Important Rivers in India – Here is the list of top 10 important rivers in India which have their importance in both faith and traits of this diverse country. The rivers of India plays an important role in the lives of the Indians. They provide potable water (safe to drink), cheap transportation, electricity, and the livelihood for a large number of people all over the country. The top 10 Important Rivers in India are Tapti, Narmada, Kaveri, Krishna, Godavari, Mahanadi, Indus, Brahmaputra, Yamuna, Ganga. This easily explains why nearly all the major cities of India are located by the banks of important rivers. The top 10 Important Rivers in India are briefly explained as follows

1. GANGA

• Origin: Gangotri (Himalaya)
• Distance Covered: 2525Km.
• Third Largest River in the world.
• Major Cities : Patliputra, Kashi, Allahbad, Varanasi, Kolkata, Badrinath, Haridwar, Kanpur, Patna, Farrukhabad, Fatehgarh, Kannauj, Chakeri.
• It had also created the World’s Largest DELTA in West Bengal – Sundarban Delta.
• Major Tributaries : Gomti, Ghaghra, Tamsa, Yamuna, Koshi.
• Merges into: Bay of Bengal.

2. YAMUNA

• also known as Jamuna
• Origin: Yamunotri Glaciers (Himalaya)
• 70% of water to Delhi from the Yamuna.
• Tajmahal is situated on the banks of it.
• Major Cities : Etawah (UP), Auraiya (UP), Mathura, New Delhi.
• States Covered: Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi
• Major Tributaries: Hanuman Ganga, Sharda, Chambal
• Merges into: Ganga, Allahabad (It is the longest river in India which does not directly flow to the sea).

3. BRAHMAPUTRA

• Also called as  Tsangpo-Brahmaputra
• Origin: Angsi Glacier (Tibet)
• Entered from: Arunachal Pradesh to Assam.
• Distance Covered: 2900 Km.
• Major Cities : Dibrugarh (Assam), Guwahati.
• Another name : Jamuna (Bengali), Tsangpo (Tibet), Pinyin or Yarlung Zangbo (China).
• Merges into: Padma river of Bangladesh.

4. INDUS

• was known as Sindhu River
• Pakistan has 93%, India has 5% and China has 2% share of this river.
• Origin: Tibetan Plateau.
• Flows through: The Ladakh
• Entered into: Pakistan
• Distance Covered: 3180 Km
• Major Cities: Leh, Sukur, Hyderabad (Pakistan).
• Major Tributaries: Balram river, Beas, Chenab, Dras, Gilgit, Jhelum, Ravi, Satluj.
• Merges into: Arabian Sea.

5. MAHANADI

• It is the major river in Chattisgarh and Odisha
• Used for Irrigation and Drinking Purpose
• Also known as The Ruin of Orrisa. (Devastating flood over the years but before the construction of HIRAKUND DAM)
• Source: Sihawa, Dhamtari, Dandakaranya, Chhattisgarh.
• Distance Covered: 858 Km.
• Major Cities on River: Cuttak, Sambalpur.

6. GODAVARI

• The longest river in Southern India also known as ‘Dakshina Ganga’
• 2nd Largest after Gangus (Ganga)
• Origin: Tryambakeshwar, Maharashtra
• Distance: 1465 Km
• Major Towns along the river: Rajahmundry (AP), Nashik (MH), Nanded (MH), Nizamabad (AP).
• States Covered: Maharashtra, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry (Yanam).
• Major Dam on River : Gangapur Dam, Sriram sagar dam.
• The Krishna Godavari Basin is one of the main nesting sites of the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle.
• Merge into: Bay of Bengal.

7. KRISHNA

• Also was known as Krishnaveni
• 4th largest in India (after the Ganges, Godavari, and the Brahmaputra).
• Origin : Mahabaleshwar (Maharashtra)
• Distance Covered : 1400 Km
• Major Towns along the river : Sangali (MH), Konya (MH), Vijaywada (AP)
• Major Tributaries : Bhima, Paleru, Malaprabha, Tungbhadra.
• It is a major source of irrigation for Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
• Major Dam on river : Nagarjun Sagar Dam, Dhom Dam, Narayanpur Dam.
• The delta of this river is one of the most fertile regions in India and was the home to ancient Satavahana and Ikshvaku Sun Dynasty kings. Vijayawada is the largest city on the River Krishna.
• Merge into: Bay of Bengal.

8. KAVERI

• Origin: Talakaveri (Western Ghats, Karnataka)
• Important Tributaries: Amravati, Shemsha, Hemavati.
• Major Towns along the river: Kushalnagar, Mysuru northern suburbs, Srirangapatna, Karur, Tiruchirapalli (TN), Kumbakonam, Mayiladuthurai, Poompuhar.
• Distance Covered: 765 Km.
• Merge Bay of Bengal.

9. NARMADA

• Also known as Life Line of Madhya Pradesh
• Origin: Narmada Kund, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh
• Distance Covered: 1312 Km.
• Major Towns along the river: Jabalpur (MP), Bharch (Gujarat)
• Merge: Arabian Sea (Gujarat)

10. TAPTI

• The major river in Central India.
• Origin : Satpura Range, Madhya Pradesh
• Distance Covered : 724 Km.
• Major Towns along the river : Multai, Nepanagar, Betul and Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh, Bhusawal in Maharashtra and Surat and Songadh in Gujarat.
• Merge into: Gulf of Cambay of Arabian Sea, Surat (Gujrat).