Question

Name the two headstreams of Ganga. Where do they meet to form the Ganga?

Answer 1

Hint: Ganga river system is the largest river system of the country, covering ten states and almost 23%of the country’s geographical areas. The Ganga river system has both Himalayan and Peninsular rivers.

Complete answer: Originating in the state of Uttarakhand and emptying in the Bay of Bengal, the Ganga river is about 2500km long. The river flows through the fertile Northern Plains of India and is of immense cultural significance in the country. The Ganga has two main headstreams-Bhagirathi and Alaknanda. The Bhagirathi rises in Gangotri glacier in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. The Bhagirathi flows through central and lesser Himalayas and meets Alaknanda at Devprayag. Alaknanda originates in Satopanth Glacier above Badrinath. From Devprayag, where Alaknanda and Bhagirathi meet, the river is known as Ganga. The Ganga from here flows through Shivalik and joins the plains at Haridwar. From Haridwar it flows south and then southeast to Allahabad where it meets Yamuna. It travels the states of Bihar , West Bengal and splits into Hooghly and Padma before entering Bangladesh and finally discharging in Bay of Bengal near Sagar Island.Important right bank tributaries of Ganga are Son and Yamuna. On the other hand Ramganga, Gomti, Gandak, Kosi and Mahananda are its left bank tributaries.

Note: Devprayag is not to be confused with Rudraprayag which is the confluence of Mandakini and Alaknanda, Karnaprayag which is the confluence of Pindar river and Alaknanda and Vishnuprayag which is the confluence of DhauliGanga and Alaknanda.
Another important fact to remember is that Tehri dam, tallest dam in India, is on Bhagirathi river.