Rivers in India

Home Andhra Pradesh
  • Champavathi River
  • Godavari River
  • Gosthani River
  • Gundlakamma River
  • Koringa River
  • Krishna River
  • Kundu River
  • Musi River
  • Nagavali River
  • Sabari River
  • Koringa River
  • Maldevi River
  • Manjira River
Arunachal Pradesh
  • Brahmaputra River
  • Drangme Chhu
  • Dri Streams
  • Kameng River
  • Lohit River
  • Par River
  • Subansiri River
  • Tirap River
Assam
  • Barak River
  • Bhoroli River
  • Brahmaputra River
  • Katakhal River
  • Subansiri River
  • Longai River
Bihar
  • Ajay River
  • Bagmati River
  • Burhi Gandak River
Chhattisgarh
  • Ib River
  • Indravati River
  • Jonk River
  • Kanhar River
  • Rend River
  • Rihand River
  • Sabari River
  • Sankh River
Goa
  • Chapora River
  • Mandovi River
  • Mapusa River
  • Sal River
  • Terekhol River
  • Zuari River
Gujarat
  • Aji River
  • Ambica River
  • Auranga River
  • Banas River
Haryana
  • Chautang River
  • Ghaggar-Hakra River
  • Sahibi River
  • Yamuna River
Himachal Pradesh
  • Beas River
  • Sutlej River
  • Spiti River
  • Parvati River
  • Giri River
Jammu & Kashmir
  • Chenab River
  • Doda River
  • Dras River
  • Indus River
  • Jhelum River
  • Lidder River
  • Markha River
  • Nala Palkhu
  • Neelum River
  • Nubra River
Jharkhand
  • Ajay River
  • Amanat River
  • Auranga River
  • Bansloi River
  • Barakar River
  • Brahmani River
  • Burha River
  • Kanhar Riverr
  • Sankh River
  • Subarnarekha River
Karnataka
  • Amarja
  • Bhadra River
  • Chakra River
  • Dandavathi
  • Manjira River
Kerala
  • Periyar River
  • Bharatapuzha River
  • Pamba River
  • Chaliyar River
  • Chalakudy River
  • Chandragiri River
  • Kuppam River
Madhya Pradesh
  • Betwa River
  • Chambal River
  • Dhasan River
  • Jamni River
  • Katni River
  • Ken River
  • Kolar River
  • Kwari River
Maharashta
  • Adan River
  • Ambika River
  • Bhima River
  • Bindusara River
  • Daman Ganga River
  • Dina River
  • Doni River
  • Ghod River
  • Girna River
  • Godavari River
  • Gomai River
  • Indravati River
  • Indrayani River
  • Manjira River
  • Terekhol River
Meghalaya
  • Myntdu River
  • Someshwari River
Mizoram
  • Barak River
  • Kaladan River
  • Karnaphuli River
  • Phairuang River
  • Serlui River
  • Khawthlangtuipui River
Nagaland
  • Dhansiri
  • Dikhu
  • Doyang
  • Jhanji
  • Milak River
Odisha
  • Baitarani River
  • Indravati River
  • Mahanadi
  • Nagavali River
  • Rushikulya River
  • Bahuda River
  • Brahmani River
  • Budhabalanga River
  • Kathajodi River
  • Kolab River
  • Machkund River
  • Salandi River
Punjab
  • Beas River
  • Jhelum River
  • Ravi River
  • Chenab River
Rajasthan
  • Arvari River
  • Banas River
  • Bandi River
  • Berach River
  • Gambhir River
  • Ghaggar-Hakra River
  • Gomati River
  • Jawai River
  • Kali Sindh River
  • Luni River
Sikkim
  • Dharla River
  • Lachen River
  • Lachung River
  • Lhonak River
Tamil Nadu
  • Adyar River
Tripura
  • Dhalai River
  • Feni River
  • Gumti River
  • Haora River
  • Juri River
  • Khowai River
  • Longai River
  • Manu River
  • Muhuri River
Uttar Pradesh
  • Bakulahi River
  • Betwa River
  • Bhainsai River
  • Chambal River
  • Kanhar River
  • Rihand River
  • Ganges River
  • Gaangi River
  • Ghaghara River
  • Gomti River
Uttarakhand
  • Alaknanda River
  • Asan Barrage
  • Bhagirathi River
  • Bhilangna River
  • Dhauliganga River
  • Gaula River
  • Kali River
  • Lakshman Ganga
  • Ganges River
West Bengal
  • Adi Ganga
  • Ajay River
  • Atrai River
  • Bakreshwar River
  • Barakar River
  • Brahmani River
  • Bansloi River
  • Subarnarekha River

Search Indian Maps, Pincodes, Local Info and more...

Home > Rivers In India > Arvari River

Arvari River

Arvari is a small river that flows through the Alwar district in Rajasthan, India. The river had become a temporary stream that remained dry for most of the year. It dried up completely in 1940’s, due to extended draughts in the area. The area was declared to be a ‘dark zone’ i.e. the ground water in this area could not be extracted. Whatever was left of the river turned into a monsoon drain. In 1986, the Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS), a NGO, started the process promoting issues of water conservation among the people of the region. On seeing the improvement brought about due to water harvesting in a nearby river, the villagers of Bhaonta-Kolyala went to Rajendra Singh secretary general of TBS and asked for his help in reviving their draught-inflicted village. Help was given to them on the condition that the villagers would themselves have to take up the task of building dams and doing all the important works necessary for harvesting water. In 1986, the process of rejuvenating the river started when the people of the village built a Johad which is an earthen dam, meant to harvest every drop of rain water. The first Johad was built in the village of Bhavta. As the first Johad proved to be access, the villagers were inspired to build more dams. They did this by pooling their own money. There are 375 dams along the course of the river constructed in different villages of the river’s catchment area. There is even a concrete dam in the Aravalli Hills which is 244 m long and 7 m high, In 1990, the river started flowing again, after remaining dry for almost 60 years.

The revival of the river has led to an overall environmental improvement. The river provides healthy drinking water to the villagers. It gives a greater opportunity to the farmers for growing a large number of crops on the farm areas adjacent to the river. The sanctuary near it has animals and birds drifting into it from the nearby Sariska Tiger Reserve forests. The river also supports a good amount of aquatic life, including a multiplication in the growth of fish. Seeing this, the government gave the   contract to a private contractor to get the fish in the river. However, the villagers refused, in order to prevent potential government interference in the rivers management and ownership. This led to a lot of controversy, thereby giving rise to the Arvari River Samsad, or Arvari Parliament which was formed on 26th January, 1999. It included members from 142 members representing 72 villages. The parliament meets 4 times a year to discuss ways of better management or the river. The Parliament has set rules regarding the fair usage of the water of this river as well. The villagers have also managed to drive away a beer company from setting up a brewery using the local barley and water from the river Arvari. The villagers received the “Down to Earth – Joseph C. John Award” for their efforts. It was presented to them in March 2000, by K. R. Narayanan, the President of India at that time, who visited the Hamirpura village to support the people in their fight for rights of water.

Course

Arvari is a small river of just 90km. Its course runs through the district of Alwar district, Rajasthan. Its mouth is in the village Bhavta. Of the two sources, the other stream rises in Bhaonta-Kolyala villages. There are more than 70 villages that lie in the catchment area of this river, all in the Thanagazi block of Rajasthan. Some of the villages are enriched by it are Hiriavas, Dumoli, Khadata, Khatala, Samatsar, Chosla, Lalpura, Palasana, Joge-ki-dhani, Samra, Hamirpur, Natala, Jagnathpura, Kaled and many others. The Baironath Public Wildlife Sanctuary is located near the dam at the mouth of the river in Bhaonta-Kolyala. The river finally meets the Sainthal Sagar.

Tributaries

The River is a very small one, which has two tributaries one of which rises in the Bhaonta-Kalyala villages. The source of the other stream is in the village of Bhavta. The river has no other tributaries.

Photo Gallery


Contact Us | Disclaimer