Major Indian rivers with their source, approximate length and where they drain. Lengths are approximate and vary by source — verify before your exam.
| River | Source / Origin | Length (approx.) | Drains into |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ganga (Ganges) | Gangotri Glacier (Gaumukh), Uttarakhand | ~2,525 km | Bay of Bengal |
| Yamuna | Yamunotri Glacier, Uttarakhand | ~1,376 km | Joins Ganga at Prayagraj |
| Brahmaputra | Angsi Glacier / Kailash range, Tibet | ~2,900 km (total) | Bay of Bengal |
| Indus (Sindhu) | Near Lake Mansarovar, Tibet | ~3,180 km (total) | Arabian Sea |
| Sutlej | Rakshastal Lake, Tibet | ~1,450 km | Indus (Arabian Sea) |
| Chenab | Confluence of Chandra & Bhaga, Himachal Pradesh | ~960 km | Indus system |
| Jhelum | Verinag Spring, Jammu & Kashmir | ~725 km | Chenab |
| Ravi | Bara Bhangal, Himachal Pradesh | ~720 km | Chenab / Indus system |
| Beas | Beas Kund, Himachal Pradesh | ~470 km | Sutlej |
| Ghaghara | Near Lake Mansarovar, Tibet | ~1,080 km | Ganga |
| Gandak | Nepal–Tibet border (Himalayas) | ~630 km | Ganga |
| Kosi | Himalayas (Tibet/Nepal) | ~720 km | Ganga |
| River | Source / Origin | Length (approx.) | Drains into |
|---|---|---|---|
| Godavari | Trimbakeshwar, Nashik, Maharashtra | ~1,465 km | Bay of Bengal |
| Krishna | Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra | ~1,400 km | Bay of Bengal |
| Kaveri (Cauvery) | Talakaveri, Brahmagiri Hills, Karnataka | ~800 km | Bay of Bengal |
| Mahanadi | Near Sihawa, Chhattisgarh | ~858 km | Bay of Bengal |
| Pennar (Penna) | Nandi Hills, Karnataka | ~597 km | Bay of Bengal |
| Tungabhadra | Western Ghats, Karnataka | ~531 km | Krishna |
| Narmada | Amarkantak plateau, Madhya Pradesh | ~1,312 km | Arabian Sea (west-flowing) |
| Tapti (Tapi) | Multai, Betul, Madhya Pradesh | ~724 km | Arabian Sea (west-flowing) |
| Mahi | Vindhya Range, Madhya Pradesh | ~580 km | Arabian Sea (west-flowing) |
| Sabarmati | Aravalli Range, Rajasthan | ~371 km | Arabian Sea (west-flowing) |
| Luni | Aravalli Range (Ajmer), Rajasthan | ~495 km | Rann of Kutch |
Note: Most peninsular rivers flow east into the Bay of Bengal. The main west-flowing rivers are the Narmada, Tapti, Mahi and Sabarmati (Narmada and Tapti flow through rift valleys).