Geography

Rivers of India: Himalayan and Peninsular Systems

Indian rivers fall into two groups: Himalayan rivers, which are perennial and fed by glaciers and rain, and Peninsular rivers, which are rain-fed and seasonal. The Ganga is the longest river in India, and the Godavari is the longest peninsular river.

Last reviewed 2026-10-15

Himalayan rivers

Ganga: rises as the Bhagirathi from the Gangotri glacier and meets the Alaknanda at Devprayag. Declared the National River in 2008.
Indus: rises near Lake Mansarovar in Tibet. The Indus Waters Treaty (1960) allocates the eastern rivers to India and the western rivers to Pakistan.
Brahmaputra: rises in Tibet as the Yarlung Tsangpo, enters India in Arunachal Pradesh as the Siang or Dihang, and flows into Bangladesh as the Jamuna.

Peninsular rivers

Godavari: rises near Trimbakeshwar in Nashik, Maharashtra, flows east and is called Dakshin Ganga.
Krishna: rises near Mahabaleshwar and flows east to the Bay of Bengal.
Kaveri: rises at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri hills of Karnataka.
Narmada: rises at Amarkantak and flows west through a rift valley. The Tapi also flows west. Both drain into the Arabian Sea.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the longest peninsular river?

The Godavari.

Where does the Ganga originate?

As the Bhagirathi from the Gangotri glacier in Uttarakhand.

Which Indian rivers flow west into the Arabian Sea?

The Narmada and the Tapi, among others.