Question

Explain the Himalayan Drainage System.

Answer 1

Instructions:

• First, explain the three river systems in the Himalayan River
• Then explain the Sind, Ganga and Brahmaputra river systems

Solution:

Different parts of India are drained by different rivers and different drainage systems. There are two major river systems: the Himalayan rivers and the Peninsular rivers.

The Himalayan Rivers rise in the snow-capped Himalayas. These rivers are perennial. The three river systems of the Himalayas are

• Sind River System: One of the longest rivers in the world, the Indus river has a total length of 2900 km. Sind rises in Tibet near Mansarovar lake. It has got several tributaries. The Zaskar, the Nubra, the Shyok and the Hunza join it in Kashmir. Its other tributaries, namely The Satluj, the Beas, the Ravi, the Chenab and the Jhelum, join together to enter the Sind near Mithankot in Pakistan. A little over a third of the Sind basin is located in India Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.
• Ganga River System: The river Ganga originates from the Gangotri glacier. The Yamuna, originating at Yamunotri, is a major tributary of the Ganga. The other main tributaries of Ganga include The Ghaghara, the Gandak and the Kosi. From India, the river Ganga flows into Bangladesh and joins the Brahmaputra, where it is known as Meghna. It then empties itself into the Bay of Bengal.
• Brahmaputra River System: It originates in Tibet and flows as Tsangpo. The Brahmaputra is a river which is slightly longer than Indus. It is known by many names throughout its journey. It enters India through a gorge from Arunachal Pradesh, where it is known as the Dihang. ​It is joined by the Dibang, the Lohit, and many other tributaries to form the Brahmaputra in Assam.

Thus the Sind, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra comprise the Himalayan drainage system.