Himachal Pradesh, with its lush natural vegetation and snow fed perennial rivers, supplies water to the Indus and Ganges basins. Several rivers, the Ravi, the Chandra Bhaga or the Chenab, the Beas, the Yamuna and the Sutlej have their drainage basins here.

• The origination of the river Beas comes from the Pir Panjal Range which is close to the Rohtang Pass and then the river traverses a path of about 256 Km in the state. The majestic river is formed by a several number of tributaries, of which the major ones are the Hurla, the Parbati, the Uhl, the Sainj, the Luni, the Chaki, the Suheti and the Banganga. The eastern and northern tributaries of the Beas River are perennial, thus snow fed, while the southern tributaries are seasonal and dependent on rainfall. Usually during the August and September, there may be some incidents of flooding with the increased inflow.
• The Chenab or Chandrabhaga or Askni as per Vedas, the most voluminous of all the rivers, is originated after the amalgamation of two streams of water namely, Bhaga and Chandra at Tundi, Lahul. In its circuitous 122 km route it covers a catchment area of about 7,500 km², in Himachal Pradesh, before entering Jammu and Kashmir. The Chandra flows through infertile tribal terrain.
• The River Ravi is originated in Bara Banghal in district Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, as a joint tributary created by the glacier fed Tantgari and Bhadal. The 158 km long river has a catchment region of almost 5,451 sq km. The right bank of the river is shared by the Chamba.
• The Sutlej, takes birth in extreme north of Tibet, cutting through the great Himalayan as well as the Zaskar ranges to cross the border of India and Tibetan that is near Shipkila. Sutlej joins the Spiti River in the north. At Bhakra, Sutlej River finally comes out from the mountains, after passing through a number of gorges. Total catchment area of Sutlej River is about 20,000 Sq km in Himachal Pradesh.
• The famous Yamuna River originates from Yamunotri in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand and has a catchment area of about 2,320 Sq km in Himachal Pradesh. The river has 3 tributaries namely the Giri, the Tons and the Bata.

Interesting facts about the meandering rivers & placid lakes of Himachal Pradesh

Beas River

Beas is an important river of Northern India having its source in the Himalayan mountain range in central Himachal Pradesh. The river courses a length of about 470 km approximately, before meeting Sutlej in Kapurthala, a district in Punjab. The basin drained along the river is 20,303 square km in area.

The name “Beas” comes from the ancient Sanskrit name of the river, “Vipasha”. The origin of Beas is in the southern side of Rohtang Pass in the Pir Panjal mountain range. Beas Kund Lake, at an altitude of 13,326 feet, is the main source that feeds the river. There are a number of tributary rivers that starts from Beas, the most important of them being Bain, Banganga, Luni and Uhlal.

Ravi River

Is a 720 km long, trans-boundary river, flowing through both India and Pakistan. The Ravi, originates in the Himalayas of the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh in India, from where it takes a north-westerly course till Dalhousie where it then turns to the south-west, cutting a gorge in the Dhaola Dhar range, entering the Punjab plains near Madhopur. It then flows along the Indo-Pak border for some distance before entering Pakistan and joining the Chenab River, finally draining into the Indian Ocean. The total length of the river is about 720 km.

It is one of the five rivers which give Punjab its name. In Vedic times, The Ravi was known as Parushani or Iravati to Indians and Hydraotes to the Ancient Greeks.

Prashar Lake

The breathtaking environs of the Prashar Lake were perhaps appealing to the sage who meditated on its banks and in whose name the lake and the three-tiered Pagoda like temple is dedicated.  Located at a distance of 40 km from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, the tranquil charm of this lake, looked down upon by the majestic Himalayas might invite any visitor even today to dwell on the vastness of the Universe and the insignificance of human existence compared to the mighty mountains.

Khajjiar Lake

In district Chamba, at about 1,900 m above sea level, Khajjiar Lake is scenic to say the least and lies in the lap of lush green grass. It is a sacred lake.

Gobind Sagar

The lake is situated in the Bilaspur district which is approximately 83 Km distant from the holy city of Anandpur Sahib, Himachal Pradesh. The Bhakra Nangal Dam which is referred to as the world’s utmost gravity dam is also hosted by the lake Gobind Sagar. The lake Gobind Sagar which was created in 1976 has become a source of water and electricity to various other states apart from Himachal Pradesh. The lake is built over an area of about 170 Sq Km and is a home to both migratory and resident birds. The Fisheries Department of Bilaspur and the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Department promotes fishing at the Gobind Sagar Lake and to help in the process the Department of Fisheries provides permit. Several winter sports like sailing, water-skiing, water-scooter racing and Kayaking are organized on the lake’s surface with the help of Civil Aviation and Tourism Department of Himachal Pradesh which are thoroughly enjoyed by the local as well as foreign tourists.

Dal Lake

The Lake is built at an altitude of 1775m above the level of sea. The area covered by the lake lies under the Kangra region (a district in Himachal Pradesh) which is just 11 Km from Dharamshala. The region is surrounded by the canopy of lush green Deodar trees. Apart from photography the lake also has other attractions like the holy Shiva Temple. Every year a large number of tourists gather in the month of September at the Dal Lake to attend the world famous holy festival to worship Lord Shiva.

Chandra Tal Lake

The lake is 6 Km away from the Kunzam Pass. Chandra Tal Lake is also connected to the Spiti and Lahaul Districts of Himachal Pradesh and Kunzam Pass acts as a connector between the two. The lake is built at an altitude 4300 Mt above the level of sea. The lake has blue, clear water  that reflects the sky above it and the surrounding rocky mountains.