Journey towards Bay: The Drainage System Falling into The Bay of Bengal
Journey towards Bay: The Drainage System Falling into The Bay of Bengal
- Introduction:
About 77 percent of the drainage area including Ganges, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Mahanadi, Banas, Irrawaddy, Godavari, Brahmani, Baitarani, Krishna, Cauvery, Chambal, Ban, Ayad, Son, Kalisindha, Sind, Ken, Banganga, Mentha, Barak, Surma, Meghna, Sarada, Gharghara, Gomoti, Kosi, Betwa, Chhapra, Pennar, Parvati etc. flows towards the Bay of Bengal, due to the slope of the peninsular plateau, most of the rivers flow into the Bay of Bengal. Here is a Brief information chart about the rivers given bellow –
- The Drainage System Falling into The Bay of Bengal:
| No | Name of the River | Origine | Flow path | Estuary | Length | Tributaries |
| 1. | Ganges | The Gomukh Cave in the Gangotri Glacier in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, India. | It originates in the Himalayas in the north, flows as the Bhagirathi, joins the Alkananda River near Devprayag, flows as the Ganges and flows south through major cities such as Rishikesh, Haridwar, Kanpur, Varanasi and Kolkata to the Bay of Bengal. | Joins the Bay of Bengal in the south | 2,525 km (1,569 mi) | Yamuna, Son, Gomti, Jharjhara, Gandhak and Kosi |
| 2. | Yamuna | The Yamunotri glacier in the lower Himalayas | After originating in the lower Himalayas, it flows through several important states including Uttarakhand, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi before joining the Ganges at Allahabad (Prayagraj). | Yamuna joins the Ganges at the Triveni confluence and empties into the Bay of Bengal in the south. | 1,376 km (855 mi) | Chambal, Indus, Betwa, Ken, Hindon, Ton, and Giri. |
| 3. | Brahmaputra | The Angsi Glacier of the Tibetan Himalayas as the Yarlung Tsangpo River | It flows east into Tibet, south through the Himalayas into India (where it is known as the Siang or Dihang River), and then west and south into Bangladesh. The river is known as Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, Brahmaputra in India and Yamuna in Bangladesh and later Lower Brahmaputra. | Joins the Ganga and empties into the Bay of Bengal | 2,900 km (1,800 mi) | Left Bank: Dibang, Lohit, Dhansiri Right Bank: Subansiri, Kameng, Manas and Teesta |
| 4. | Mahanadi | Sihawa hills in Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh | It flows eastward through Chhattisgarh and Odisha and empties into the Bay of Bengal. | Joins the Bay of Bengal at Cuttack and Puri districts | 851 km (528 mi) | Left Bank: Seonath, Hasdeo, Mand, EB. Right Bank: Tel, Ong |
| 5. | Banas | Khamno Hills in the Araballi range near Kumbhalgarh in Rajasthan | The Banas River flows northeast through the districts of Rajasthan, Udaipur, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Bundi, Tonk and Sawai Madhopur before joining the Chambal River. | Meets near the village of Rameshwar in Sawai Madhopur District | 512 kilometers (318 mi) | Berach, and Menali |
| 6. | Irrawaddy | The confluence of the Nammai and Mali rivers originates Irrawaddy River in Kachin State of northern Myanmar. | It flows from north to south through the heartland of central Myanmar passing through major cities such as Myitkyina, Bhamo, Mandalay and Paa to empty into the Andaman Sea through a wide delta. | Irrawaddy joins Bay of Bengal in the southernmost part of Mayanmar | 2,170 km (1,348 mi) | N'mai, Mali, Dulong, Myitnge (Dokhtawaddy) and Chindwin |
| 7. | Godavari | Near Trimbak in Nashik district of Maharashtra | It flows eastward across Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and finally falls into the Bay of Bengal. | 1,465 km (910 mi) | Pranahita, Indravati, Manjira and Sabri | |
| 8. | Brahmani | The highlands of the Eastern Ghats by the confluence of the rivers South Koel and Sankh near the major industrial town of Rourkela | The Brahmani, known as South Koel in its upper reaches, rises near Nagri village in Ranchi district of Jharkhand at an elevation of about 600 m and in its tail reach, the river is known as Maipura. | From Eastern Ghats it flows eastward, eventually joining the Bay of Bengal. | 480 km (300 mi) | _ |
| 9. | Baitarani | The Guptaganga hills in Kendujhar district of Odisha. | The river forms a natural boundary for a considerable stretch between the states of Orissa and Jharkhand. Its basin covers an area of about 14,218 sq km. | Dharma | 365 km (226.8 mi) | Salandi and Budhbalanga |
| 10. | Krishna | The Western Ghats near Mahabaleshwar in the state of Maharashtra. | The river flows through the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. It passes through different terrains including hills, plateaus and plains. | The river joins the Bay of Bengal near Hamsaladevi in Andhra Pradesh | 1,400 km (869.92 mi) | Bhima, Tungabhadra, Ghatprabha, Malaprabha, Koyna and Musi |
| 11. | Cauvery (Kaveri) | At Talakaveri in the Western Ghats of Kodagu (Coorg) district of Karnataka | The river flows through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, with its basin extending to Kerala and Puducherry. It flows through important cities like Mysore, Srirangapatna, Tiruchirappalli and Thanjavur. | The river forms a large delta in Tamil Nadu and enters the Bay of Bengal through several branches, primarily near Pumpuhar. | 800 km (497.097 mi) | Hemavati, Kabini, Bhavani, Nayal and Amaravati |
| 12. | Chambal | The Sinkar Chawri rocks of the Janpav Hills on the northern slopes of the Vindhya Range near Mahu in Indore District, Madhya Pradesh | The river flows through the states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, crossing deep gorges, creating a unique landscape. | It joins the Yamuna River in Etawah District of Uttar Pradesh. | 960 km (600 mi) | Banas, Kali Sindhu, Parvati and Shipra |
| 13. | Ban | The Kaimur range of Rewa district in Madhya Pradesh. | The river flows through the state of Madhya Pradesh and joins the Sone River near the border of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. | Being a tributary of the Ganges, the river Ban has no estuary | 159 km (99 mi) | |
| 14. | Ayad | The Gogunda Hills in the Araballi Range near Udaipur in Rajasthan. | The river initially flows through Udaipur district, joining the Berach River through Udaipur city. | It joins the Banas River. | 25 km (16 mi) | |
| 15. | Son | Near Amarkantak in Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh. | The river flows through the states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar. It passes through several important cities and towns including Dehri-on-Son and Patna. | The Son River joins the Ganges near Patna in Bihar | 784 km (488 mi) | Rihand, Kanhar and North Koel |
| 16. | Kalisindha | In the Vindhya Range near Bagli in Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh. | The river flows from its source in Madhya Pradesh through Dewas and Shajapur districts, enters Rajasthan and passes through Jhalawar and Kota districts before joining the Chambal River. | It joins the Chambal River near Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan. | 278 km (173 mi) | Newaz and Ahu |
| 17. | Sind | The Machoi glacier near Sonamarg, a famous tourist spot in Ganderbal district | The Sind River flows in a southwesterly direction through the scenic valley of Ganderbal, passing through several towns and villages, including the towns of Baltal, Sonamarg and Ganderbal, and joins the Jhelum River. The Sind River, also known as the Sind River, is an important tributary of the Jhelum River that flows through the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. | It joins the Jhelum river | 108 km (67 mi) | _ |
| 18. | Ken | The Kaimur range in Katni district | It flows north through the state of Madhya Pradesh and joins the Yamuna River in Banda district of Uttar Pradesh. The river flows through Panna National Park, an important wildlife habitat and supports a rich biodiversity. | Ken River joins Yamuna near Chilla town in Banda district of Uttar Pradesh | 427 km (265 mi) | Sonar, Bierma and Kootni |
| 19. | Banganga | The hills of the Aravalli range near Bairath in Jaipur district of Rajasthan. | The river flows from its source in Jaipur district through Dausa, Alwar and Bharatpur districts of Rajasthan and enters Uttar Pradesh to join the Yamuna River | It joins the Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh | 240 km (150 mi) | _ |
| 20. | Mentha | In the foothills of the Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. | The river flows through the state of Uttarakhand, passing through the Kumaon region before joining the Ramganga River through the scenic landscape of the Himalayan foothills. | It joins the Ramganga River | _ | _ |
| 21. | Barak | The Manipur Hills, specifically from Liai Kulen village in Senapati district of Manipur, India. | The river flows through the northeastern Indian states of Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram and Assam and enters Bangladesh, where it divides into the Surma and Kushiara rivers and later joins again to form the Meghna and empties into the Bay of Bengal. | The Barak River splits into two branches in Bangladesh known as the Surma River and the Kushiara River, which again join to form the Meghna River and flow into the Bay of Bengal. | 900 km (560 mi) | Jiri, Dhaleswari, Singla, Longai and Rukni |
| 22. | Surma | The Surma River is a branch of the Barak River that originates in the Sylhet region of Bangladesh. The Barak River bifurcates into the Surma and Kushiara Rivers near the Indo-Bangladesh border. | The Surma River flows through the Sylhet Division in the northeastern part of Bangladesh. Major cities along its route include Sylhet and Sunamganj. It eventually joins the Kushiara River to form the Meghna River. | It joins the Kushiara River to reform the Meghna River, which then flows into the Bay of Bengal and forms its estuary. | 560 km (348 mi) | Payain, Sari-Goain, Luva and Jadukata |
| 23. | Meghna | The Meghna River is formed by the confluence of the Surma and Kushiara rivers, a tributary of the Barak River in northeastern Bangladesh, which originates in the hills of Manipur, India. | The river flows through the districts of Sunamganj, Habiganj, Kishoreganj, Brahmanbaria and Comilla through the central and south-eastern regions of Bangladesh until it joins the Padma River (a major tributary of the Ganges) and the Yamuna River (a major tributary of the Brahmaputra) and empties into the Bay of Bengal. | The Meghna River joins the Bay of Bengal forming a large estuarine delta known as the Meghna Estuary. | 930 km (578 mi) | Surma, Kushiara, Gomti, Dakatiya and Titas. Rivers Padma and Yamuna are downstream |
| 24. | Sarada | Sarada River originates in the Eastern Ghats near Kothakota village in Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. | The Sarada River flows through the Visakhapatnam district of the state of Andhra Pradesh, passing through rural and semi-urban areas including the towns of Devarapalle and Chodavaram to join the Bay of Bengal. | The Sarada River joins the Bay of Bengal near Bhimunipatnam in Andhra Pradesh. | 122 km (76 mi) | _ |
| 25. | Gharghara | The Gharghara River originates from the Mapchachungo Glacier on the Tibetan Plateau near Lake Mansarovar. In Nepal it is known as Karnali River. | The river flows through Tibet, Nepal and India. In India, it crosses the state of Bihar through the cities of Ayodhya and Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh. | Being a tributary of the Ganges River, the Gharghara River has no estuary; it joins the Ganges near Doriganj in Saran District, Bihar, India. | 1,080 km (672 mi) | Sarada (Chowkha), Sarju (Ayodhya), Rapti and Kuana |
| 26. | Gomoti | Gomat Tal (Fulhar Jheel) near Madho Tanda in Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh, India. | The river flows entirely through the state of Uttar Pradesh, passing through the state capital Lucknow, as well as several important towns and cities, including Sultanpur and Jaunpur, before joining the Ganges. | It joins the river Ganga near Syedpur in Gazipur district of Uttar Pradesh. | 900 km (560 mi) | Sai River and Kathina River |
| 27. | Kosi | The Kosi River originates from a number of tributaries in the Himalayan region of Tibet and Nepal, with major tributaries including the Surya Kosi, Arun and Tamur rivers. The confluence of these tributaries occurs in Nepal. | The river flows through the eastern part of Nepal and enters the Indian state of Bihar. In Bihar, it crosses several districts before joining the Ganges River. The Kosi river basin includes parts of Tibet, Nepal and India. | The Kosi River is a tributary of the Ganges River. It joins the Ganges near Kursela in Katihar district of Bihar, India. | 729 km (453 mi) | Surya Kosi, Arun, Tamur, Dudh Kosi and Indravati rivers. |
| 28. | Betwa | The Betwa River originates in the Vindhya Range near Kumra village in Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh, India. | The river flows through Vidisha, Orcha and Jhansi in the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, passing through a mix of rural and urban areas to join the Yamuna River. | The Betwa River originates in the Vindhya Range near Kumra village in Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh, India. | 590 km (367 mi) | Jamni, and Dhasan |
| 29. | Chapra | The Chapra River originates in the hills of Bihar, although there is no precise information about its exact source location. | Chapra River flows through Chapra district of Bihar. It passes through rural and semi-urban areas before joining the Ganga River. | The Chapra River joins the Ganges River to form the Greater Ganges Estuary and flows into the Bay of Bengal. | _ | _ |
| 30. | Parvati | The Parvati River originates in the Vindhya Range near Sehore village in Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh, India. | The river flows through the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, passing through several districts including Sehore, Rajgarh, Guna and Sheopur before finally joining the Chambal River. | The Parvati River is a tributary of the Chambal River which joins the Chambal River near Pali village in Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh. | 436 km (271 mi) | _ |
| 31. | Pennar | The Pennar River originates from the Nandi Hills in the Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka, India. | The river flows through the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It travels eastwards from its source in the Nandi Hills passing through several districts of Andhra Pradesh including Anantapur, Kadapa and Nellore before reaching the Bay of Bengal. | The Pennar River flows into the Bay of Bengal near the city of Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. | 597 km (371 mi) | Chitravati, Papagni, Cheyru, and Sagilleru. |
- Conclusion:
Drainage systems flowing into the Bay of Bengal are of great importance to the environment and economy of the areas adjacent to their flow paths. Major rivers like Ganga, Brahmaputra, Kaveri, and Godavari flow directly into the Bay of Bengal, and the remaining rivers directly or indirectly flow into the Bay of Bengal. Today, however, rivers face serious challenges from pollution, poor water management, sedimentation, and the effects of climate change, which increase the risk of frequent floods, loss of biodiversity, and coastal zones.