Riverside Cities in India – List of Indian Cities on Rivers

A river (a large, natural stream of water flowing) flowing through a city is extremely important because it is a great source of civilization and an optimum source of resources. The Ganges is the greatest river in India, serving its purpose in different ways via its tributaries and confluence as well.

Similarly, we have riverside cities in India that are served by the rivers and their tributaries flowing through them. It has become an important feature over the years.

Riverside Cities in India

Let us see riverside cities in India. It is important for various competitive exams like UPSC, IAS etc.

Agra

The city of Agra is located in Uttar Pradesh. It consists of the Taj Mahal, which is on the Seven Wonders of the Wonder, Fatehpur Sikri, and the famous Agra fort. It was an important city during the Mughal and Delhi Sultanate reign.

Agra is in the Golden Triangle along Delhi, Jaipur for major tourist attractions. It is the 4th most populous city in Uttar Pradesh with a rich culture and history.

Ahmedabad

It is the largest city in the state of Gujarat. The Sabarmati River runs through its middle. Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram is situated on the western bank of the river. Because of its rich culture, it was the first city to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Cities) of India.

Garba, Gujarati folk dance with sticks is celebrated here along with Rath Yatra, Muharram, and Uttarayan (annual kite-flying day).

Allahabad

This city, situated in UP, lies very close to the “Trivedi Sangam”, the confluence of 3 rivers. Over the years it has become an important spot for Hindus and their scriptures. It has been named after Akbar, the Mughal Emperor, who had founded the city.

It is officially known as Prayagraj and is the most populous district in the state of UP.

Kolkata

Known as the City of Joy, Hooghly river divides two districts – Howrah and Kolkata. Across this river, the famous Howrah Bridge is built. Across this, another bridge, the 2nd Hooghly Bridge is also built.

The soil of the river is used to make sculptures of Goddess Durga for the famous “Durga Puja” which is distinctively celebrated in the state of West Bengal.

Cuttack

Place where Netaji Subhas Chandra was born and brought up, it was the former capital of the state of Orissa. It is the largest city in Orissa. The city (meaning the fort) is named after the Barabati Fort. Cuttack also celebrates Durga Puja.

Bhagalpur

Known as the “silk city”, this is the 3rd largest city in Bihar. It is a hub for economic, commercial, and educational development. It is enlisted in the Smart City Program. The Ganges passes through this city. The River Dolphin – National Aquatic Animal is found in this river.

New Delhi

The capital of India, this city is home to famous monuments like the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Qutub Minar, and many others. This city rose into prominence when Shah Jahan shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi.

Delhi has witnessed different dynasties and reigns over the years. This city is an urban district located in the city of Delhi. The foundation stone was laid by George V.

Guwahati

The capital of the state of Assam, this city is home to the only male river in our country – Brahmaputra. One of the most famous religious spots – Kamakhya Temple is situated here.

It is also the largest metropolis in Northeast India. It has varied wildlife like Asian elephants, pythons, tigers, rhinoceros, and others.

Haridwar

An extremely famous pilgrimage spot for Hindus in the state of Uttarakhand, It is situated on the banks of Ganga, at the foothills of the Shivalik Ranges.

The famous – Kumbha Mela is held here every 12 years. Pilgrims take a dip in the holy water of Ganges to attain freedom from their sins – so as they believe.

Varanasi

Also known as Kashi or Banaras, this city a major religious hub for Hindus in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The famous Ganges evening Arati is held here. The city lies along the National Highway 2.

Buddha is supposed to have founded Buddhism here. This city has seen the visit of Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs all these years. Even Guru Nanak visited this city in 1507 on the night of Maha Shivaratri.

Coimbatore

Also known as Kovai, it is a major city in Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyyal River. It is surrounded by the Western Ghats. The Kosar tribe mentioned in the second century AD Tamil epic is associated with this region.

The Cheras ruled this region around the 1st and 4th centuries AD. This region was a part of the Kingdom of Mysore in the later part of the 18th century. However when Tipu Sultan was defeated, the British annexed it to the District of Madras (Chennai).

Nasik

It is an ancient city in the northern part of the state Maharashtra. Kumbha Mela is held every 12 years. It is also called the “Wine Capital of India” because half of India’s vineyards and wineries are situated here.

As per the Ramayana mythology, on the banks of this river, Laxman (Rama’s brother) cut off Surpanakha’s nose, hence it was named “Nashik”.

Chennai

Capital of the state Tamil Nadu, it is situated off the Coromandel Coast. It is known as the “Detroit of India” since more than one-third of the automobile industry is located here. It is the 6th most populous city in India and also the major production center for the Tamil movie industry.

Daman

It is the capital city of the Union Territory – Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Diu and Daman. Daman Ganga River has two parts. One is the Nani Daman (small) and other is Moti Daman (big).

The Portuguese arrived here in 1523. It was a Portuguese colony and a large fort was built to protect the city from the Mughals.

Lucknow

The capital of the state Uttar Pradesh, it has always been a multicultural city. The city was the capital of Awadh region ruled by the Delhi Sultanate and later by the Mughal Empire.

It was a seat of power of the Nawabs during the 18th and 19th centuries. It along with Agra and Varanasi boosts tourism in the state of UP.

Srinagar

It is the summer capital of the Indian state Jammu and Kashmir. It lies on the banks of the river Jhelum River which is one of the tributaries of the River Indus.

Srinagar is famous for its houseboats, Kashmiri Shawls, dry fruits, and beauty of its nature. There are a number of lakes in this city, the most famous one being the Dal Lake.

Gwalior

Situated in the state of Madhya Pradesh, this city has seen shifts in different dynasties. In the 10th century, it was ruled by the Kachchchapagadas, then by the Tomars in the 13th century.

It was then ruled by the Mughals and then to the Maratha in 1754, followed by the Scindia in the 18th century. The city has beautiful fortresses showing its rich heritage. Before India’s state, Gwalior was a princely state ruled by the local rulers – Scindia.

Hospet

Situated in the district of Ballari in the state of Karnataka, it is at a distance of 12km from the ancient city of Hampi. Hospet was built in 1520 by Krishna Deva Raya in memory of his mother. Hospet was renamed “Hosapete” in November 2014.

Dhaulpur

Situated in the easternmost parts of the state of Rajasthan, this city is situated on the left bank of the river Chambal. It was founded in 1806 by Kirat Singh of Dhaulpur (Dholpur). However, it became a separate district in 1982 comprising of Dholpur, Rajakhera, Saramathura, Bari, and Baseri Tehsils.

Nellore

Situated in the state of Andhra Pradesh, this city was ruled by the Cholas, Palavas, Pandyas, Mauryas, and Chedi Dynasty. It is 170 km from Chennai. It is the 4th most populous city in the state.

Jamshedpur

Situated in Jharkhand, the city was founded by Jamsetji Tata, founder of Tata Groups. This city evolved as an urban city. It is located at the confluence of Sambarmati and Kharkai rivers.

The list of Riverside cities in India is as follows :

Other riverside cities in India

Conclusion

So we have seen riverside cities in India. Every continent has different rivers in them. The rivers break down into tributaries and are good source of water to its people. In our country, India, Ganges is the greatest river.

This river has been sacred to many Hindus. For thousands of years, Hindus have worshipped this river as a Mother (Ganga Ma). The rivers in India begin their journey from any of these watersheds-

• Himalaya and Karakoram Range (Northern India)
• Sahyadri or Western Ghats (Western India)
• Vindhya and Satpura Ranges (Central India)