Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna & Kaveri river system

Originates in Chhattisgarh, south of Amarkantak.
Basin states: Chhattisgarh and Odisha and comparatively smaller portions of Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, draining an area of 1,41,589 Sq.km.
Bounded by the Central India hills on the north, by the Eastern Ghats on the south and east and by the Maikala range on the west.

Longest river of Peninsula and third largest in India
Also known as Dakshin Ganga or Vridha Ganga because of its size, age and length.
Originates from Trimbak in Western Ghats in Nashik district, Maharashtra.

Second longest river of Peninsula that flows towards east.
Originates near Mahabaleshwar in Western Ghats
Basin states: Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka having a total area of 2,58,948 Sq.km

Left bank tributaries	Right bank tributaries
Bhima (2^nd largest)	Venna
Musi (Hyderabad located at bank)	Koyna
Munneru	Panchganga
Paleru	Dudhganga
Don	Ghatprabha
	Malprabha
	Tungbhadra (Largest)

Originates from Brahmagiri hills in Coorg, Karnataka
Basin states: Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Union Territory of Puducherry draining an area of 81,155 Sq.km
It is bounded by Western Ghats on west, by Eastern Ghats on east and south and by ridges separating it from Krishna basin and Pennar basin on the north.
Shivsamudram (in Karnataka) & Hogenakkal (in Tamil Nadu) waterfalls are most important on this river.
Shivsamudram waterfall has twin waterfalls: (i) Gaganachukki (ii) Bharachukki.

Left bank tributary	Right bank tributary
Herangi	Laxmanatirtha
Hemavati	Kabini
Shimsha	Suvarnavati
Akravati	Bhavani (2nd longest of Tamil Nadu)
	Amravati
	Noyil

There are mainly 7 distributaries from the river Cauvery in delta region that contribute the flow for the Karaikal area which are as follows:

1. Nandalar

2. Nattar

3. Vanjiyar

4. Noolar

5. Arasalar

6. Thirumalairajanar

7. Puravadaiyanar