About the Yamuna
The Yamuna is the Ganga's largest tributary, originating from the Yamunotri Glacier in the high Garhwal Himalayas and travelling 1376 kilometres to meet the Ganga at Prayagraj in the sacred Triveni Sangam. The river is deeply embedded in Hindu mythology — in the Puranas it is the daughter of Surya (the sun god) and sister of Yama (lord of death) — and Mathura and Vrindavan along its banks are among Hinduism's most sacred cities. The Taj Mahal in Agra stands on the Yamuna's banks, its marble facade historically reflected in the river below.
Ecologically, the Yamuna supports important gharial populations in its cleaner upper reaches. However, the river faces severe pollution as it passes through Delhi — a stretch that receives 70% of its pollution load from the capital's 18 million residents. The river's ecological health fluctuates dramatically between its pristine Himalayan origin and its urban sections, making it a symbol of both India's natural heritage and its environmental challenges. The Ken-Betwa Link Project, which will divert water from the Yamuna tributary system, is a major conservation controversy.
Chambal · Betwa · Ken · Tons · Hindon