At a glance
- Inland drainage covers about 60 percent of the state's area (Bhalla: 60.2 in his text, 60.5 in his table, from a 1964 study), nearly all of it west of the Aravalli.
- Only the Chambal flows all year, say RBSE Class 9 and Bhalla; Bhalla adds that its tributaries sometimes run completely dry.
- Lengths differ by source: Chambal 900 or 966 km, Banas 480 or 512 km, Luni 320 to 530 km, Mahi 576 or 583 km.
The three drainage systems
| System | Main rivers | Where they end |
|---|---|---|
| Bay of Bengal system | Chambal, Banas and Banganga with their tributaries (RBSE) | The Chambal joins the Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh |
| Arabian Sea system | Luni, Mahi and Sabarmati (RBSE); Bhalla adds the West Banas | Luni and West Banas: towards the Rann of Kachchh; Mahi and Sabarmati: Gulf of Khambhat |
| Inland drainage | Kantli, Sabi, Kakni and Ghaggar; the streams of the Sambhar Lake area | Lost in sand or soil |
The water divide
The divide runs along the Aravalli from Sambhar Lake to south of Ajmer, then south-west by Deogarh and Kumbhalgarh, past Udaisagar to Bari Sadri, and from Chhoti Sadri towards Pratapgarh.
Main rivers at a glance
- ChambalCharmanyavatiRisesJanapav hill near Manpur (Mhow), Madhya PradeshEndsYamuna, in Uttar PradeshTributariesBanas, Kali Sindh, ParvatiFull notes →
- BanasVan ki AshaRisesKhamnor hills, 5 km from KumbhalgarhEndsChambal, at Rameshwar (Sawai Madhopur)TributariesBerach, Kothari, Khari, Menal, Bandi, Dhundh, MorelFull notes →
- LuniSweet till BalotraRisesNag Pahar, AjmerEndsRann of Kachchh, GujaratTributariesJawai, Lilri, Mithri, Sukri, Bandi, SagiFull notes →
- MahiGanga of VagadRisesHills near Mahu, Madhya PradeshEndsGulf of Khambhat, GujaratTributariesSom, Jakham, Anas, Chap, MorenFull notes →
- BangangaDammed at Jamwa RamgarhRisesBairath hillsEndsSpreads out in Bharatpur (RBSE); Bhalla takes it to the Yamuna near Fatehabad, Agra
- SabarmatiMostly a Gujarat riverRisesSouth-west of UdaipurEndsGulf of Khambhat, after Udaipur and SirohiTributariesWakal, Hathmati, Meshwa, Vatrak, Mazam (Bhalla); RBSE calls its upper course the Wakal
- West BanasSirohi's riverRisesWestern slopes of the AravalliEndsLittle Rann of Kachchh, after flowing through Sirohi
- GhaggarBed called NaliRisesShivalik hills near KalkaEndsRBSE: its water passes on into Pakistan; Bhalla: usually lost in the sand near Hanumangarh
- KantliSeasonal streamRisesKhandela hills, SikarEndsLost in the sand after about 100 km through Sikar and Jhunjhunu
- SabiInland riverRisesSewar hillsEndsLost in Haryana, north of Pataudi, after Bansur, Behror, Kishangarh Bas, Mundawar and Tijara
- KakniAlso called MasurdiRisesKotri village, about 27 km south of JaisalmerEndsDries up after a few km; in wet years it forms the Buj lake
Remember: often mixed up
- Perennialbesides the Chambal, the Ground Water Department's Mahi basin atlas (2013) calls the Anas, a Mahi tributary, perennial.
- BangangaRBSE puts it among the Bay of Bengal rivers and again among the inland rivers; Bhalla's table counts it as inland, though his text takes it to the Yamuna.
- Banas or West Banasthe Banas joins the Chambal (Bay of Bengal system) · the West Banas belongs to the Arabian Sea system.
- ConfluencesBigod is the triveni of the Banas, Berach and Menal · at Baneshwar the Som meets the Mahi.
- Two Parvatisthe Parvati of Baran joins the Chambal · the other Parvati flows in Bharatpur with the Gambhiri (Alwar's rivers: Sabi and Ruparel).
Test yourself: asked in exams
RAS Prelims 2024 · Q9
Match List – I with List – II and select the correct answer from the codes given below : List – I (District) — List – II (River) A. Udaipur — i. Sabi & Ruparel B. Bundi — ii. Gambhiri & Parvati C. Bharatpur — iii. Som & Jakham D. Alwar — iv. Kural Codes :
- (1)A-iii, B-iv, C-i, D-ii
- (2)A-iv, B-iii, C-ii, D-i
- (3)A-i, B-iii, C-ii, D-iv
- (4)A-iii, B-iv, C-ii, D-i
Show answer
✓ (4) A-iii, B-iv, C-ii, D-i
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