Confluence
Also called: Sangam, Prayag · Topic: Drainage System of India: Rivers, Basins and Patterns · NCERT: Class 6, Ch 3 "Landforms and Life"; Class 7, Ch 8 "How the Land Becomes Sacred"
Meaning
A confluence is a place where two or more rivers meet and flow on as one. In India it is also called a sangam or prayag. Many confluences are seen as holy, so towns, temples and fairs have grown up around them. For the exam, you need to know which rivers meet at which place.
Example
- Devprayag (Uttarakhand): the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda meet, and the Ganga begins.
- Triveni Sangam (Prayagraj): the Ganga, the Yamuna and the mythical Sarasvati meet.
- Harike (Punjab): the Beas and Satluj meet.
- Tandi (Himachal Pradesh): the Chandra and Bhaga meet to form the Chenab.
Don't confuse with
- Distributary: the opposite of a confluence. A distributary is a channel that splits away from a river, usually in a delta. For example, the Ganga splits into the Bhagirathi–Hugli and the Padma near Farakka.
Related concepts
- Ganga river
- Bhagirathi river
- Gangotri Glacier
- Alaknanda river
- Panch Prayag
- Ganga basin
- Padma river
- Sagar Island