The term drainage describes the river system of an area. The The term drainage describes the river system of an area. The are drained by a single river system is called a are drained by a single river system is called a Drainage Basin. Drainage Basin. Any elevated area, such as a mountain or an upland is known Any elevated area, such as a mountain or an upland is known as a as a Water Divide. Water Divide. The drainage systems of India are mainly The drainage systems of India are mainly controlled by the broad relief features of the subcontinents. controlled by the broad relief features of the subcontinents. Accordingly, the Indian Accordingly, the Indian rivers are divided into rivers are divided into

two parts:two parts: The Himalayan RiversThe Himalayan Rivers The Peninsular riversThe Peninsular rivers Let us discuss Himala-Let us discuss Himala-

yan riversyan rivers

Rippling along rough surfaces and the beautiful meadows, the numerous rivers that dot Indian mainland are central to our history as well as to Indian mythology. The main rivers of the Himalayas group are the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. These rivers are both snow-fed and rain-fed and therefore they are flow through so many year. Himalayan rivers discharge about 70% of their inflow into the sea. This includes about 5% from central Indian rivers. They join the Ganga and drain into the Bay of Bengal. Let us discuss about main RIVERS OFHIMALAYAS :

It has believed by the early Tibetans that this forceful and full river that guarded the frontiers of united India rises from the lake Mansarovar in Tibet. A few expeditions later, it was discovered that the Indus actually originates a few kilometers north of lake Mansarovar and together with it arise the Brahmaputra and the river Sutlej, through Mansarovar. The four rivers that separated from this area were described as rising out of certain animals mouths, thereby ascribing the qualities to the river. The Pakshu went westward in the beginning and then came out of a horse’s mouth to the east to be called the Brahmaputra. The Sita went southwards in the beginning and then came out of a lion’s mouth to the north to be called the river Sindhu. The Ganga came out of an elephant’s mouth and the Karnali from a peacock’s mouth.

Legends

Derivation Of The Name - Indus

The lion river, the Indus derives its name from the Sanskrit word, Sindhu, which means a large water body, a sea or an ocean. In Greek, it is called “Sinthos” and in Latin, the “Sindus”. The name gradually came to represent the people who lived beyond it and the name Hindus was born. It took less time to derive the name - Indus gave people a lot more.

Legends

The Ganges has many names associated with its many roles in Sanskrit The Ganges has many names associated with its many roles in Sanskrit mythology. Bhagiratha himself is the source of the name Bhagirathi (of mythology. Bhagiratha himself is the source of the name Bhagirathi (of Bhagiratha), which is its initial stream, but is also another name for the Bhagiratha), which is its initial stream, but is also another name for the Hooghly. At one point, Bhagiratha went too close to the sage Jahnu's Hooghly. At one point, Bhagiratha went too close to the sage Jahnu's meditation site, and the disturbed hermit immediately gulped up all the waters. meditation site, and the disturbed hermit immediately gulped up all the waters. Eventually, after more persuasion from Bhagiratha, the sage yielded the waters, Eventually, after more persuasion from Bhagiratha, the sage yielded the waters, but Ganges retained the name "Jahnavi“. Water from the Ganga has the but Ganges retained the name "Jahnavi“. Water from the Ganga has the recursive property that any water mixed with even the minutest quantity of recursive property that any water mixed with even the minutest quantity of Ganga water becomes Ganga water, and inherits its healing and other holy Ganga water becomes Ganga water, and inherits its healing and other holy properties. Also, despite its many impurities, Ganga water does not rot or stink properties. Also, despite its many impurities, Ganga water does not rot or stink if stored for several days. if stored for several days.

The Glacier, a vast expanse of ice five miles by fifteen, at the foothills of the Himalayas (14000 ft) in Northern Uttaranchal is the source of Bhagirathi, which joins with Alaknanda to form Ganga at the craggy canyon-carved town of Devprayag. Interestingly, the sources of Indus and the Brahmaputra are also geographically fairly close; the former goes through Himachal Pradesh and fans out through Punjab and Sindh (Pakistan) into the Arabian Sea. The latter courses for most of its tremendous length under various names through Tibet/China, never far from the Nepal or Indian borders, and

The Course Of River Ganges & Its Tributries

then takes a sharp turn near the northeastern tip of India, gathers momentum through Assam before joining the major stream of the Ganga near Dacca in Bangladesh to become the mighty Padma, river of joy and sorrow for much of Bangladesh.

From Devprayag to the Bay of Bengal and the vast Sundarbans Delta, the Ganga flows some 1,550 miles, passing and giving life to some of the most populous cities of India, including Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna, and Kolkatta. Dacca, the capital of Bangladesh is on a tributary of the Brahmaputra, just before it joins the Ganga to form Padma. A large number of tributaries join and flow from the Ganges to drain the Northern part of India and Bangladesh.

Legends

One of the great rivers of Asia, the Brahmaputra commences its 3,000-km journey to the Bay of Bengal from the slopes of Kailash in western Tibet. As Tibet's great river, the Tsangpo, transverses east across the high-altitude Tibetan plateau north of the Great Himalayan Range, carving out myriad channels and sandbanks on its way. As it tumbles from the Himalayan heights towards the plains of the subcontinent it twists back on itself, cutting a deep and still unnavigated gorge, until finally turning south it emerges in Arunachal Pradesh as the Dihong. Just beyond Pasighat, it meets the Dibang and Lohit where it finally becomes the Brahmaputra

Mythology

There are many mythological stories on Brahmaputra. But the most popular and sacred one is about the river's birth in 'Kālikā Purāna'. It describes how Parashurama, one of the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu, got rid of his sin of murdering his own mother with an axe (or Parish) by taking bath in this sacred river. On strict order from his father Jamadagni (who had suspected his wife Renuka of adultery), Parashurām had to murder his own mother by severing her head with an axe. As a result of this nefarious act, the axe got stuck to his hand and he was unable to take it off his hand. On advice from sages, he started on a pilgrimage and ultimately reached the place, which is presently known as Parashurām Kunda (about 25 km north of Tezu in in Arunāchal Pradesh). The story says that the mighty river was then confined to a Kind (or Kunda) or a small lake surrounded by hills. Parashurām cut down the hills on one side to release the sacred water for the benefit of the common people. By this act, Parashurām’s axe came out of his hand to his great relief and he knew that he had been exonerated from his sin.

Rivers have been of fundamental importance throughout the Rivers have been of fundamental importance throughout the human history. Water from the rivers is a basic natural resource, human history. Water from the rivers is a basic natural resource, essential for various human activities . Therefore , the river banks essential for various human activities . Therefore , the river banks have attracted settlers from ancient times. These settlements have have attracted settlers from ancient times. These settlements have now become big cities.now become big cities.

Using rivers for irrigation , navigation , hydro-power generation is Using rivers for irrigation , navigation , hydro-power generation is of special significance – particularly to a country like India , where of special significance – particularly to a country like India , where agriculture is the major source of livelihood of the majority of its agriculture is the major source of livelihood of the majority of its population.population.