Tapti River

The Tapti River (original name Tapi River) is a river in central India. It is one of the major rivers of peninsular India with a length of around 724 km. It is one of only three rivers - the others being the Narmada River and the Mahi River that runs from east to west

The river rises in the eastern Satpura Range of southern Madhya Pradesh state, and flows westward, draining Madhya Pradesh's Nimar region, Maharashtra's Kandesh and east Vidarbha regions in the northwest corner of the Deccan Plateau and south Gujarat, before emptying into the Gulf of Cambay of the Arabian Sea, in the Surat District of Gujarat. The river, along with the northern parallel Narmada river, form the boundaries between North and South India. The Western Ghats or Sahyadri range starts south of the Tapti River near the border of Gujarat and Maharashtra. The Tapti (Tapi) River empties into the Gulf of Khambhat near the city of Surat in Gujarat.

Name

The Tapti River originates in the Betul district from a place called Multai. The Sanskrit name of Multai is "Multapi", meaning origin of Tapi Mata or the Tapti River.

The Tapi River in Thailand, was named after India's Tapti River in August 1915.

River basin and tributaries

The Tapti River basin encompasses an area of 65,145 km², which is nearly two percent of the total area of India. The basin lies in the states of Maharashtra (51,504 km²), Madhya Pradesh (9,804 km²) and Gujarat (3,837 km²).

The basin lies mostly in the northern and eastern districts Maharashtra state, including Amravati, Akola, Buldhana, Washim, Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar, and Nashik districts, but also includes the Betul and Burhanpur districts of Madhya Pradesh and the Surat district of Gujarat.

List of tributaries

The principal tributaries of the Tapti River are the Purna River, Girna River, Panzara River, Waghur River, Bori River and Aner River. Other tributaries include:

* Shiva River in Nandurbar district of Maharashtra State
* Gomai River in Nandurbar
* Vaki River in Nandurbar
* Arunavati River in Dhule district of Maharashtra state
* Burai River in Dhule
* Panzara River in Jalgaon, Dhule districts of Maharashtra state
** Kaan River in Dhule
* Bori River in Jalgaon
* Aner River in Jalgaon, Dhule
* Girna River in Nashik, Malegaon, Jalgaon districts of Maharashtra state. Joins Tapti River at Kapileshwar at Dhule and Jalgaon Border
** Titur River in Jalgaon
** Mausam River in Malegaon
* Waghur River in Jalgaon, Aurangabad
* Purna River in Amravati, Akola, Buldhana, Jalgaon districts of Maharashtra state and Madhya Pradesh State. Joins Tapti River at Changdev in Jalgaon
** Nalganga River in Buldhana
** Vishwaganga River in Buldhana,
** Nipani River in Buldhana
** Mann River in Buldhana, Akola districts of Maharashtra state
*** Mas River in Buldhana, Akola
*** Utawali River in Buldhana, Akola
*** Vishwamitri River in Akola
*** Nirguna River in Washim,Akola
**** Gandhari River in Akola
** Aas River in Akola
** Vaan River in Buldhana, Akola, Amravati districts of Maharashtra state
** Morna River in Akola , Washim
** Shahanur River in Akola, Amravati
*** Bhavkhuri River in Amravati
** Katepurna River in Akola, Washim districts of Maharashtra state
** Umaa River in Akola, Washim
** Pendhi River in Akola, Amravati
** Chandrabhaga River in Amravati
*** Bhuleswari River in Amravati
** Aarna River in Amravati
* Gadga River in Amravati district of Maharashtra state
* Sipna River in Amravati
* Khapra River in Amravati
* Khandu River in Amravati
* Tigriy River in Amravati
* Surkhi River in Amravati
* Burshi River in Amravati district of Maharashtra state
* Ganjal River in Betul district of Madhya Pradesh state
* Nesu River in Surat district of Gujarat state

Places of interest

Major towns along the river include Multai, Betul and Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh, Bhusawal in Maharashtra and Surat in Gujarat.

Major crossings of the river include the road bridge Sawalde in Dhule for National Highway 3 and the railway bridge at Bhusawal for the Bhusawal - Khandwa section of the Central Railway. The river is dammed by Hatnur Dam in Jalgaon, Maharashtra and Ukai Dam in Songadh, Gujarat.

Other important sites along the river include the Melghat Tiger Reserve in Amravati district, part of Project Tiger, on the southeast bank along the Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra boundary. Historical landmarks include the
Asirgarh fortress near Burhanpur, also known as the "key to the Deccan", and the ancient Temple of Changdeo Maharaj at Changdev in Jalgaon.

External links

* [http://earthtrends.wri.org/maps_spatial/maps_detail_static.cfm?map_select=372&theme=2 Tapti River Watershed Map and data] — World Resources Institute