Yamuna

The Yamuna is a very long river.

It starts in the high, cold mountains. It flows through many lands like Delhi. The river meets the big Ganges river. This happens at a place called Prayagraj.

Many people think the river is a goddess. They visit the water to pray. It is a very important river for many people.

The Yamuna is a very long river in India.

It starts at the Yamunotri Glacier. This glacier is high in the Himalaya mountains.

From the mountains, the river flows into flat plains. It travels through states like Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh.

Many people think the river is holy. In the Hindu religion, people worship her as a goddess.

Some believe bathing in her water is very special. The river meets the Ganges river at a place called Prayagraj.

This spot is called Triveni Sangam. Every 12 years, many people gather there for a festival called Kumbh Mela.

The river is very important for life. Nearly 57 million people depend on its water. It helps farmers grow food in the fertile land between the rivers.

However, the water can get dirty. In the city of Delhi, many drains pour waste into the river. This makes the water very polluted in that area. The government has a plan to help clean it up.

The Yamuna is a very important river in India. It is the longest tributary in the country. This means it is a large river that flows into another, even larger river called the Ganges.

The river starts high in the mountains at the Yamunotri Glacier. This glacier sits on the slopes of the Bandarpunch peaks in the Lower Himalaya.

From these high peaks, the water flows down into the flat Indo-Gangetic plains. It travels through many different states like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh.

The river's journey follows many different paths and steps. First, it flows south through steep mountains and rocky areas.

After it leaves the mountains, it enters the wide plains. At a place called Tajewala, a dam built in 1873 directs the water into two large canals. These are the Western Yamuna Canal and the Eastern Yamuna Canal. These canals carry water to help farmers in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Along the way, many other smaller rivers join the Yamuna. These include the Tons, the Chambal, the Sindh, the Betwa, and the Ken. The Tons is the largest of these helpers and holds more water than the main river itself.

People have known about the Yamuna for a very long time. The earliest mentions of the river are found in the Rig Veda, which was written between 1500 and 1000 BCE.

Ancient Greek travelers also wrote about the river during their visits to India. In old stories, the capital city of the Pandavas, called Indraprastha, was located on its banks. Many people believe this site is where the modern city of Delhi sits today. The river is also famous for its beauty near landmarks like the Taj Mahal.

There are many important facts about how the Yamuna works. It has an annual flow of 97 billion cubic metres. About 4 billion cubic metres of this water are used every year. Most of that water, about 96 percent, is used for irrigation to grow crops.

The river helps create a very fertile area called the Doab. This land is great for growing food, especially basmati rice. Nearly 57 million people depend on the water from the Yamuna. In the city of Delhi, the river provides more than 70 percent of the water supply.

The Yamuna is a sacred river in the Hindu religion. Many people worship the river as the goddess Yamuna. Legends say she is the daughter of the sun god, Surya. The river eventually meets the Ganges at a holy spot called Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj.

Every 12 years, a huge festival called the Kumbh Mela takes place there. During this time, many people visit the water to offer prayers. Even though the river faces hard jobs with pollution in cities like Delhi, it remains a vital part of life and spirit in India.

The Yamuna is a major river in India. It is the longest tributary in the country. A tributary is a smaller river that flows into a larger one. The Yamuna flows into the Ganges river. It is the second-largest tributary of the Ganges by discharge.

This river is vital for many people and ecosystems. It covers 40.2% of the entire Ganges Basin. Nearly 57 million people depend on its waters.

The river begins at a very high elevation. Its source is the Yamunotri Glacier. This glacier sits on the southwestern slopes of the Bandarpunch peaks. These peaks are part of the Lower Himalaya in Uttarakhand.

From these mountains, the water flows south. It moves through the Shivalik Hills Range. The upper part of the river is often called the Upper Yamuna. In this stage, the river has steep rocks and deep gorges.

As the river moves, it follows several distinct stages. First, it flows through the mountainous Mahasu region. It then descends into the Doon Valley at Dak Pathar. After this, it enters the flat Indo-Gangetic plains.

In the plains, the river runs almost parallel to the Ganges. This creates a fertile area called the Ganges-Yamuna Doab. The Doab is a large region of alluvial soil. This soil is excellent for farming. It supports one-third of the population of India. The area is famous for growing basmati rice.

Many tributaries join the Yamuna along its long journey. The Tons is the largest tributary. It actually holds more water than the main Yamuna stream. Other important tributaries include the Chambal, the Sindh, the Betwa, and the Ken. The Chambal river flows through Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. It joins the Yamuna at Sahon village.

Near Delhi, the river also receives water from the Hindon River. However, the Hindon is described as highly polluted.

The history of the Yamuna is very long. The earliest mentions are in the Rig Veda. This text was composed between 1500 and 1000 BCE.

Ancient Greek travelers also recorded its existence. Megasthenes visited India before 288 BCE. He described the region around the river as Surasena. In the Mahabharata, the Pandava capital of Indraprastha sat on its banks. Many people believe this was the site of modern Delhi.

The river is deeply significant to the Hindu religion. People worship the river as the goddess Yamuna. She is believed to be the daughter of the sun god, Surya. She is also the sister of Yama, the god of death.

Many pilgrims visit the Yamunotri temple. This temple is part of the Chota Char Dham Yatra circuit. The river eventually reaches Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj. This is where it merges with the Ganges.

Every 12 years, people gather here for the Kumbh Mela festival.

Humans use the river's water in many ways. The annual flow is 97 billion cubic metres. About 4 billion cubic metres are consumed every year. Most of this, 96 percent, is used for irrigation. At the Hathni Kund Barrage, the water is split into two canals. The Western Yamuna Canal flows toward Haryana. The Eastern Yamuna Canal flows toward Uttar Pradesh.

In Delhi, the river provides more than 70 percent of the water supply.

Despite its importance, the river faces serious challenges. The water quality is good in the Upper Yamuna. However, it becomes severely polluted in Delhi. The stretch between the Wazirabad and Okhla barrages is very dirty. This section is less than 2% of the total length. Yet, it accounts for nearly 80% of the total pollution. This is caused by untreated wastewater and poor water from treatment plants. The Ministry of Environment and Forests created the Yamuna Action Plan in 1993 to help.