The document summarizes the major rivers of India. It discusses the five most important rivers: Ganga, Saraswati, Sindhu, Godavari, and Narmada. It also briefly describes other notable rivers such as the Indus River and its five tributaries, Yamuna River, Krishna River, Kaveri River, Brahmaputra River, and Tapi River. The rivers are considered sacred in Hinduism and have played an important role in Indian culture and civilization.

1. Indian Rivers

2. Major Rivers Of India There are five major rivers of India:- Ganga Sarasawati Sindhu Godawari Narmada

3. River Ganga One of India’s most sacred rivers, the Ganga (or the Ganges) originates in the Himalayas at Gaumukh (13,858ft). Legend has it that the Ganga originated from the mythical Mountain Meru believed to be located at the core of the universe, and also considered to be the abode of gods. From here the Ganga drops into Shiva’s matted locks (Shiva is the Destroyer of the Universe in the Hindu Holy Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer), that seem to cushion its fall before it finally lands on earth. That the river is of such spiritual significance for the Hindus is borne out by the fact that a dip in the Ganga is believed to absolve one of all sins. A few drops of Ganga jal (water) on a dying Hindu’s lips are said to earn the latter a permanent abode in heaven. Furthermore, Hindus believe that if the ashes of the dead are immersed in the Ganga, their souls break free from the cycle of birth and rebirth and attain nirvana. The three most revered towns situated on the banks of the Ganga are Haridwar, Allahabad and the eternal Varanasi.

4. Saraswati Saraswati is celeberated both as river diety and as the Goddess of speech and learning. The meaning of the word Saraswati is ‘ full of waters’ or ‘ full of lakes’. The source of the river is considered to be in Plakasha Prasravana in the Himalayan mountains and the place where the river disappears is called Vinasana. The water of the river Saraswati are inspiring. As a river Goddess, she connected with fertality and procreation and particularly with purification.

5. Sindhu Saraswati is celeberated both as river diety and as the Goddess of speech and learning. The meaning of the word Saraswati is ‘ full of waters’ or ‘ full of lakes’. The source of the river is considered to be in Plakasha Prasravana in the Himalayan mountains and the place where the river disappears is called Vinasana. The water of the river Saraswati are inspiring. As a river Goddess, she connected with fertality and procreation and particularly with purification.

6. Godawari Godavari, the largest and the longest river of South India. It is popularly reffered as to as the Dakshina Ganga. The Godavari means the best of givers of water, or the best of the rivers giving cows. According to traditions, Godavari is divided itsef into seven branches before it meets the sea and they are named after the seven rishis.

7. Narmada Narmada is the largest of the major west flowinf rivers born in the central highlands. It is described as the best among the rivers. It is said that the river was issued by the body of Rudra. Narmada originated from the Amarkantak hill and flows at a distance of 1300 km and ultimately meets the Bay of Cambay near Bharuch. Narmada is capable of purifying all creatures and even immovabbles

8. The other Rivers of India Indus river Beas Chenab Ravi Sutlej Brahmaputra Taapi Krishna Kauvery Yamuna

9. Indus River The Indus River originates in the northern slopes of the Kailash range near Lake Mansarovar in Tibet . Although most of the river's course runs through neighboring Pakistan , a portion of it does run through Indian territory, as do parts of the courses of its five major tributaries, listed below. These tributaries are the source of the name of the Punjab region of South Asia ; the name is derived from the Persian words Punj ("five") and aab ("water"), hence the combination of the words ( Punjab ) means "five waters" or "land offi ve waters".

10. Beas The Beas originates in Bias Kund, lying near the Rohtang pass. It runs past Manali and Kulu , where its beautiful valley is known as the Kulu valley. It joins the Sutlej river near Harika, after being joined by a few tributaries. The total length of the river is 615 .flowing west,it enters India in the ladakh district of Jammu and KashmirIt forms a picturesque gorge in this part

11. Chenab The Chenab originates from the confluence of two rivers, the Chandra and the Bhaga , It is also known as the Chandrabhaga in Himachal Pradesh . It runs parallel to the Pir It enters the plains of Punjab near Akhnur and is later joined by the Jhelum. It is further joined by the river Ravi and the Sutlej in Pakistan.

12. Ravi The Ravi originates near the Rotang pass in the Himalayas and follows a north-westerly course. It turns to the south-west, near Dalhousie , and then cuts a gorge in the Dhaola Dhar range entering the Punjab plain near Madhopur. It flows as a part of the Indo-Pakistan border for some distance before entering Pakistan and joining the Chenab river.

13. Sutlej The Sutlej originates from the Rakas Lake (Rakshas Tal), which is connected to the Manasarovar lake by a stream, in Tibet. It enters Pakistan near Sulemanki, and is later joined by the Chenab. It has a total length of almost 1500 km.

14. Brahmaputra The Brahmaputra originates in the Mansarovar lake , also the source of the Indus and the Sutlej . It is slightly longer than the Indus, but most of its course lies outside India. In China, it flows eastward, parallel to the Himalayas by the name of Tsang-Po. Reaching Namcha Barwa (2900m), it takes a U-turn around it and enters India in Arunachal Pradesh and known as Dihang.

15. Taapi The Taapi is the ancient name of the river now called "Tapti" of central India. It is one of the major rivers of peninsular India with the length of around 724 km, It rises in the eastern Satpura Range of southern Madhya Pradesh state, before emptying into the Gulf of Cambay of the Arabian Sea, in the State of Gujarat .

16. Krishna The Krishna is one of the longest rivers of India (about 1300 km in length). It originates at Mahabaleswar in Maharashtra and meets the sea in the Bay of Bengal at Hamasaladeevi in Andhra Pradesh . The Krishna River flows through the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

17. Kauvery The Kaveri (also spelled Cauvery or Kavery ) is one of the great rivers of India and is considered sacred by the Hindus .this is the [holy river] of south Indians . birth place of river kaveri called as [Dakshin Kashi] ( god shiva temple called [Bhagandeshwar] at [Bhagamandala] and caveri temple at [talakaveri] . The headwaters are in the Western Ghats range of Karnataka state, and from Karnataka through Tamil Nadu . It empties into the Bay of Bengal.

18. Yamuna The Yamuna, a tributary of the Ganga, is another important river. Rising from Yamunotri in the Himalayas, it merges with the Ganga in Allahabad. The Saraswati, a mythical river known to have existed a few thousand years ago, is believed to follow its invisible underground course to unite with the Ganga and the Yamuna at Sangam (meeting point), or Prayag in Allahabad. Rivers like the Chambal, Betwa and Sone flow northwards from the Vindhya Mountain Range and drain into the Ganga and the Yamuna. The basins of the Brahmaputra and the Indus cover about one-tenth of India’s land area. Smaller rivers like the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej are tributaries of the Indus, a river that flows from Pakistan into North India.