The Himalaya houses a vast reservoir of moisture both in the form of ice, fresh water, and underground water. The rivers draining Himalayas sustain life in the Northern part of Indian sub-continent. There are five main rivers which flow through Himachal Pradesh.

Four out of these five rivers found mention in the Rig Veda, viz, Asikni (Chenab), Purushani (Ravi), Arjikiya (Beas) and Shatudru (Satluj). The fifth river Yamuna has mythical relation to the Sun.

The flow of water through a definite channel is drainage. The network of several such channels is called drainage system. Another term related to rivers is drainage pattern.

Drainage pattern is referred to the geometrical form of the rivers of a particular area and their spatial arrangement, e.g., radial pattern, dendritic pattern etc.

On the basis of origin, the Indian river drainage system can be divided into two parts:

The Himalayan drainage system
The Peninsular India’s drainage system

Himachal Pradesh falls into the Himalayan drainage system. The study of the Himalayan rivers can be done under the following river systems:
(i) The Indus River System
(ii) The Ganga River System
(iii) The Brahmaputra River System

The rivers of Himachal Pradesh provide water to the Indus and the Ganga river basin only.

The Indus river system:
It is one of the largest river basins of the world. The Indus is the largest river in this river system. The Jhelum, the Chenab, the Ravi, the Beas and the Satluj are its tributaries.
The drainage basin of Indus river system includes the whole of Jammu and Kashmir and most of Himachal Pradesh.

The Ganga river system:
The drainage basin of this system covers about one-third of the Western Himalaya.
Its basin extends from the eastern face of the Shimla ridge of Himachal Pradesh to the South western slopes of Kanchanjunga massif on the Nepal-Sikkim border. Yamuna, which is the longest tributary of Ganga flows through Himachal.

Rivers of Himachal Pradesh

1) The Satluj

Vedic Name: Satudri

Sanskrit Name: Shatadru

Origin : The Satluj originates from the ‘Rakas Lake’ near the ‘MANASAROVER LAKE’ in Tibet. It enters India at Shipki La (pass) in Kinnaur district.

Course of river: It flows through Kinnaur, Shimla, Kullu, Solan, Mandi and Bilaspur districts.

Exit: It leaves Himachal Pradesh to enter the plains of Punjab at ‘Bhakhra’.

Prominent settlements on its bank: The prominent settlements on the bank of Satluj are Rampur, Kalpa, Suni, Bilaspur, Namgia and Tattapani.

Tributaries of Satluj

a) Spiti river: It originates from Kunzum range. This river flows through Spiti valley and meets Satluj at ‘Namgia’ in Kinnaur district. ‘Tegpo’ and ‘Kabzian’ streams are its tributaries.
b) Baspa river: It originates from the Baspa hills in district Kinnaur and joins Satluj near Karcham (Kalpa).
c) The Nogli khad: It joins Satluj below Rampur Bhushahr. The Satluj enters Mandi district near Firnu village.

2) The Beas

Vedic Name: Arjikiya

Sanskrit Name: Vipasha

Origin : It originates from Beas Kund near Rohtang Pass (old name: Bhrigu Tung)

Course of river: It flows through Kullu, Mandi, Kangra and Hamirpur districts.

Prominent settlements on its bank: The prominent settlements on the bank of Beas are Manali, Mandi, Kullu, Pandoh, Naggar, Sujanpur, Dehra- Gopipur, Bajaura.

Tributaries of Beas:

a) Parbati river: It originates in the snowy wastes upstream of Manikaran in Kullu and joina Beas at Shamshi in Kullu valley. Hot water springs of Manikaran pour their water into this river. Manikaran and Kasol are important settlements along this river.

b) Banganga: It arises from the southern slopes of the Dhauladhar range and join Beas in the Kangra valley.

c) Baner khad: It arises near Palampur and drains central part of Kangra valley.

d) Chakki river: It arises from the southern slopes of the Dhauladhar range and join Beas near Pathankot. Nurpur is an important settlement along the Chakki river.

e) Sainj river: It rises from the water divide of the Beas and the Satluj rivers. It joins Beas near Larji.

f) Suketi river: This river is a tributary of Beas in the Kangra valley. It rises from the south facing slopes of Dhauladhar range.

g) Tirthan river: It flows into the Beas near Larji.

h) Uhl river: It joins Beas near Mandi

Other tributaries of Beas include Awa, Gaj Khad, Harla, Luni, Manuni and Patlikhul.

3) The chenab

Vedic Name: Asikni

Origin : The Chenab is made up of two streams called the Chandra and the Bhaga. These two streams meet at Tandi to for the river Chenab.

Course of river: It flows through Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba.

Exit: It leaves Himachal Pradesh to enter the plains of Kashmir at ‘Sansari Nala’.

Prominent settlements on its bank: The prominent settlements on the bank of Chenab are Tandi, Udaipur

Tributaries of chenab:

a) Chandra River: It originate from Chandra Tal lake in Lahaul Spiti.

b) Bhaga River: It originate from Suraj Tal lake in Lahaul-Spiti.

c) Other Tributaries: Miyar Nullah joins Chenab in Lahaul, Saicher Nullah joins it in Pangi valley. Others include Jammu Tavi and Munawarwali.

4) The ravi

Vedic Name: Purushani

Sanskrit Name: Irawati

Origin : It originates from Bara Banghal as a joint stream formed by the glacier fed ‘Bhadal’ and ‘Tant Gari’

Course of river: It flows through Kangra and Chamba districts.

Exit: It leaves Himachal Pradesh to enter the Kashmir at ‘Kheri’.

Prominent settlements on its bank: The prominent settlements on the bank of Ravi are Chamba, Bharmaur, Madhopur.

Tributaries of ravi:

Bhadal river, Siul river, Tant gari and Baira are important tributaries of Ravi.

5) The Yamuna

Vedic Name: Kalindi

Origin : The Yamuna originates from the ‘Yamunotri ’ glacier on Bunderpunch range in Uttarakhand. It enters India Himachal at
‘Khadar majri’ in Sirmaur district.

Course of river: It flows only through Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh.

Exit: It leaves Himachal Pradesh near ‘Tajewala’ and enters into Haryana.

Prominent settlements on its bank: The prominent settlement on the bank of Yamuna is Poanta Sahib.

Tributaries of Yamuna:

a) Giri river: It arises from ‘Kupar peak’ just above Jubbal town in Shimla district. It divides the Sirmour district into two equal parts that are known as Cis-Giri and Trans-Giri region. It joins Yamuna upstream of Poanta below Mokkampur. Jalal and Asni are further the tributaries of Giri river.

Jalal river: It arises from ‘Dharthi ranges’ adjoining Pachhad of Sirmour. It joins Giri at Dadhau.

b) Tons: It arises as two feeder streams- the Rupin and the Supin river which meet at ‘NATIWAR’ to form Tons. The Tons join Yamuna at Kalsi near Dehradun. Pabbar is a tributary of Tons.

• Pabbar: It arises from the ‘CHANDERNAHAN’ glacier in Rohru area of Shimla district and joins Tons at the base of ‘Chakarata’ massif near border of U.P and H.P. Patsari and Andhra are tributaries of Pabbar.

• Andhra: It arises from a small glacier near Chirgaon in shimla district. It merges with Pabbar at Chirgaon.

• Patsari: This River originates from lower Himalayan hills near Kharapathar in Shimla district and joins Pabbar near hamlet of Patsari.

c) Bata river: It arises near Dharthi range and joins Yamuna at Bata Mandi.

Himachal is full of natural resources. The rivers flow over mountains and spread in plains. These rivers are the lifeline of state agriculture. They are providing irrigation to electricity to the state people.