The Ganga System | Geography for UPSC 2024 (Pre & Mains) PDF Download

 Page 1


 
THE GANGA SYSTEM 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
It rises in the Gangothri glacier near Gaumukh (3,900 m) in the 
Uttarkashi district of Uttaranchal . Here it is known as the Bhagirathi. 
It cuts through the Central and the Lesser Himalayas in narrow gorges. 
At Devprayag.the Bhagirathi meets the Alaknanda ;  hereafter. it is 
known as the Ganga . 
 
 
Page 2


 
THE GANGA SYSTEM 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
It rises in the Gangothri glacier near Gaumukh (3,900 m) in the 
Uttarkashi district of Uttaranchal . Here it is known as the Bhagirathi. 
It cuts through the Central and the Lesser Himalayas in narrow gorges. 
At Devprayag.the Bhagirathi meets the Alaknanda ;  hereafter. it is 
known as the Ganga . 
 
 
 
 
The Alaknanda has its source in the Satopanth glacier above Badrinath . 
The Alaknanda consists of the Dhauli and the Vishnu Ganga which meet 
at Joshimath or Vishnu Prayag.  
The other tributaries of Alakhnanda such as the Pindar Join it at Karna 
Prayag while Mandakini meets it at Rudra Prayag  
The Ganga enters the plains at Haridwar.  
THE FIVE PRAYAGS 
1. Devaprayag, the place of confluence of Bhagirathi river and Alaknanda 
river. 
2. Rudraprayag, the place of confluence of Mandakini river and Alaknanda 
river. 
3. Nandaprayag, the place of confluence of Nandakini river and Alaknanda 
river. 
4. Karnaprayag, the place of confluence of Pindar river and Alaknanda 
river. 
5. Vishnuprayag, the place of confluence of Dhauliganga river and 
Alaknanda river. 
 
Page 3


 
THE GANGA SYSTEM 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
It rises in the Gangothri glacier near Gaumukh (3,900 m) in the 
Uttarkashi district of Uttaranchal . Here it is known as the Bhagirathi. 
It cuts through the Central and the Lesser Himalayas in narrow gorges. 
At Devprayag.the Bhagirathi meets the Alaknanda ;  hereafter. it is 
known as the Ganga . 
 
 
 
 
The Alaknanda has its source in the Satopanth glacier above Badrinath . 
The Alaknanda consists of the Dhauli and the Vishnu Ganga which meet 
at Joshimath or Vishnu Prayag.  
The other tributaries of Alakhnanda such as the Pindar Join it at Karna 
Prayag while Mandakini meets it at Rudra Prayag  
The Ganga enters the plains at Haridwar.  
THE FIVE PRAYAGS 
1. Devaprayag, the place of confluence of Bhagirathi river and Alaknanda 
river. 
2. Rudraprayag, the place of confluence of Mandakini river and Alaknanda 
river. 
3. Nandaprayag, the place of confluence of Nandakini river and Alaknanda 
river. 
4. Karnaprayag, the place of confluence of Pindar river and Alaknanda 
river. 
5. Vishnuprayag, the place of confluence of Dhauliganga river and 
Alaknanda river. 
 
 
 
From here;  it flows first to the south. then to the southeast and east and 
flows as the distributary Hooghly Bhagirathi and the entire river system 
has a total length of 2,525 km  
It flows through the states of Uttarakhand (110 km) Uttar Pradesh 
(1.450 km). Bihar (445 km) and West Bengal (520 km) . 
Page 4


 
THE GANGA SYSTEM 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
It rises in the Gangothri glacier near Gaumukh (3,900 m) in the 
Uttarkashi district of Uttaranchal . Here it is known as the Bhagirathi. 
It cuts through the Central and the Lesser Himalayas in narrow gorges. 
At Devprayag.the Bhagirathi meets the Alaknanda ;  hereafter. it is 
known as the Ganga . 
 
 
 
 
The Alaknanda has its source in the Satopanth glacier above Badrinath . 
The Alaknanda consists of the Dhauli and the Vishnu Ganga which meet 
at Joshimath or Vishnu Prayag.  
The other tributaries of Alakhnanda such as the Pindar Join it at Karna 
Prayag while Mandakini meets it at Rudra Prayag  
The Ganga enters the plains at Haridwar.  
THE FIVE PRAYAGS 
1. Devaprayag, the place of confluence of Bhagirathi river and Alaknanda 
river. 
2. Rudraprayag, the place of confluence of Mandakini river and Alaknanda 
river. 
3. Nandaprayag, the place of confluence of Nandakini river and Alaknanda 
river. 
4. Karnaprayag, the place of confluence of Pindar river and Alaknanda 
river. 
5. Vishnuprayag, the place of confluence of Dhauliganga river and 
Alaknanda river. 
 
 
 
From here;  it flows first to the south. then to the southeast and east and 
flows as the distributary Hooghly Bhagirathi and the entire river system 
has a total length of 2,525 km  
It flows through the states of Uttarakhand (110 km) Uttar Pradesh 
(1.450 km). Bihar (445 km) and West Bengal (520 km) . 
 
 
The Ganga basin covers about 8.6 lakh se km area in India alone 
The Ganga river system is the largest in India having a number of 
perennial and non perennial rivers originating in the Himalayas in the 
north and the Peninsula in the south respectively . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Page 5


 
THE GANGA SYSTEM 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
It rises in the Gangothri glacier near Gaumukh (3,900 m) in the 
Uttarkashi district of Uttaranchal . Here it is known as the Bhagirathi. 
It cuts through the Central and the Lesser Himalayas in narrow gorges. 
At Devprayag.the Bhagirathi meets the Alaknanda ;  hereafter. it is 
known as the Ganga . 
 
 
 
 
The Alaknanda has its source in the Satopanth glacier above Badrinath . 
The Alaknanda consists of the Dhauli and the Vishnu Ganga which meet 
at Joshimath or Vishnu Prayag.  
The other tributaries of Alakhnanda such as the Pindar Join it at Karna 
Prayag while Mandakini meets it at Rudra Prayag  
The Ganga enters the plains at Haridwar.  
THE FIVE PRAYAGS 
1. Devaprayag, the place of confluence of Bhagirathi river and Alaknanda 
river. 
2. Rudraprayag, the place of confluence of Mandakini river and Alaknanda 
river. 
3. Nandaprayag, the place of confluence of Nandakini river and Alaknanda 
river. 
4. Karnaprayag, the place of confluence of Pindar river and Alaknanda 
river. 
5. Vishnuprayag, the place of confluence of Dhauliganga river and 
Alaknanda river. 
 
 
 
From here;  it flows first to the south. then to the southeast and east and 
flows as the distributary Hooghly Bhagirathi and the entire river system 
has a total length of 2,525 km  
It flows through the states of Uttarakhand (110 km) Uttar Pradesh 
(1.450 km). Bihar (445 km) and West Bengal (520 km) . 
 
 
The Ganga basin covers about 8.6 lakh se km area in India alone 
The Ganga river system is the largest in India having a number of 
perennial and non perennial rivers originating in the Himalayas in the 
north and the Peninsula in the south respectively . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
It is joined by the Yamuna at Allahabad. 
Near Rajmahal Hills it turns to the south-east. 
The river finally discharges itself into the Bay of Bengal rear the Sagar 
Island. 
The Ganga River is known by different names when it gets joined by 
different rivers. Near Rajmahal Hills it turns to the south of Farraka. 
It ceases to be known as Ganga. 
It bifurcates itself into Bhagirathi-Hugli in West Bengal.