Key facts

  • The Aravalli range is Rajasthan's main drainage divide, separating Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and internal drainage systems.
  • Chambal is the major Yamuna-system river of south-eastern Rajasthan and is linked with Gandhi Sagar, Rana Pratap Sagar, Jawahar Sagar and Kota Barrage...
  • Banas is the longest river flowing entirely within Rajasthan and is linked with Bisalpur Dam on the Banas in Tonk.
  • Luni rises near the Ajmer-Pushkar side, flows south-west through western Rajasthan and becomes saline in its lower course.
  • Mahi and Sabarmati connect southern Rajasthan with Gujarat and the Arabian Sea drainage.

Key Points at a Glance

  1. 1

    The Aravalli range is Rajasthan's main drainage divide, separating Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and internal drainage systems.

  2. 2

    Chambal is the major Yamuna-system river of south-eastern Rajasthan and is linked with Gandhi Sagar, Rana Pratap Sagar, Jawahar Sagar and Kota Barrage.

  3. 3

    Banas is the longest river flowing entirely within Rajasthan and is linked with Bisalpur Dam on the Banas in Tonk.

  4. 4

    Luni rises near the Ajmer-Pushkar side, flows south-west through western Rajasthan and becomes saline in its lower course.

  5. 5

    Mahi and Sabarmati connect southern Rajasthan with Gujarat and the Arabian Sea drainage.

  6. 6

    Ghaggar-Hakra is an ephemeral northern inland-drainage system linked with Hanumangarh, Kalibangan and the Saraswati tradition.

  7. 7

    Keoladeo, Sambhar, Khichan, Menar and Siliserh are Rajasthan's Ramsar names, while Jaisamand, Pichola, Fateh Sagar and Rajsamand belong to the Mewar lake group.

  8. 8

    PKC-ERCP links the Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal system with drinking-water and irrigation needs of eastern Rajasthan.

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Physiographic Control and Drainage Divide

Rajasthan's physiography controls its rivers, lakes and water-use pattern. The Aravalli range runs roughly north-east to south-west and acts as the main divide. East and south-east of the divide, rivers flow towards the Yamuna and the Bay of Bengal system. South and south-west of the divide, Mahi, Sabarmati and Luni show the Arabian Sea orientation. In the west and north, weak slopes and aridity create internal drainage, dry channels, salt lakes and shallow seasonal water bodies.

For objective questions, the safest method is to link each river or lake with four facts: drainage direction, district belt, water-body type and project or wetland identity. The Bay of Bengal side includes Chambal, Banas, Kali Sindh, Parbati, Banganga, Gambhiri and Mej. The Arabian Sea side includes Luni, Mahi and Sabarmati. Internal drainage includes Ghaggar-Hakra, Kantli, Sabi, Sota-Ruparel and desert basins that feed saline lakes.

Remember this map logic: relief comes first, then flow direction, then district, then the dam, lake or wetland clue.

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