Describe the drainage system of India

The drainage systems of India is mainly controlled by the broad relief features of the sub-continent.Accordingly, the Indian rivers are divided into two major groups:

*the Himalayan rivers

*the Peninsular rivers

Most of the Himalayan rivers are perennial i.e.they have water throughout the year.The two major Himalayan rivers ,the Indus and the Brahmaputra originate from the north of the mountain ranges.They have cut through the mountains making gorges.The Himalayan rivers have long courses from their source to the sea.They perform intensive erosinal activity in their upper courses and carry huge loads of silt and sand.In the middle and the lower courses,these rivers form meanders,oxbow lakes,and many other depositional features in their flood plains.They also have well-devloped deltas.

Alarge number of the Peninsular rivers are seasonal,as their flow is dependent on rainfall.During the dry season ,even the large rivers have reduced flow of water in their channels.The peninsular rivers have shorter and shallower courses as compared to their Himalayan counterparts.Some of them originate in the central highlands and flow towards the west.The rivers of peninsular India originate in the Western Ghats and flow towards the Bay of Bengal.