What are the Peninsular Rivers of India?

Peninsular rivers are those that originate in the Peninsular Plateau and the Western Ghats of central and southern India.

Key Characteristics:

• Seasonal / Non-Perennial: Unlike Himalayan rivers which get water from melting snow all year round, Peninsular rivers depend entirely on the monsoon rains. During hot, dry summers, many of these rivers dry up or become very thin streams.
• Older and Shallower: These rivers are much older than the Himalayan rivers. They flow through hard, rocky terrain, so they do not cut deep valleys. Their courses are relatively straight and shallow.

Based on where they flow, they are divided into two types:

1. East-Flowing Rivers (Fall into the Bay of Bengal):
   • Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri.
   • These rivers are long and form large, fertile deltas near the coast before entering the sea.
2. West-Flowing Rivers (Fall into the Arabian Sea):
   • Narmada and Tapi.
   • These are the only long rivers that flow west. They flow through rift valleys and form estuaries (not deltas) when they meet the sea.