Which Is The Largest River In Madhya Pradesh?
Can you guess which is the largest river of Madhya Pradesh? Let's discover this massive river which is often called the "Lifeline of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh". It flows entirely through a narrow rift valley between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges before emptying westward.
Do you know that the 13th State of India called Madhya Pradesh became a state on 1 November 1956? Madhya Pradesh is the second largest state in India and is surrounded by Uttar Pradesh (Northeast), Chhattisgarh (East), Maharashtra (South), Gujarat (West) and Rajasthan (Northwest).
The term 'Madhya Pradesh' consists of two Sanskrit words: 'Madhya', which means 'central', and 'Pradesh', which means 'province'. Thus in literal sense it means a province in the centre of India. Therefore it got the title 'Heart of India'. Bhopal is the capital city of Madhya Pradesh which houses more than 72 million people.
Because of the fact that Madhya Pradesh is one of the biggest states in India, therefore there are more than 150 rivers and streams flowing through the state, some of which include Tapi, Mahi, Godavari, and also the Ganga River. And there is another fascinating thing about Madhya Pradesh: it is also called “Nadiyon ka Maika” (meaning “the cradle of rivers” or “parental home of rivers”).
But have you ever thought about which of the 150 rivers flowing through Madhya Pradesh is the biggest one? I can give you a hint here: this river is called the “Lifeline of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat”. Do you know what the river's name is? No worries, let us explore the river’s course.
Which Is The Largest River In Madhya Pradesh?
Narmada is the largest river of the Madhya Pradesh state. Narmada River rises at Amarkantak plateau located in the Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh. This river travels a distance of about 1,312 km (815 miles) and finally drains in the Arabian Sea via the Gulf of Khambhat. Narmada River is termed as the "Lifeline of Madhya Pradesh & Gujarat". It is one of the most important westward flowing rivers of India.
What Are The Tributaries Of The Narmada River?
The total number of tributaries of the Narmada River is 41. Hence, all rivers have two sets of tributaries: one that meets the river from the left side and another set that merges with the river from the right side. The Narmada River originates in Madhya Pradesh and ends in Gujarat state. Therefore, we always determine whether a tributary is left or right based on its direction.
In this case, a total of 22 tributaries merge with the Narmada from the left Bank. All these tributaries originate from the Satpura Range.
On the other hand, about 19 small streams converge to the Narmada from the right bank. All these tributaries originate from the Vindhya Range. Here are the major and most important tributaries of the Narmada River:
Major Left Bank Tributaries
These tributaries generally flow from south to north to meet the Narmada:
- Tawa River: The longest and most significant tributary of the Narmada. It rises in the Mahadeo Hills of the Satpura Range.
- Sher River
- Shakkar River
- Dudhi River
- Ganjal River
- Chhota Tawa
- Kundi River
Major Right Bank Tributaries
These tributaries generally flow from north to south to meet the Narmada:
- Hiran River: The most significant right-bank tributary.
- Orsang River
- Tendoni River
- Barna River
- Kolar River
- Uri River
- Hatni River
Kriti Barua is a skilled digital journalist and communications professional with 4+ years of experience, currently writing for the General Knowledge section at Jagran New Media. She has established herself as a subject matter expert in History, Geography, Trending National and International News, Sports, Science, and Defence, producing clear, reliable, and search-optimised content that connects with readers worldwide.
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