Alaknanda River

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Alakanandā
The sediment-laden Alaknanda river flowing into Devprayag, Uttarakhand.
The Himalayan headwaters of the Ganges river in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, India. The Alaknanda is the left bank tributary of the Ganges at Devprayag.
Location
Country	India
State	Uttarakhand
Region	Garhwal division
District	Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Pauri Garhwal
Physical characteristics
Source	Confluence of Satopanth Glacier and Bhagirathi Kharak Glacier
• location	Uttarakhand
• coordinates	30°47′03″N 79°26′19″E / 30.7841°N 79.4385°E / 30.7841; 79.4385
• elevation	3,880 m (12,730 ft)
Mouth	Ganges
• location	Devprayag, Uttarakhand, India
• coordinates	30°08′43″N 78°35′52″E / 30.1453°N 78.5979°E / 30.1453; 78.5979
• elevation	475 m (1,558 ft)
Length	195 km (121 mi)
Basin size	10,882 km2 (4,202 sq mi)
Discharge
• average	439.36 m3/s (15,516 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Saraswati, Dhauliganga, Nandakini, Pindar
• right	Mandakini

The Alaknanda is a turbulent Himalayan river in the Indian state of Uttarakhand and one of the two headstreams of the Ganges, the major river of Northern India and a river considered holy in Hinduism. In hydrology, the Alaknanda is considered the source stream of the Ganges on account of its greater length and discharge;^[1] while, in Hindu tradition and culture, the other headstream, the Bhagirathi, is considered the source stream.