Alaknanda River: Difference between revisions

| name_nativenative_name =

| name_native_langnative_name_lang =

| source1_location = [[Uttarakhand]]

| source1_coordinates = {{Coord|30.7841|79.4385|format=dms|type:river_region:IN|display=i}}

| mouth_coordinates = {{Coord|30.1453|78.5979|format=dms|region:IN|display=it}}

The '''Alaknanda''' is a turbulent [[Himalaya]]n river in the [[India]]n state of [[Uttarakhand]] and one of the two [[headstream]]s of the [[Ganges]], the major river of [[Northern India]] and the holya river ofconsidered holy in [[Hinduism]]. In [[hydrology]], the Alaknanda is considered the [[headstream|source stream]] of the Ganges on account of its greater length and discharge;<ref>{{cite book|title=India through the ages|url=https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada|last=Gopal|first=Madan|year= 1990| page= [https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada/page/65 65]|editor=K.S. Gautam|publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India}}</ref> howeverwhile, in Hindu tradition and culture, the other headstream, the [[Bhagirathi River|Bhagirathi]], is considered the source stream.

The Alaknanda rises at the confluence and foot of the [[Satopanth Glacier|Satopanth]] and Bhagirath Kharak [[glacier]]s in Uttarakhand.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.euttaranchal.com/uttarakhand/alaknanda-river |title=eUttaranchal|date=10 December 2015 }}</ref><ref>In Hindu culture {{cite web |url=https://omshivam.wordpress.com/2010/01/25/the-story-of-ganga-the-river-goddess/ |title=The Story of Ganga : The River Goddess|date=25 January 2010 }}</ref> From its origin, it travels to the village of [[Mana, India|Mana]], meets with the [[Saraswati River (Uttarakhand)|Saraswati River]], a right bank [[tributary]], and continues downstream through narrow valleys. It reaches the Badrinath valley, arrives at Hanumanchatti, and meets with the Ghrit Ganga, a right bank tributary. From Hanumanchatti, the river goes to Pandukeshwar and flows through wide valleys and steep terrains. At [[Vishnuprayag]] it meets [[Dhauliganga River|Dhauliganga]], a left bank tributary, and travels west to the town of [[Joshimath]]. From Joshimath, the Alaknanda crosses the [[Main Central Thrust]] near Helang. It then meets with Birahi Ganga, a left bank tributary at Birahi. The river reaches the town of [[Nandaprayag|Nandprayag]] and joins with the [[Nandakini|Nandakini River]], a left bank tributary. At [[Karnaprayag|Karanprayag]], the [[Pindar River]], a left bank tributary, meets with the Alaknanda River. At [[Rudraprayag]], it meets with the [[Mandakini River]], a right bank tributary. As the Alaknanda flows past Rudraprayag, it enters a wide valley near [[Srinagar, Uttarakhand|Srinagar, Garhwal]]. At [[Devprayag]] the Alaknanda River converges with the Bhagirathi River and travels onward as the Ganges River.<ref name=":0">{{Citation |last=Singh |first=Sandeep |title=Alakhnanda–Bhagirathi River System |date=2018 |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2984-4_8 |work=The Indian Rivers: Scientific and Socio-economic Aspects |series=Springer Hydrogeology |pages=107–108 |editor-last=Singh |editor-first=Dhruv Sen |place=Singapore |publisher=Springer |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-981-10-2984-4_8 |isbn= 978-981-10-2983-7|access-date=2022-04-13}}</ref>

The Alaknanda River is of special interest to the pilgrims who visit the important pilgrimage places in Uttarakhand. The Ganges as Alaknanda rises in the southern Himalayas on the Indian side of the [[Tibet]] border with China. On the Satopanth Glacier {{convert|6|km|mi|2|abbr=on}} up from Alaknanda's origin at its snout, the triangular Lake [[Satopanth Tal|Satopanth]] is found at a height of {{convert|4350|m|mi|2|abbr=on}}. It is named after the [[Trimurti|Hindu trinity]], Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.

The Alaknanda river is among the best for river [[rafting]] in the world due to its high rafting grade.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://travelnewsindia.com/11-top-destinations-river-rafting-india/|title=11 Top Destinations for River Rafting in India - Travel News India|publisher=travelnewsindia.com|date=2017-01-31|access-date=31 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180311111842/http://travelnewsindia.com/11-top-destinations-river-rafting-india/|archive-date=11 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

| 13 || Shrinagar[[Srinagar Hydroelectric Project|Srinagar]]|| 330 || under constructionoperational || || || || || ||

# Alaknanda ([[Badrinath]]) (300 MW)

# [[Gauri Kund|Gaurikund]] (18.6 MW)

==Towns along the Alaknanda Riverriver==

==Photo galleryGallery==