Pariksha SaathiLesson 6 of 10 · Rajasthan General Knowledge
Rivers, Lakes and Water Projects of Rajasthan
Drafted with AI assistance and fact-checked on 28 October 2026; not yet read line by line by a human editor. Spotted a mistake? Tell us. Editorial standards & corrections
Drainage pattern
Because the Aravallis divide the state, its rivers fall into three systems. Rivers east of the range, such as the Chambal, Banas, Kali Sindh, Parvati and Banganga, drain to the Bay of Bengal through the Yamuna and Ganga. Rivers to the west and south, the Luni, Mahi, Sabarmati and West Banas, reach the Arabian Sea. A large part of the north and west has inland (internal) drainage: rivers such as the Ghaggar, Kantli, Kakni and Mendha end in sand or salt lakes without reaching any sea.
The Chambal
The Chambal (ancient Charmanvati) rises at Janapav hill near Mhow in Madhya Pradesh, enters Rajasthan at Chaurasigarh in Chittorgarh, flows north-east past Kota along the Madhya Pradesh border and joins the Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh. It is usually described as the only perennial river of Rajasthan. Its main tributaries are the Banas, Kali Sindh, Parvati, Bamani and Mej. Its water supports gharials and the Gangetic dolphin in the National Chambal Sanctuary shared by Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The Chambal Valley Project, a joint Rajasthan-Madhya Pradesh scheme with costs and benefits shared equally, has four structures in downstream order: the Gandhi Sagar dam (Madhya Pradesh), the Rana Pratap Sagar dam at Rawatbhata, the Jawahar Sagar dam and the Kota barrage.
Banas, Mahi and Sabarmati
The Banas, called Van ki Asha (hope of the forest), rises in the Khamnor hills near Kumbhalgarh and is the longest river flowing wholly within Rajasthan. It meets the Berach and Menali at Bigod (Bhilwara) and joins the Chambal at Rameshwar near Sawai Madhopur, where the Sip also meets, forming a triveni. The Bisalpur dam on the Banas in Tonk supplies drinking water to Jaipur, Ajmer and Tonk. The Mahi rises in the Vindhyas in Madhya Pradesh, enters Rajasthan in Banswara, crosses the Tropic of Cancer twice and reaches the Gulf of Khambhat through Gujarat. At Baneshwar (Dungarpur), site of a great fair, it meets the Som and Jakham. The Mahi Bajaj Sagar dam near Banswara, named after Jamnalal Bajaj, produces hydroelectricity. The Sabarmati rises in the Aravallis south-west of Udaipur and flows into Gujarat past Ahmedabad.
Luni and Ghaggar
The Luni rises in the Naga hills near Ajmer, where it is called Sagarmati, and after the Saraswati from Pushkar joins it at Govindgarh it takes the name Luni. Flowing south-west across the desert, it turns saline below Balotra because of the salty soil and ends in the Rann of Kutch. Its major tributaries, such as the Jawai, Sukri and Bandi, join from the left; the Jojri is the only one from the right. The Jawai dam near Sumerpur in Pali is the largest dam of western Rajasthan. The Ghaggar, identified by many with the Vedic Saraswati, rises in the Shivalik hills of Himachal Pradesh, enters Rajasthan in Hanumangarh and usually dries up there; in floods it reaches Fort Abbas in Pakistan, where it is called the Hakra. It is the longest river of inland drainage in the state.
Salt lakes
Sambhar, near Phulera west of Jaipur, is the largest inland saline lake in India; it is fed by the Mendha, Rupangarh, Khari and Khandela streams and was named a Ramsar wetland in 1990. Didwana produces salt and sodium sulphate. Pachpadra near Balotra gives the purest salt, about 98 percent sodium chloride, which Kharwal families crystallise on twigs of the morli bush. Lunkaransar (Bikaner), Phalodi and Kuchaman are other salt lakes.
Freshwater lakes
Jaisamand (Dhebar), south-east of Udaipur, was built by Maharana Jai Singh in 1687-1691 by damming the Gomati; long the largest artificial lake in Asia, it has islands such as Baba ka Magra and Pyari. Rajsamand at Kankroli was built by Maharana Raj Singh as famine relief; its embankment, the Nauchowki, carries the Raj Prashasti, often called the largest Sanskrit inscription in India, on 25 slabs, composed by Ranchhod Bhatt. In Udaipur, Pichola was built by a Banjara in the time of Rana Lakha and holds the Jag Niwas (Lake Palace) and Jag Mandir islands, and Fateh Sagar, rebuilt by Maharana Fateh Singh, has an island with a solar observatory. Nakki lake at Mount Abu, which legend says the gods dug with their nails, is the highest lake in the state. Ana Sagar at Ajmer was built by the Chauhan king Arnoraja, and Jahangir and Shah Jahan added a garden and marble pavilions. Pushkar is the sacred lake of the Brahma temple.
Canals and water harvesting
The Indira Gandhi Canal, planned by the Bikaner engineer Kanwar Sain and begun in 1958 as the Rajasthan Canal (renamed in 1984), takes water from the Harike barrage at the meeting of the Sutlej and Beas in Punjab. A 204 km feeder brings it to Masitawali Head in Hanumangarh, and the 445 km main canal runs to Mohangarh in Jaisalmer, a total of 649 km. It turned the north-west green but also brought waterlogging and salinity (sem). The older Ganga Canal, built by Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner from the Sutlej at Hussainiwala, opened in 1927. Traditional kunds and tankas (covered cisterns), baoris (stepwells) such as the Chand Baori at Abhaneri, johads and the khadins of Jaisalmer helped people survive dry years.
Key facts
- Chambal: rises at Janapav (near Mhow, Madhya Pradesh), usually called the only perennial river of Rajasthan, joins the Yamuna; dams in order Gandhi Sagar, Rana Pratap Sagar, Jawahar Sagar, Kota barrage.
- Banas: 'Van ki Asha', longest river wholly in Rajasthan; triveni at Bigod (Banas-Berach-Menali) and at Rameshwar (Banas-Chambal-Sip); Bisalpur dam.
- Mahi: enters at Banswara, crosses the Tropic of Cancer twice; Baneshwar triveni (Mahi-Som-Jakham); Mahi Bajaj Sagar dam.
- Luni: rises in the Naga hills near Ajmer as Sagarmati, saline below Balotra, ends in the Rann of Kutch; the Jojri is its only right-bank tributary.
- Ghaggar: identified by many with the Saraswati, the longest river of inland drainage in the state, called the Hakra in Pakistan.
- Salt lakes: Sambhar (largest inland saline lake, Ramsar 1990), Didwana (sodium sulphate), Pachpadra (purest salt, Kharwal families, morli twigs).
- Jaisamand (Dhebar, on the Gomati, Maharana Jai Singh, 1687-1691); Rajsamand (Raj Singh, Raj Prashasti on 25 slabs).
- Pichola (built by a Banjara, Rana Lakha's time; Jag Niwas and Jag Mandir); Fateh Sagar (solar observatory); Nakki (highest lake); Ana Sagar (Arnoraja).
- Indira Gandhi Canal: Harike barrage, begun 1958, renamed 1984; 204 km feeder + 445 km main canal = 649 km, ending at Mohangarh.
- Ganga Canal (1927): Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner; Chand Baori stepwell at Abhaneri (Dausa).
Quick revision
Aravalli divides Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and inland drainage; Chambal usually called the only perennial river, Gandhi Sagar-Rana Pratap Sagar-Jawahar Sagar-Kota barrage; Banas longest wholly in state, Bisalpur dam; Mahi crosses Tropic of Cancer twice, Baneshwar; Luni saline below Balotra, Jojri only right-bank tributary; Ghaggar = Hakra; Sambhar largest inland saline lake (Ramsar 1990); Jaisamand, Rajsamand (Raj Prashasti); Indira Gandhi Canal from Harike, 649 km.