✅ Indian Rivers & Drainage System – Important for UPSC Prelims (GS Paper 1), as questions are frequently asked on river systems, their origin, tributaries, and characteristics.
Understanding rivers is also crucial for topics like agriculture, environment, irrigation, and geography.
🌊 Topic 1: Introduction to the Indian Drainage System
The drainage system refers to the entire network of rivers, lakes, and streams that collect and discharge water into a common outlet like a sea, lake, or another river.
Types of Drainage Patterns
1️⃣ Dendritic Pattern – Tree-like branching (e.g., Ganga, Indus)
2️⃣ Radial Pattern – Rivers originate from a central highland (e.g., Rivers from Amarkantak Plateau)
3️⃣ Trellis Pattern – Tributaries join the main river at right angles (e.g., Rivers in the Vindhyan region)
4️⃣ Centripetal Pattern – Rivers flow inward to a central point (e.g., Sambhar Lake)
🏞 Topic 2: Himalayan Rivers
These are perennial rivers (flow throughout the year) and are mainly fed by glaciers and rainfall.
1. The Indus River System
🟢 Origin: Tibetan Plateau (Mansarovar Lake)
🟢 Tributaries:
- Left Bank: Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi
- Right Bank: Sutlej, Beas
🟢 Important Facts: - Indus Water Treaty (1960) – Water-sharing agreement between India and Pakistan.
- Longest river in India (if counted from its source).
2. The Ganga River System
🟢 Origin: Gangotri Glacier (Uttarakhand)
🟢 Tributaries:
- Left Bank: Gomti, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi
- Right Bank: Yamuna, Son, Chambal
🟢 Important Facts: - Forms the world’s largest delta (Sundarbans Delta) before merging into the Bay of Bengal.
- Yamuna (largest tributary) originates from Yamunotri Glacier.
3. The Brahmaputra River System
🟢 Origin: Angsi Glacier (Tibet)
🟢 Flows through Tibet (as Tsangpo), Arunachal Pradesh (as Dihang), Assam, and Bangladesh
🟢 Important Facts:
- It is known for frequent floods and high sedimentation.
- One of the longest rivers in India.
🔗 Best Reference Links:
- NCERT Geography Class 11 – Drainage System: https://ncert.nic.in/
- Indus Water Treaty (PIB): https://pib.gov.in/
🏝️ Topic 3: Peninsular Rivers
These rivers are mostly seasonal, as they depend on monsoon rains. They generally have fixed courses due to hard rocky terrain.
1. East Flowing Rivers (Drain into the Bay of Bengal)
1️⃣ Godavari River – Longest Peninsular river, originates from Nashik (Maharashtra)
- Tributaries: Pranhita, Indravati, Sabari
2️⃣ Krishna River – Originates in Maharashtra - Tributaries: Bhima, Tungabhadra
3️⃣ Kaveri River – Originates from Talakaveri (Karnataka) - Tributaries: Kabini, Bhavani
2. West Flowing Rivers (Drain into the Arabian Sea)
1️⃣ Narmada River – Originates from Amarkantak Plateau (Madhya Pradesh), forms Dhuandhar Falls
2️⃣ Tapi River – Originates from Satpura range (Madhya Pradesh)
3️⃣ Mahi & Sabarmati Rivers – Flow through Gujarat
🔗 Best Reference Links:
- India WRIS Portal (Water Resources Information System): https://indiawris.gov.in/
🌿 Topic 4: Important Lakes in India
1️⃣ Dal Lake (Jammu & Kashmir) – Famous for houseboats & tourism.
2️⃣ Sambhar Lake (Rajasthan) – Largest saltwater lake in India.
3️⃣ Vembanad Lake (Kerala) – Largest lake in India.
4️⃣ Chilika Lake (Odisha) – Largest brackish water lake & important bird sanctuary.
📌 Your Study Tasks for Day 18
✅ Revise NCERT Geography Class 11 (Drainage System)
✅ Draw a map of major rivers & lakes in India
✅ Solve 15-20 MCQs from previous UPSC papers
✅ Write a short note (100 words) on Indus Water Treaty
💪 Moral Strength for Your UPSC Journey
🌟 “Rivers don’t stop when they hit rocks; they find a way around. Be like a river.”
UPSC preparation is a journey full of challenges, but every effort you make takes you one step closer to your goal.
🚀 Stay Consistent!
- You have the strength to overcome distractions.
- You are making progress, even if it’s slow.
- Success is built on daily discipline.
📢 Keep moving forward – your hard work will flow into success just like a river reaches the ocean! 💙🔥