Largest River in India — Ganga, Indus & Peninsular Rivers

Name: Ganga (also spelled Ganges). Length: approximately 2,525 km — longest river flowing entirely within India. Origin: Gangotri Glacier, Uttarakhand, in the Uttarkhanda Himalayas.

• The river begins as the Bhagirathi at Gaumukh (the snout of Gangotri Glacier) and joins the Alaknanda at Devprayag to become the Ganga. Mouth: Bay of Bengal — the Ganga (along with the Brahmaputra) forms the Sundarbans delta, the world's largest delta, in West Bengal and Bangladesh. Drainage basin: 861,000 sq km (within India); second largest river basin in India after the Indus.

Course of the Ganga: • Originates in Uttarakhand as Bhagirathi/Alaknanda. • Flows through: Uttarakhand → Uttar Pradesh → Bihar → Jharkhand (small stretch) → West Bengal. • Passes through major cities: Haridwar, Allahabad (Prayagraj), Varanasi, Patna, Kolkata. • At Prayagraj (Allahabad): confluence (Sangam) with Yamuna and (mythically) Saraswati rivers. • At Varanasi: considered the holiest city in Hinduism; the Ganga flows northward (unusual reversal).

Religious significance: The Ganga is India's most sacred river, worshipped as a goddess (Ganga Ma). Bathing in the Ganga is considered purifying. The Kumbh Mela, the world's largest human gathering, is held on the Ganga's banks (at Haridwar, Prayagraj, Nashik for Godavari, and Ujjain for Shipra).

National River: The Ganga was declared the National River of India in 2008.

Name: Indus River (Sindhu in Sanskrit). Total length: approximately 3,180 km — one of the world's longest rivers. Length in India: approximately 1,114 km (through Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh). Origin: Near Lake Mansarovar (Manasarovar), Tibet (China), in the Tibetan Plateau. Mouth: Arabian Sea (in Pakistan, near Karachi).

Course: • Originates in Tibet near Mansarovar Lake. • Flows northwestward through Ladakh (India): passes through Leh. • Enters Pakistan and flows southwest through Punjab and Sindh. • Empties into the Arabian Sea near Karachi.

Key facts: • The Indus is longer than the Ganga overall (3,180 km vs 2,525 km), but flows mostly outside India. • India's name comes from Indus (Sanskrit: Sindhu). • The Indus Valley Civilisation (one of the world's earliest civilisations) flourished along the Indus and its tributaries about 4,500–3,900 years ago. • Indus Water Treaty (1960): India and Pakistan signed this treaty, brokered by the World Bank, which divides the waters of the Indus river system between the two countries. • Five rivers of Punjab — Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej — are tributaries of the Indus. • The Indus flows through Ladakh before entering Pakistan — passing through some of the most dramatic gorges in the world.

Name: Godavari River. Length: approximately 1,465 km — the longest and largest peninsular river in India. Origin: Trimbakeshwar, near Nashik, Maharashtra. Mouth: Bay of Bengal (near Antarvedi, Andhra Pradesh) — forms a delta. Also known as: 'Dakshin Ganga' (Ganges of the South) due to its religious significance.

Course: • Originates in Nashik district, Maharashtra at Trimbakeshwar. • Flows eastward through Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. • Enters the Bay of Bengal near Rajahmundry (Rajamahendravaram), Andhra Pradesh, forming the fertile Godavari delta.

Key facts: • The Godavari is the second largest river in India after the Ganga by length (within India). • It is the largest peninsular river — flowing entirely in the Deccan plateau region. • The Godavari delta in Andhra Pradesh is one of the most fertile agricultural regions in India (rice bowl). • The Kumbh Mela is also held at Nashik on the Godavari banks (Trimbakeshwar region). • Major tributaries: Pranhita, Indravati, Wainganga, Manjra, Sabari, Sileru. • The Polavaram Dam (Andhra Pradesh) is a major multipurpose project on the Godavari.

Other major rivers of peninsular India: • Krishna River: ~1,400 km; originates at Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra; empties into Bay of Bengal. • Kaveri (Cauvery): ~800 km; originates at Talakaveri, Coorg (Kodagu), Karnataka; empties into Bay of Bengal; known as 'Ponni' in Tamil Nadu.

River length comparison (within India or total):

1. Indus: ~3,180 km total (but only ~1,114 km within India).
2. Ganga: ~2,525 km — longest river flowing entirely within India.
3. Godavari: ~1,465 km — longest peninsular river.
4. Krishna: ~1,400 km — peninsular river.
5. Yamuna: ~1,376 km — longest tributary of the Ganga.
6. Narmada: ~1,312 km — longest west-flowing river in India; flows into the Arabian Sea.
7. Mahanadi: ~858 km — river in Chhattisgarh and Odisha; Hirakud Dam is built on it.
8. Kaveri (Cauvery): ~800 km — major South Indian river.

River systems of India — two main categories:

1. Himalayan Rivers: Ganga, Indus, Brahmaputra — originate from glaciers; perennial (flow year-round).
2. Peninsular Rivers: Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Mahanadi, Narmada — originate in Deccan; mostly rain-fed; seasonal/semi-seasonal.

The Brahmaputra: • Total length: ~2,900 km; within India: ~916 km. • Originates as Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet; enters India in Arunachal Pradesh; flows through Assam. • Empties into the Bay of Bengal via Bangladesh. • Largest river by water discharge volume in India.