Slide 1 : Rivers of India India is sometimes referred to as the "Land of Rivers". The multitude of tributaries and the close binding of Indian civilization and culture to the local rivers is the reason for this characterization. Travel anywhere in India and one is overcome by how much the rivers influence the economy and local cultures. Indeed, Indians have worshipped rivers as a form of Mother Goddess from ancient times.
Slide 2 : River Ganga The holiest of all the rivers, Ganga or the Ganges is a perennial river, which is held in high regard by the Hindus. The Gangotri Glacier, a vast expanse of ice five miles by fifteen, at the foothills of the Himalayas (14000 ft) in north Uttar Pradesh is the source of Bhagirathi, which joins with Alaknanda (origins nearby), to form Ganga at the craggy, canyon-carved town of Devprayag. From Devprayag to the Bay of Bengal and the vast Sundarbans Delta, the Ganga flows some 1,550 miles, passing and giving life to some of the most populous cities of India, including Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna, and Kolkatta. Dacca, the capital of Bangladesh is on a tributary of the Brahmaputra, just before it joins the Ganga to form Padma. A large number of tributaries join and flow from the Ganges to drain the Northern part of India and Bangladesh.
Slide 3 : River Yamuna The Yamuna, which originates less than a hundred miles east of the Bhagirathi, flows parallel to the Ganga and a little to the south for most of its course before merging with the Ganga at the holy city of Allahabad, also known as Triveni Sangam, literally, Three-way Junction, the third river being the mythical Saraswati which is also supposed to be an underground river. New Delhi, capital of India, and Agra, site of the Taj Mahal, are two of the major cities on the Yamuna.
Slide 4 : Ganga Yamuna
Slide 5 : RIVER CHENAB
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RIVER CHANDRA BHAGA River Chenab is sometimes called the Chandra Bhaga because it is composed of two streams rise close to the Baralacha Pass and, by flowing in opposite directions, put a girdle around a vast tract of Lahaul till, at Tandi, they unite to form a master stream of great size and volume. The Chenab, a tempestuous river, difficult to navigate, flows through Lahaul, enters Kashmir near Kishtwar. Three places on the banks of the Chenab deserve special mention. They are Triloknath and Mrikula Devi embellished with beautiful images and woodcarving. A third place goes by the name of Sisu, 36-km from Rohtang. Every spring and autumn migrating Geese and Ducks halt here on their way to and from Siberia.
Slide 6 : The Valley Of River Chandra Valley of River Chandra is also known as “Rangloi”. This river originates from the southeast slope of the Baralacha La and turns abruptly west after traveling 48-km to flow another 64-km to meet with the Bhaga River at Tandi. Some of the main villages of this valley are - Khoksar, Sissu (also spelt as Sisu), Gondhla and Thorang. The area of the valley is about 2,600-sq-kms.
Slide 7 : The valley of Spiti derives its name from the Spiti River, which rises just below the 16,000 ft high Kunzum Pass. After flowing for about 60 miles, it joins the Sutlej River near the village of Namgiya in Kinnaur district. En route it is fed several streams - Pin Cholmo, Gyundi, Rahtang, Ulah, Lungse, Mane, Surahi, Hanze, Tagling, Thumpa Lumpa, Kaza, Lingti, Parechu and Tabo. River Spiti
Slide 8 : River Sutlej The Sutlej has its source near the holiest of lakes - the Mansarovar in Tibet. It is the fastest of the Himalayan Rivers and the only one that takes on the Himalayas head on. From the source the Sutlej flows northwest parallel to the Himalayan range looking for a gap to penetrate through. After a run of 300-km, it finds one at Shipkila, just short of Leo Pargial mountain. Like maneuvering army, it then makes a full ninety-degree sweep and cuts through the Zanskar range, and offshoot of the Greater Himalayan. As it emerges out of the Zanskar range it is joined by the Spiti River.
Slide 9 : Energy Source Of The Himalayan Regions The fast flow with just the right amount of water makes the Sutlej and its tributaries the “Power House of the Himalayas”. The total hydel power potential in Himachal Pradesh is assessed to be 20,000 mw of which about 50% is from the Sutlej basin. In the absence of green covering in the catchment area, the Sutlej will remain the “Untamed Himalayan power house”.
Slide 10 : Indus Valley The Indus Valley Civilization gave many a clue about life in the pre-Vedic times. Some people say that the original inhabitants of the Indus Valley were Dravidians who were shifted southwards with the coming of the Aryans. Later historical theories totally oppose the idea of a set of Aryans who came to displace the Dravidians. They say that the coming of people from different regions was continuous and not an invasion as was given to be believed.
Slide 11 : Indus River Derivation Of The Name - Indus The lion river, the Indus derives its name from the Sanskrit word, Sindhu, which means a large water body, a sea or an ocean. In Greek, it is called “Sinthos” and in Latin, the “Sindus”. The name gradually came to represent the people who lived beyond it and the name Hindus was born. Indus originates a few kilometres north of lake Mansarovar and together with it arise the Brahmaputra and the river Sutlej, through Mansarovar.
Slide 12 : Indus River This water continued to charm the people and rulers like Akbar and Jehangir built canals from its tributaries to feed huge and beautiful Persian gardens. Even if the Sikhs once spread their empire far enough to build another fort on the other side of river Indus, invaders like Nadir Shah from Persia and Mahmood of Ghazni continued to gallop and ravage the wealth of India. While the Indus was a valiant guardian at the northwest frontier, it was not so difficult to overpower. It roared and spread itself, but it never hurt.
Slide 13 : River Ravi There is something intrinsically romantic about the river Ravi. In divided Punjab used to ring with the haunting strains of love songs sung on the banks of the Ravi, which flowed past the elite city of Lahore. Now one only has to hear the outpourings of young hearts in Chamba celebrating the beauty of love and nature to know that the spirit of the Ravi is the same everywhere.