Physiography

Rivers

The Banas in the north, originating in the Siranva hill in Sirohi in Rajasthan, flows by the foot hills of Abu and disappears in the desert. The Saraswati takes its birth at Koteshvar near Ambaji, flows by Siddhpur and Patan and merges into the desert.

The Sabarmati, one of the biggest rivers of north Gujarat, originates from the Dhebar lake in Rajasthan and flows towards the Gulf of Cambay. The Hathmati, the Vatrak, the Mazam, the Meshvo, the Shedhi, the Khari and the other rivulets join it. The three "virgin" rivers of the north and the Sabarmati with its tributaries are the daughters of the Aravalli ranges, while the Mahi and the Narmada with their families originate from Madhya Pradesh, the former in the big lake near Amzara and the latter in the Amarkantak. The Mahi is joined by the Bhadar, the Anas, the Panam and the Meshri. The Narmada one of the biggest and holiest river along with the only tributary, the Karjan, meets the sea, about 16km from Broach.

The Tapi takes its birth in the Satpura ranges near Betwa and enters Gujarat at Kakarapar. It flows around Surat and Rander and falls into the sea.

The Mindhola, the Purna, the Ambika, the Vanki, the Auranga, the Vapi, the Par, the Kolak and the Damanganga are the rivers of south Gujarat, which originate in the Sahyadri.

Most of the rivers of Saurashtra and Kutch dry up in the summer. The river which originate in the central Saurashtra in the Chotila range flow to the south into the desert of Kutch. Only the Aji, the Machhu and the Brahmani are northward flowing rivers. The rivers originating in the Girnar and the Gir namely the Ojhat, the Kamb, the Surekh, the Somal, the Sangwada, the Hirani, the Kpila and the Saraswati flow into the sea. The Saraswati near the Somnath and the Vastu are sacred rivers.

Though Kutch has many rivers, they are small and do not have much water. Those flowing in the north disappear in the desert, while those flowing in other directions join the sea. The Khari flowing by Bhuj meets the desert and the Magh and the Tara empty their waters in the Gulf of Cambay. The Rudramata has been bunded for irrigation, providing the only irrigation project in Kutch.