivers that originate in Peninsular India and flow east to west. It rises in the Satpura Range in Betul and flows into the Gulf of Khambhat (Arabian Sea). It has six tributaries and flows across Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. Purna River, Girna River, Gomai, Panzara, Pedhi, and Arna are Tapti River’s tributaries.
Source (Origin): Satpura Range
Tributaries: Purna River, Girna River, Gomai, Panzara, Pedhi, Arna, Anurati, Suki, Vaghur, Buray, Sipna
Discharge its water: Gulf of Khambhat (Arabian Sea)
The Kaveri River, commonly known as the Cauvery River, is sacred in southern India. It rises in the Western Ghats of Karnataka’s Brahmagiri Hill, runs southeast through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and then descends the Eastern Ghats.
The river breaks into a huge number of distributaries before flowing into the Bay of Bengal in Tamil Nadu, forming a wide delta known as the “garden of southern India.” The Kaveri River is revered in Tamil literature for its beauty and sanctity, and its entire course is considered sacred. The river’s irrigation canal developments are also significant.
Source (Origin): Originates in the Brahmagiri Range of hills in the Western Ghats near Talakaveri in Karnataka’s Coorg District.
Left Tributaries: Harangi Reservoir, Hemavati, Shimsha, Arkavathy
Right Tributaries: Lakshmana Tirtha, Kabini, Bhavani River, Noyyal, Amaravati River, Moyar River
Discharge its water: Grand Anicut (South)
The Mahanadi River originates in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur district. For much of recorded history, the Mahanadi was known for its devastating floods. As a result, it was dubbed “Odisha’s Distress.”
In any case, the construction of the Hirakud Dam has drastically altered the situation. The stream is now well-controlled by a system of channels, blasts, and check dams. Seonath, Mand, Ib, Hasdeo, Ong, Parry River, Jonk, and Telen are its principal tributaries.
Source (Origin): Originates from Raipur district of Chhattisgarh
Left Tributaries: Seonath, Mand, Ib, Hasdeo
Right Tributaries: Ong, parry river, Jonk, Telen
Discharge its water: Bay of Bengal
The Narmada River, commonly known as the Rewa and formerly known as the Nerbudda, rises from the Amarkantak. For its significant contribution to the states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, it is also known as the “Life Line of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.”
It flows westward, in contrast to all the other rivers in the region, which flow eastward. It is also regarded as one of the holiest bodies of water.
The Narmada is one of India’s seven holy streams, along with the Ganges, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Sindhu, and Kaveri, according to Hindus. The Ramayana, Mahabharat, and Puranas all make references to it.
Source (Origin): Near Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh
Left Tributaries: Burhner River, Banjar River, Sher River, Shakkar River, Dudhi River, Tawa River, Ganjal River, Chhota Tawa River, Kaveri River, Kundi River, Goi River, Karjan River
Right Tributaries: Hiran River, Tendoni River, Choral River, Kolar River, Man River, Uri River, Hatni River, Orsang River
Discharge its water: Arabian Sea
The Yamuna, also known as the Jamuna, flows from the Yamunotri glacier atop the Banderpoonch hill in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district. It is the Ganges’ longest tributary, yet it does not go straight into the sea. Yamuna’s tributaries include the Hindon, Sharda, Giri, Rishiganga, Hanuman Ganga, Sasur, Chambal, Betwa, Ken, Sindh, and Tons.
Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh are the key states through which the river runs.
Source (Origin): Yamunotri glacier at the Banderpoonch peak in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.
Left Tributaries: Hindon, Sharda, Hanuman Ganga, Sasur Khaderi
Right Tributaries: Chambal, Betwa, Giri, Rishiganga, Ken, Sindh, Tons
Following the Ganges, Godavari, and Brahmaputra, the Krishna is India’s third-longest river in terms of length and the fourth-longest river in terms of water inputs and river basin area (within the country’s borders).
For the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, it is one of the most important sources of irrigation. It begins in Mahabaleshwar and flows through these states before entering the Bay of Bengal. Bhima, Panchganga, Dudhaganga, Ghataprabha, and Tungabhadra are the primary tributaries of the Krishna, while Sangli and Vijayawada are the important cities along its banks.
Source (Origin): Originates in the Western Ghats at an elevation of about 1337 m. just north of Mahabaleswar, about 64 km from the Arabian Sea.
Left Tributaries: Bhima, Dindi, Peddavagu, Musi, Paleru, Munneru
Right Tributaries: Venna, Koyna, Panchganga, Dudhaganga, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, Tungabhadra
Discharge its water: Bay of Bengal
The Godavari, also known as the Dakshin Ganga or the South Ganges, is India’s second longest river in terms of overall length.
It starts in Maharashtra’s Nasik district of Triambakeshwar and travels through Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh before reaching the Bay of Bengal.
The Purna, Pranhita, Indravati, and Sabari Rivers are among the river’s major tributaries, which are classed as left bank tributaries. The creek is important to Hindus, and there are a few areas along its banks where pilgrims have stopped for many years.
It spans a total distance of 1,450 kilometres. Nashik, Nanded, and Rajahmundry are some of the most important cities along the Godavari’s banks.
Source (Origin): Near Nasik in Maharashtra
Left Tributaries: Banganga, Kadva, Shivana, Purna, Kadam, Pranahita, Indravati, Taliperu, Sabari
Right Tributaries: Nasardi, Darna, Pravara, Sindphana, Manjira, Manair, Kinnerasani
Discharge its water: Bay of Bengal
The Ganges, also known as Ganga in India, is the most sacred river in Hinduism and also the world’s longest river, encircling the Indian subcontinent.
Its source is the Gangotri Glacier in Uttarakhand, and it begins in Devprayag, Uttarakhand, at the confluence of the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers.
The Ganges is contaminated, not just for people, but also for animals, including over 140 fish species, 90 land and water proficient species, reptiles like the gharial, and warm-blooded mammals like the Ganges waterway dolphin, both of which are on the IUCN’s critically endangered list.
When it comes to length within India, The Ganges is India’s longest and greatest river, followed by the Godavari (1465 km).
Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal are the states that are covered by this body of water. The Ganges finally comes to a halt in Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal.
The Yamuna, Son, Gomti, Ghaghara, Gandak, and Koshi are some of the Ganga’s main tributaries.
Source (Origin): Gangotri
Left Tributaries: Ramganga, Garra, Gomti, Ghaghara, Gandak, Burhi Gandak Koshi, Mahananda
Right Tributaries: Yamuna, Tamsa, Son, Punpun, Kiul, Karamnasa, Chandan
Discharge its water: Bay of Bengal
The second river to emerge from the Mansarovar hills is the Brahmaputra. It comes from the Angsi Glacier, which is located near Mansarovar Lake in Tibet, China.
It is the only river in India that is considered male.
It is known in China as the Yarlung Tsangpo River and flows into India via Arunachal Pradesh. Floods are an extremely common occurrence during the rainy season (June–October). On the banks of the Brahmaputra, the Kaziranga National Park is located. It then passes through Assam before arriving in Bangladesh.
It has a total length of 916 kilometres within India. The Majuli or Majoli is a river island in Assam’s Brahmaputra River that was designated as India’s first district in 2016.
At the turn of the century, it covered an area of 880 square kilometres.
Source (Origin): Originates from Kailash ranges of Himalaya
Left Tributaries: Dibang River, Lohit River, Dhansiri River, Kolong River
Right Tributaries: Kameng River, Manas River, Beki River, Raidak River, Jaldhaka River, Teesta River, Subansiri River
Discharge its water: Bay of Bengal
Our country’s name is derived from the Indus River, which flows from Mansarovar Lake via Ladakh, Gilgit, and Baltistan. After that, it travels to Pakistan.
The Indus is also notable for being home to the Indus Valley Civilization, one of the world’s oldest and most thriving civilizations. Jansker, Soan, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas are some of its important tributaries.
Leh and Skardu are two major cities on the Indus River’s banks.
The Indus River is 3180 kilometres long in total. However, it only covers a distance of 1,114 kilometres within India.
Source (Origin): Originates in the northern slopes of the Kailash range in Tibet near Lake Manasarovar.
Left Tributaries: Zanskar River, Suru River, Soan River, Jhelum River, Chenab River, Ravi River, Beas River, Sutlej River, Panjnad River, Ghaggar-Hakra River, Luni River
Right Tributaries: Shyok River, Hunza River, Gilgit River, Swat River, Kunar River, Kabul River, Kurram River, Gomal River, Zhob River
Discharge its water: Arabian Sea
India has eight major river systems, totalling more than 400 rivers. Rivers are significant in the lives of Indians because of their relevance in sustaining life and their presence in Indian faiths.
The Arvari River is the smallest river that flows through the Alwar District of Rajasthan, India, and originates in the Aravalli range. It stretches 45 kilometres (28 miles) in length and covers 492 square kilometres in size.
The Narmada is India’s “oldest” river, and its rebirth has been urged. “In the river, there is a lot of illegal sand mining with machinery. In the riverbed, roads have been constructed “According to PTI.
The Jal Shakti Ministry recently rated Meghalaya’s Umngot River to be the cleanest in the country. The ministry shared a gorgeous snapshot of the crystal-clear river on Twitter.
The Brahmaputra River is India’s deepest river, having depths of up to 380 feet. It originates in the Chemayungdung glacier of the Kailash range near the Mansarovar lake and is one of the world’s greatest rivers. During its 750-kilometre trek through the Assam valley, the Brahmaputra receives various tributaries.
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