East-flowing rivers of the Peninsula
Topic: Drainage System of India: Rivers, Basins and Patterns · NCERT: Class 7, Ch 1 "Geographical Diversity of India"
Meaning
These are the big Peninsular rivers that flow east into the Bay of Bengal: the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri. Most of them rise in the Western Ghats or the central highlands. They flow east because the Peninsular block is tilted gently from northwest to southeast. Near the coast they slow down and drop their silt, building large, fertile deltas (fan-shaped land made from river deposits). Smaller east-flowing rivers include the Subarnarekha, Brahmani, Baitarani, Pennar, Palar and Vaigai.
Example
The Godavari rises near Trimbakeshwar in Nashik district, Maharashtra, very close to the Arabian Sea. Yet it flows about 1,465 km east across the plateau and builds a large delta below Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh.
Don't confuse with
- West-flowing rivers (Narmada, Tapi): these flow west along trough faults (long, sunken strips of land between faults). They form estuaries (wide, open river mouths), not deltas.
- Peninsular tributaries of the Ganga (Chambal, Betwa, Ken, Son): these rivers also rise on the plateau, but they flow north to join the Ganga system. They do not go to the Bay of Bengal on their own.