Rivers of India

Based on their source, the Indian River system is classified in to - Himalayan Rivers and Peninsular Rivers. The Himalayan Rivers, as the name suggests originate from the Himalayas and flow through the Northern Plains. Peninsular River System or Peninsular Drainage emerges mainly from the Western Ghats. Since the Western Ghats form a ‘water divide’, these rivers either flow eastwards into the Bay of Bengal or into the Arabian Sea towards the west. Peninsular Rivers are basically ‘rain fed’ rivers. Ganga (Ganges) River system is the largest river system in India. It originates in the Gangotri glaciers. The upstream Bhagirathi joins the other stream named Alaknanda at Devprayag to form River Ganga. The Yamuna is a major river system in Northern India. The river rises from Yamnotri and flows through Uttrakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Brahmaputra, one of the major rivers in India, originates in the Angsi glacier of Himalayas in Tibet. There it is known as the Tsangpo River. This book is an exploratory journey that delves into the symbiosis between India’s major rivers and the people who live along them and their intimate link with myth, belief and religion. This book is of interest of all those eager to read the importance of rivers in Indians lives and culture.