1. GANGA RIVER

Originating from Gaumukh in the Himalayas and flowing towards the Bay of Bengal, the Ganges River is the holiest river in India and the longest river in India. The river has been declared the ‘National River’ of India and the Ganges Dolphin has also been declared as the ‘National Aquatic Animal of India’. Allahabad, Varanasi is the holiest city on the banks of the river Ganga. The holy aarti of Ganga ji is also performed every day from the banks of Varanasi, in which a large number of devotees participate.

2. YAMUNA RIVER

The Yamuna River is a major river of the Indian subcontinent, which rises as Yamunotri in the Himalayan Mountains and joins the Ganges at Triveni Sangam, Allahabad. It is one of the most sacred rivers of the country, on the banks of which Vase Gokul and Mathura are the most sacred cities. While Yamunotri, the place of its origin, also remains the center of faith of the devotees, where devotees from different corners of the country come to see Yamuna Devi and take a holy bath.

3. SARASWATI RIVER

Saraswati is an ancient river also mentioned in the Vedas, which flowed in northern India during the Vedic era. Saraswati River, one of the most sacred rivers of India, emerges from the Shivalik ranges, the Himalayas, and meets at the Triveni Sangam. Triveni Sangam in Allahabad is the confluence of 3 rivers, one of these three is the Saraswati River, so the sanctity of this river can be estimated. Often the names of Ganga, Yumna, and Saraswati are taken at the top of the most sacred rivers of India.

4. NARMADA RIVER

Narmada River, popularly known as ‘Maa Reva’, is one of the seven holy rivers of India. The Narmada River originates in the Maikala range at Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh and flows in a generally south-westerly direction between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges to drain into the Gulf of Khambhat. Narmada river is also called the lifeline of Madhya Pradesh. The religious importance of the Narmada River is also very high in Madhya Pradesh, in which other holy festivals like Purnima, and Amavasya are not complete without bathing in Narmada. 

5. GODAVARI RIVER

Godavari River, one of the seven largest rivers of India, is the main river of South India. This river is also known as Dakshina Ganga because of the sanctity of the Godavari River and the faith and devotion of the devotees towards it. The origin of the Godavari River is the Trimbak hills in the Nashik district of Maharashtra, which finally joins the Bay of Bengal towards the Eastern Ghats. Nashik is the holiest city situated on the banks of river Godavari which hosts the Kumbh Mela every 12 years.

6. KAVERI RIVER

The Kaveri River is the last of the seven most sacred rivers of India, which holds a very important place for Hindus. River Kaveri is considered to be the most sacred river in South India. It rises in the Brahmagiri Hills in the Western Ghats and passes through the heartland of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The Mettur Dam is a large dam built on the Kaveri River. The beautiful Shivasamudram Falls of the Kaveri River is the second-largest waterfall in India.

7. INDUS RIVER

The Indus River is one of the major rivers of the world. The Sin-ka-Bab stream near Mansarovar in Tibet is the source of the Indus River. The length of this river is almost 3,200 km. From here this river flows between Tibet and Kashmir. After moving from the northern part of the Nanga Parbat, it passes through Pakistan in the southwest and then joins the Arabian Sea. In the Vedic culture, the Indus River and Mansarovar have been mentioned with great reverence.