The drainage system in India has evolved and adjusted itself with the evolution of the three physiographic units:1) the Himalayas 2) peninsular plateau and 3) the Indo- Gangetic plain.On the basis of itsorigin,the drainage system in India can be broadly divided into two categories: i) The Himalayan rivers and ii) The Peninsular rivers.

The Himalayan Rivers

The Himalayan Rivers belong to the three principal systems: the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. These rivers originate from almost the same region within few kilometers of each other and are separated by water divides. They first flow parallel to the main axis of the mountains. Then, they take a sudden bend towards the south cutting through the massive mountain chain to reach the north Indian plains. In the process, they have carved out deep ‘v’ shaped valleys. This is well exhibited by the Indus and the Brahmaputra rivers.

The Himalayan Rivers are perennial. This is because the rivers are supplied on rainfall as well as the melting snow.

The Indus System

The Indus originates in the northern slopes of the Kailash range in Tibet near Lake Manasarovar. It follows a north-westerly course throughTibet.It entersIndian TerritoryinJammuandKashmir.Themaintributaries of the Indus in India are Jhelum,Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. They cover Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and HimachalPradesh statesof India.


●With the help of an atlas trace the courseofIndusbothinIndia and Pakistan.

The Ganga System

The Ganga has twin sources. The main source is the Gangotri glacier where it is called the Bhagirathi. The other is the Satopanth glacier towards the north-west of Badrinath where it is called the Alakananda. The two join at Devprayag to form the Ganga river that emerges from the hills of Haridwar. The Ganga is joined by a large number of tributaries.Amajority of them originate in the Himalayan ranges but some of them have their sources in the peninsular plateau.

●Look at the map of river Ganga (map 2) and name the states which are drained by it.

●From the above map, list out the north-flowing and south-flowing tributaries of the Ganga.

The Brahmaputra System

The Brahmaputra (known as the Tsangpo in Tibet) rises from the snout of the Chemayungdung glacier of the Kailasrange near Manasarovar.It flows east wards through southern Tibet. Near Lhotse Dzong, it opens out into a wide navigable channel for about 640kms.Thereafter,the river breaks through asuccession of rapids.It enters in agreat loop southwest through ArunachalPradesh in India,first as the Siangand then as the Dihang.Emerging into the Assamvalley, it is joined by two tributaries-The Dibang and the Lohit.Fromhere,the river is known asthe Brahmaputra.
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