Indian River Systems and Drainage Basins (Vocabulary)

Vocabulary flashcards covering major Indian rivers, their origins, tributaries, major features, and drainage concepts as described in the notes.

Indus

Rises in Tibet near Lake Mansarowar; flows through Ladakh; one of the major north‑western rivers of India.

Brahmaputra

Rises in Tibet as the Tsang Po; enters India in Arunachal Pradesh as Dihang; flows across the NE and into Bangladesh; part of the Brahmaputra‑Meghna‑Padma system.

Tsang Po

Tibetan name for the upper Brahmaputra.

Namcha Barwa

Tibetan peak near the Brahmaputra’s source.

Ganga (Ganges)

Main northern river formed by the confluence of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda at Dev Prayag; flows across northern India to the Bay of Bengal.

Bhagirathi

Headstream that meets Alaknanda to form the Ganga at Dev Prayag.

Alaknanda

Headstream that meets Bhagirathi to form the Ganga at Dev Prayag.

Dev Prayag

Confluence of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda that forms the Ganga.

Padma

Name of the Ganga’s lower reach in Bangladesh; part of the Ganga‑Brahmaputra‑Meghna system.

Jamuna

Bangladesh name for the Brahmaputra; meets Meghna to form the Meghna River system.

Narmada

Rises at Amarkantak, MP; flows westward across central India; notable for short tributaries and estuaries with the Tapi.

Tapi (Tapti)

Rises in the Satpura range (Betul, MP); flows west through MP, Maharashtra, Gujarat; forms a major western estuary.

Godavari

Largest peninsular river; rises in the Western Ghats; flows east to the Bay of Bengal; called Dakshin Ganga; major tributaries include Purna, Wardha, Pranhita, Wainganga, and Penganga.

Dakshin Ganga

Name given to the Godavari (South Ganga).

Wainganga

Tributary of the Godavari.

Penganga

Tributary of the Godavari.

Purna

Tributary of the Godavari.

Wardha

Tributary of the Godavari.

Pranhita

Tributary of the Godavari.

Manjra/Manjara

Tributary feeder of the Godavari region.

Kaveri (Cauvery)

Rises in the Western Ghats (Brahmagiri Range); flows through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu; about 760–800 km in India; famous for Kunchikal and Shivasamudram Falls.

Kunchikal Falls

Largest (highest) waterfall in India (as per notes) on the Kaveri system.

Shivasamudram Falls

Second largest waterfall on the Kaveri, located in Karnataka.

Kabini

Tributary of the Kaveri.

Hemavati

Tributary of the Kaveri.

Bhavani

Tributary of the Kaveri.

Musi

Tributary of the Krishna system (region around Karnataka/Andhra).

Koyna

Tributary of the Krishna; rises in the Western Ghats.

Tungabhadra

Tributary of the Krishna; joins the Krishna basin.

Chatraprabha

Tributary of the Krishna.

Krishna

Rises in Mahabaleshwar; flows through Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh; ~1400 km; major tributaries include Tungabhadra, Koyna, Chatraprabha, and Musi.

Mahanadi

River in Odisha with braided channels and riverine islands.

Sabarmati

West‑flowing river in western India (Gujarat region).

Mahi

West‑flowing river in western India (Gujarat region).

Bharathapuzha

West‑flowing river in Kerala (also called Nila).

Periyar

West‑flowing river in Kerala; major river of southern India.

Ambala water divide

Hydrological boundary near Ambala separating the Indus and Ganga basins.

Brahmagiri Range

Western Ghats hill range that feeds peninsular river systems (notably Cauvery).

Amazon

World’s largest drainage basin.

Perennial

Rivers that flow year‑round.

Seasonal

Rivers that flow mainly during the monsoon.

Estuary

Where a river meets the sea; Narmada and Tapi form notable estuaries.