Yamuna
Yamuna is a mapped river in the YearMaps hydrographic index. River courses organise settlement, agriculture and frontier-making more durably than any political boundary, and this reach is indexed against the dams, lakes and cities within its catchment.
- Feature Class
- River
- Coordinates
- 26.92°, 78.73°
About Yamuna
The Yamuna (pronounced [jəmʊnɑː]; IAST: Yamunā) is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height of about 4,500 m (14,800 ft) on the southwestern slopes of Bandarpunch peaks of the Lower Himalaya in Uttarakhand. It then enters Himachal Pradesh before following in to the Indo-Gangetic plains of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. It travels 1,376 kilometres (855 mi) and drains an area of 366,223 square kilometres (141,399 mi2), 40.2% of the entire Ganges Basin. It merges with the Ganges at Triveni Sangam, Prayagraj, which is a site of the Kumbh Mela, a Hindu festival held every 12 years.
Like the Ganges, the Yamuna is highly venerated in Hinduism and worshipped as the goddess Yamuna. In Hinduism, she is believed to be the daughter of the sun god, Surya, and the sister of Yama, the god of death, and so she is also known as Yami. According to popular Hindu legends, bathing in Yamuna's sacred waters frees one from the torments of death.
The river crosses several states such as Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
Encyclopedic summary adapted from Wikipedia: Yamuna (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Yamuna in Depth
Ecology
The Yamuna, from the source to its culmination in the Ganges, is a habitat for fish for an approximately 1,400 km (870 mi) stretch and supports a rich diversity of species. Fish from the family Cyprinidae dominate the variety of fish species found in the river. This includes Indian carp and also invasive species from the family. In a study, 93 species of fish were found in the river including catfish. Species of non-native Tilapia have become established in the river. They have been implicated in the decline of the Ghariyal (Indian crocodile) population in the river. Large turtles used to be a common sight on the river a few decades ago but they have mostly disappeared.
Background
The name Yamuna seems to be derived from the Sanskrit word "yama", meaning 'twin', and it may have been applied to the river because it runs parallel to the Ganges, or because the Goddess Yamuna is believed to be the sister of Yama.
According to Hindu tradition, Yamkund Shikhar is associated with Yama, the god of death, and Yamuna, his twin sister. Tradition holds that Yama granted those who sincerely venerate Yamuna protection from untimely death. This belief has contributed to the enduring religious association between the siblings in Hindu mythology.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Yamuna (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Yamuna: Key Facts
| Length | 1,376 km |
|---|---|
| Average discharge | 3,480 m³/s |
| Drainage basin | 351,000 km² |
| Mouth | Ganges |
| Drainage system | Ganges Basin |
| Tributaries | Tons River, Giri, Chambal River, Betwa River, Ken River, Hindon River, Sindh River |
Facts from Wikidata Q132726 (CC0).
Major River Dossiers
Hand-written studies of the great river systems of history.
Connected Reaches
Nearby watercourses in the same drainage network.
Water Bodies in the Catchment
Settlements Along the Reach
Hydraulic Infrastructure Nearby
Surrounding Terrain
Yamuna: Quick Answers
- Where is Yamuna?
- Yamuna is located in India, at 26.9190° N, 78.7290° E.
- Are there dams on the Yamuna?
- No dam on the Yamuna is recorded in the YearMaps dam index, which covers major structures only.