Explain the three main rivers system of Northern India.

Solution

The three main rivers system of Northern India are explained below:

(i)The Indus River System - It is one of the world's largest systems. The river Indus rises in Tibet near lake Mansarovar and enters India in Ladakh. It comprises the rivers of India, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej and Beas. Indus, Jhelum and Chenab flow in Pakistan.

(ii)The Ganga River System - The headwaters of the Ganga, called the ‘Bhagirathi’ is fed by the Gangotri Glacier and joined by the Alaknanda at Devaprayag in Uttaranchal. At Haridwar the Ganga emerges from the mountains on to the plains. The Ganga is joined by many tributaries from the Himalayas, a few of them being major rivers such as the Yamuna, the Ghaghara, the Gandak and the Kosi.

(iii)The Brahmaputra River System - The Brahmaputra river is the master stream of this system. It is 2880 km long. It flows parallel to the Himalayas in Tibet and is known as Tsangpo. It enters India in Arunachal Pradesh through Dihang gorge. It is known for its notorious floods and silt deposits. It joins Padma river in Bangladesh to form a large delta.