| River (North → South) | Other Names (Source) | Region / Flow | Reason / Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indus River | Sindhu (Sanskrit); Singi Khamban or Sengge Zangbo (Tibetan); Darya-i-Sindh (Urdu); Abasin (Pashto); Mehran (Persian/Urdu) | Tibet → India → Pakistan | Father of Rivers; Lion’s mouth |
| Sutlej River | Shatadru (Vedic Sanskrit); Satluj (Modern); Langchen Khambab (Tibetan); Zaradros (Greek) | Tibet → India → Pakistan | 100 streams; Elephant river |
| Brahmaputra River | Yarlung Tsangpo (Tibetan); Siang/Dihang (Arunachal); Luit (Assamese); Jamuna (Bangladesh) | Tibet → India → Bangladesh | Mighty river; purifier |
| Ghaghara River | Mapcha Tsangpo (Tibetan); Karnali (Nepalese); Sarayu (Hindu texts) | Tibet → Nepal → India | Sacred river |
| Kosi River | Sapt Koshi (Nepalese); Kaushik (Sanskrit) | Nepal → Bihar | 7 tributaries; Sorrow of Bihar |
| Mahananda River | Fulahar (Local Bihar); Mahanadi (Darjeeling usage) | WB → Bihar | Regional naming |
| Narmada River | Reva (Sanskrit); Narbada/Nerbudda (Colonial) | MP → Gujarat | Leaping river |
| Tungabhadra River | Pampa (Ancient Sanskrit) | Karnataka | Ramayana link |
| Bhima River | Chandrabhaga (Marathi); Punna/Damini (Local) | Maharashtra → Karnataka | Crescent shape |
| Kaveri River | Ponni (Tamil); Dakshina Ganga (Religious); Kaveriamma (Local) | Karnataka → Tamil Nadu | Ganga of South |
| River | Origin | Tributary of | Tributary Type | River System | Flow Chain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gori Ganga River | Milam Glacier (Uttarakhand) | Kali River | Left-bank | Ganga System | Gori Ganga → Kali → Ghaghara → Ganga |
| Ramganga River | Dudhatoli ranges (Pauri Garhwal) | Ganga River | Left-bank | Ganga System | Ramganga → Ganga |
| Penganga River | Ajanta Hills (Maharashtra) | Wardha River | Right-bank | Godavari System | Penganga → Wardha → Pranhita → Godavari |
| Wainganga River | Mahadeo Hills (Madhya Pradesh) | Wardha River / Pranhita | Left-bank | Godavari System | Wainganga → Pranhita → Godavari |
| River | Origin Point | Location Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ganga River | Gangotri Glacier (Gaumukh) | Uttarkashi | Formed by Bhagirathi + Alaknanda |
| Bhagirathi River | Gaumukh Glacier | Uttarkashi | Main headstream of Ganga |
| Alaknanda River | Satopanth & Bhagirath Kharak Glaciers | Chamoli | Major tributary of Ganga |
| Yamuna River | Yamunotri Glacier (Bandarpunch range) | Uttarkashi | Major tributary of Ganga |
| Mandakini River | Chorabari Glacier (near Kedarnath) | Rudraprayag | Meets Alaknanda at Rudraprayag |
| Pindar River | Pindari Glacier | Bageshwar | Joins Alaknanda at Karnaprayag |
| Dhauliganga River | Niti Pass Glacier region | Chamoli | Meets Alaknanda at Vishnuprayag |
| Nandakini River | Nanda Ghunti peaks | Chamoli | Joins Alaknanda at Nandaprayag |
| Ramganga River | Dudhatoli ranges | Pauri Garhwal | Important tributary of Ganga |
| Kali River | Kalapani (near Lipulekh Pass) | Pithoragarh | Forms India–Nepal boundary |
| Saryu River | Sarmool (Kapkot region) | Bageshwar | Tributary of Kali |
| Gori Ganga River | Milam Glacier | Pithoragarh | Tributary of Kali |
| Gaula River | Kumaon hills | Nainital | Joins Ramganga |
| Kosi River | Kausani hills | Almora | Different from Bihar Kosi |