Top 10 Longest Rivers in India: India is understood as the land of rivers as there are various rivers flowing across the country. India is the land of rivers and these mighty water bodies play a huge role in the economic development of the country. The rivers in India are divided into two categories namely Himalayan Rivers (originate from the Himalayas) and Peninsular Rivers (originate in the Peninsula ). Himalayan Rivers are perennial, which suggests they are not dependent on rain, while Peninsular Rivers are rain-fed. Here, during this article, we’ll talk about the top 10 longest rivers in India.
Top 10 Longest Rivers in India
Table of Contents
Here is the list of the top 10 longest rivers in India in terms of length. Read the complete article to know details about each and every river among the Top 10 Longest Rivers in India.
| Top 10 longest rivers in India | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sr. No. | River | Length in India (km) | Total Length (km) |
| 1. | Ganga | 2525 | 2525 |
| 2. | Godavari | 1464 | 1465 |
| 3. | Krishna | 1400 | 1400 |
| 4. | Yamuna | 1376 | 1376 |
| 5. | Narmada | 1312 | 1312 |
| 6. | Indus | 1114 | 3180 |
| 7. | Brahmaputra | 916 | 2900 |
| 8. | Mahanadi | 890 | 890 |
| 9. | Kaveri | 800 | 800 |
| 10. | Tapti | 724 | 724 |
Longest River in India
1. The Ganges River- (2525 km)
The Ganga river in India is the most sacred river when it comes to Hindu beliefs and customs and it is also the longest river, in the Indian subcontinent. Its origin is the Gangotri Glacier in Uttarakhand and it starts at the confluence of the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers in Devprayag, Uttarakhand. The Ganga is compromised by contamination, not exclusively to people, yet in addition to creatures, among which are in excess of 140 fish species, 90 land and water proficient species, reptiles, for example, the gharial, and warm-blooded creatures, for example, the Ganges waterway dolphin.
The Ganga is the longest river in India and also the largest river in India, followed by the Godavari (1465 kms). The states through which The Ganga river flows are Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal. The Ganga river flows at last through Bangladesh where it is called Jamuna, then it finally converges in the Bay of Bengal. Some of the major tributaries of the Ganga are the Yamuna, Son, Gomti, Ghaghara, Gandak, and Koshi.
2. Godavari River- 1464 km
the Godavari river, which is also known as Dakshin Ganga or South Ganges is the second longest river in India, in terms of the total length covered within India. The source of the Godavari river is Triambakeshwar, Nasik in Maharashtra, and it flows through Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, after which it finally meets with the Bay of Bengal. The primary tributaries of the river can be classified as the left bank tributaries which include the Purna, Pranhita, Indravati, and Sabari Rivers. The stream is sacred to Hindus and has a few places on its banks. The total span of the Godavari river in terms of length is 1,450 kilometers. Some of the prime cities on the banks of Godavari are Nashik, Nanded, and Rajahmundry.
3. Krishna River- 1400 km
The Krishna river, is the third-longest river in India in terms of length in India and the fourth-longest river in India (within the country’s borders) in terms of water inflows and river basin area, following the Ganges, Godavari, and the Brahmaputra. It serves as one of the most important sources of irrigation for the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. It originates from Mahabaleshwar and then enters the Bay of Bengal. The prominent tributaries of the Krishna are Bhima, Panchganga, Dudhaganga, Ghataprabha, and Tungabhadra and its main cities by the banks are Sangli and Vijayawada.
4. Yamuna River- 1376 km
The Yamuna river also called Jamuna in India, originates from the Yamunotri glacier at the Banderpoonch peak in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. The Yamuna is the longest tributary of the River Ganges and it does not directly fall into the sea. Some of the major tributaries of the Yamuna river include Hindon, Sharda, Giri, Rishiganga, Hanuman Ganga, Sasur, Chambal, Betwa, Ken, Sindh, and Tons. The principal states through which the Yamuna river flows are Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
5. Narmada River- 1312 km
The Narmada River also known as the Rewa and previously also known as Nerbudda, it originates from the Amarkantak plateau. It is also known as the “Life Line of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat” for its huge contribution to the state of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. In comparison with all the rivers of the country that flow in the east direction, it flows westward. It is also considered one of the holiest water bodies. To Hindus the Narmada is one of the seven heavenly waterways of India; the other six being Ganges, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Sindhu, and Kaveri. The Ramayana, the Mahabharat, and the Puranas allude to it oftentimes.
6. Indus River- 3180 km
The history of the name of our country is connected to the Indus, it begins from Mansarovar Lake and then crosses Ladakh, Gilgit, and Baltistan. It then enters Pakistan. The Indus is also known for harboring one of the oldest and most flourishing civilizations, the Indus Valley Civilization. Its main tributaries include Jansker, Soan, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas. Major Cities located on the banks of Indus are Leh and Skardu. The total length of the Indus River is 3180 kilometers. However, its distance covered within India is only 1,114 kilometers.
7. Brahmaputra River- 2900 km
The Brahmaputra is the second river that originates from the Mansarovar ranges. It originates from Angsi Glacier near Mansarovar Lake, Tibet, China. It is the only river whose gender is considered male in India, It is called the Yarlung Tsangpo River in China, and then it enters India via Arunachal Pradesh. During the rainstorm season (June–October), floods are an extremely normal event. The Kaziranga National Park is on the banks of The Brahmaputra. It then flows through Assam and finally enters Bangladesh, where it is known as the Padma. Its total length within India is only 916 kilometers. The Majuli or Majoli is a river island in the Brahmaputra River, Assam and in 2016 it became the first island to be made a district in India. In The beginning, it had an area of 880 square kilometers.
8. Mahanadi River- 890 km
The Mahanadi River has its origin in the Raipur district of Chhattisgarh. The Mahanadi was infamous for its staggering floods for a lot of written history. Hence it was known as ‘the distress of Odisha’. Anyway, the development of the Hirakud Dam has enormously modified the circumstance. Its primary tributaries are Seonath, Mand, Ib, Hasdeo, Ong, parry river, Jonk, Telen.
9. Kaveri River- 800 km
The Kaveri River is one of the sacred rivers of southern India. It has its source in Brahmagiri Hill of the Western Ghats in Karnataka, flows in a southeasterly direction through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and descends into the Eastern Ghats. Before draining into the Bay of Bengal, Tamil Nadu, the river breaks into a large number of distributaries forming a wide delta named as the “garden of southern India.” The Kaveri River is celebrated for its scenery and sanctity in Tamil literature, and its entire course is considered holy ground. The river is also important for its irrigation canal projects.
10. Tapti River- 724 km
The Tapti River is one of the only three rivers that originate in Peninsular India and that flows from east to west. It has its source in the Betul district (Satpura Range) and drains off into the Gulf of Khambhat (Arabian Sea). It flows through the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat and has six tributaries. The prominent tributaries of the Tapti river are the Purna River, Girna River, Gomai, Panzara, Pedhi, and Arna.
Top 10 Longest Rivers In India- FAQs
Q 1. Which is the longest river in India?
Ans. The Ganges River is the longest river in India.
Q 2. Which is the longest inland river in India?
Ans. The Ganges is the longest inland river in India.
Q 3. Which is the longest tributary river of India?
Ans. The Yamuna is the longest tributary river of India.
Q 4. Which is the longest river in South India?
Ans. The Godavari is the longest river in South India.
Q 5. Which is the largest river island in India?
Ans. Majuli is the largest river island situated in Assam in India.