- The Ganga Rivers comprise important tributaries of the Ganga or Ganges, which include the Yamuna, Chambal, Kosi, and Damodar Rivers. These rivers are famous all over India for different reasons.
- The Ganges (also known as Ganga or Gonga), is the biggest river in the Indian subcontinent in terms of water flow. The length of the Ganga is 2,510 km or 1,560 miles. The river has its origin in the Western Himalayan Ranges in the state of Uttarakhand.
- The Ganges River Catchment Basin covers an area of 390,000 sq miles (1,000,000 sq km) and supplies to one of the maximum populated areas in the world.
- The river has been proclaimed as the National river of India. The first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, cited a number of emblematic interpretations regarding the Ganges on the Indian subcontinent in his famous book, the Discovery of India (published in 1946).
- The Ganges passes through the states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
Tributaries of the Ganga
Left tributaries - Karnali, Mahakhali, Gandak, Koshi (Kosi), Ghaghra, and Damodar
Right tributaries - Yamuna, Son, Mahananda, Chambal
Economy of the Ganges
- The Ganges drainage area with its productive land is helpful for the agrarian economies of Bangladesh and India. The Ganga and its tributaries function as a perpetual source of water supply to a huge agricultural region in India. Major crops grown in the region include sugarcane, rice, oilseeds, lentils, wheat, and potatoes.
- Tourism is a moneymaking activity on this river. Three sacred places to Hindus -Allahabad, Haridwar, and Varanasi draw countless devotees to its waters. They come to visit these three towns to bathe in the holy Ganga, which is assumed to wash oneself of wrongdoings and help achieve deliverance.
- There are some run-of-the-river hydroelectric power projects under construction on the Ganges tributaries. Two are being constructed by the Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd. (UJVNL) and three by NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation).
- Tapovan Vishnugad Hydroelectric Power Project (NTPC): In Joshimath city.
- Lata Tapovan Hydroelectric Power Project (NTPC): Also in Joshimath.
- Maneri Bhali Hydro Power Project (UJVNL)
- Maneri Tiloth Hydro Power Project (UJVNL): In Uttarkashi from 1984 (of 90 MW).
- The Yamuna is the biggest tributary of the River Ganges in North India. The river originates from the Yamunotri Glacier on the southwestern sides of the Banderpooch crests of the Lower Himalayan Mountain Range. During its itinerary, the river passes through states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Haryana. The famous river meets the Ganges at Triveni Sangam in Allahabad, a popular pilgrimage spot for the Hindus.
- The biggest and longest tributary of the Yamuna is the Son River. Other tributaries of the Yamuna include the Betwa, Chambal, Sindh, Ken, Sarda, Hindon, Giri, Kunta, Hanuman Ganga, Rishiganga, and Kunta Rivers. The catchment area of Yamuna comprises the most of the Ganges Basin. The river traverses cities like Mathura, Delhi, Agra, Etawah, and Kalpi.
2. Chambal
- The Chambal River is one of the most important tributaries of the Ganges. It is also a tributary of the Yamuna River in Central India. The Chambal River forms a significant portion of the Greater Gangetic drainage arrangement. The river runs through the states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. Major tributaries of the Chambal River include Mej, Banas, Kali Sindh, Parbati, and Shipra. It is a perennial river, which originates from a place near Manspura in Janapao Hills in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India. The length of the river is 960 km or 596 miles.
- Ranapratap Sagar Dam
- Gandhi Sagar Dam
- Jawahar Sagar Dam
- Kota Barrage
- The Kosi River is another major tributary of the Ganges. The river is a trans-boundary river, which runs through both India and Nepal. The river is famous for its seven tributaries in the Himalayan mountain ranges. A number of rivers of the Kosi River System like the Arun, the Bhote Kosi and the Sun Kosi have their sources in the autonomous region of Tibet in China. The Kosi River is one of the biggest tributaries of the Ganga. The river traverses important cities like Purnia, Biratnagar, Katihar in Bihar and Nepal. The length of the Kosi River is 729 km or 453 miles.
- National parks on the banks of the Kosi River
- The Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
- The Sagarmatha National Park
- The Damodar River is a key tributary of the Ganges River. The river has its source in the vicinity of Chandwa Village in Palamau Disrtict in Jharkhand. The river flows through the states of Jharkhand and West Bengal. The source of the Damodar River is based in the Chota Nagpur Plataeu in Jharkhand, India. The length of the river is 592 km or 368 miles. Previously, the river was named as the River of Sorrows since it inundated a number of regions in Hooghly, Bardhaman, Medinipur, and Howrah districts of West Bengal. The river is famous for the DVC (Damodar Valley Corporation).
@Rakesh