Ganga River Map | PDF & Image Download
The Ganga River Map illustrates the Ganga River system, showing its origin, main course, major tributaries, and the regions it traverses across northern and eastern India before draining into the Bay of Bengal.
Gajendra Singh Godara
Jan 12, 2026
5 Primary Stages of the Ganga River Network
1. The Birth of the River
The river we call "Ganga" does not actually start with that name. The map shows that the primary source stream is the Bhagirathi River.
The Source: The Bhagirathi begins at the Gangotri Glacier in a specific spot called Gaumukh in Uttarakhand.
The Meeting Point: The Bhagirathi flows south and meets another river called the Alaknanda at a town called Devprayag.
The Name Change: The river officially becomes the Ganga only after these two streams merge.
2. Adding Water: The Tributaries
As the Ganga flows east across India, other rivers dump their water into it. Geographers call these "tributaries." The map divides them into two groups based on which side of the river they enter.
Left Bank Tributaries (From the North)
These rivers mostly come down from the Himalayas. They enter the Ganga from the left side (if you look in the direction the water flows). The map lists them in order from West to East:
Ramganga: The first major one in the west.
Gomati: Joins after Ramganga.
Ghaghara: A large river flowing from Nepal.
Gandak: Enters the Ganga in Bihar.
Burhi Gandak: Flows parallel to the Gandak.
Kosi: A major river in eastern Bihar.
Mahananda: The furthest east among these tributaries.
Right Bank Tributaries (From the South)
These rivers flow up from the central plateaus and join the Ganga from the right side.
Yamuna: The largest tributary running parallel to the Ganga.
Son: A river fed by the Rihand and Koel rivers.
Punpun: A smaller stream shown in Bihar.
Damodar: Flows through Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Image Engineering
Filename: yamuna-river-system-map.jpg
Alt Text: Diagram showing Yamuna tributaries like Chambal, Betwa, and Ken joining before Prayagraj.
3. The Yamuna Sub-System
The Yamuna is unique because it acts like a separate river system before it joins the Ganga. It runs alongside the Ganga for a long distance and collects its own set of rivers.
The Big Meeting: The Yamuna finally merges with the Ganga at Prayagraj.
Yamuna's Helpers: Before reaching Prayagraj, the Yamuna receives water from the Chambal, Sindh, Betwa, Dhasan, and Ken rivers from the south. It also gets water from the Tons and Hindon rivers from the north.
The Chambal Network The Chambal River is a major feeder for the Yamuna. The map shows that the Banas, Kali Sind, and Parbati rivers flow into the Chambal first. This combined water then enters the Yamuna, which eventually carries it to the Ganga.
4. The Split at Farakka
The river changes its structure when it reaches West Bengal. The map marks a place called Farakka. Here, the main river splits into two different paths:
Hooghly (Hugli): One branch turns south and flows through West Bengal to the sea.
Padma: The main branch continues east, crosses the border into Bangladesh, and takes the name Padma River.
5. The Final Destination
The entire system ends its journey in the Bay of Bengal. The map notes that the river discharges into the sea via the Padma River-Meghna River system. This final release point marks the end of the 2,525 km journey.
Conclusion The Ganga River System is a giant water collector. It starts as the Bhagirathi in the mountains, grows larger by accepting water from rivers like the Yamuna and Ghaghara, and finally splits at Farakka to reach the ocean. Understanding this flow helps you visualize the geography of Northern India.
