Narmada River

The Narmada or Nerbudda is a river in central India. It forms the traditional between the Deccan and Hindustan, and is a total of 1,289km (801mi) long. It rises on the summit of Amarkantak Hill in the Madhya Pradesh state, and for the first 200 m of its course winds among the Mandla Hills, which form the head of the Satpura range; then at Jubbulpore, passing through the 'Marble Rocks', it enters its proper valley between the Vindhyan and Satpura ranges, and pursues a direct westerly course to the Gulf of Cambay. Its total course through the Central Provinces and Gujarat amounts to about 800 m, and it falls into the sea in the Bombay district of Broach.

It receives the drainage of the northern slopes of the Satpuras, but not that of the Vindhyan tableland, the streams from which flow into the Ganges and Jumna. After leaving the Central Provinces, the river widens out in the fertile district of Broach. Below Broach city it forms a 13m broad estuary where it enters the Gulf of Cambay. The Narmada is nowhere utilized for irrigation, and navigation is confined to the lower section. In the rainy season boats of considerable size sail about 60m above Broach city. Sea-going vessels of about 70 tons frequent the port of Broach, but they are entirely dependent on the tide.

In sanctity the Nerbudda ranks only second to the Ganges among the rivers of India, and along its whole course are special places of pilgrimage. The most meritorious act that a pilgrim can perform is to walk from the sea to the source of the river and back along the opposite bank. This pilgrimage takes from one to two years to accomplish.

• This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica. Please update as needed.