The
Narmada [Devanagri ?????? Gujarati ??????; the
Periplus Maris Erythraei (c. 80 ce) calls it the Nammadus.
[1]. The British Raj called it the Nerbudda or Narbada
[2]] is a river in central India and the fifth largest river in the
Indian subcontinent. Narmada is a
Sanskrit word meaning 'the Giver of Pleasure'
[3]. It forms the traditional boundary between
North India and
South India and flows westwards over a length of 1,312&_160;km (815.2&_160;mi) before draining through the
Gulf of Cambey (Khambat) into the
Arabian Sea,30&_160;m (0.0&_160;mi)west of
Bharuch city of
Gujarat.
[4] It is one of only three major rivers in pensinsular India that runs from east to west (largest west flowing river) along with the
Tapti River and the
Mahi River. It is the only river in India that flows in a
rift valley flowing west between the
Satpura and
Vindhya ranges. It flows through the states of
Madhya Pradesh (1,077&_160;km (669.2&_160;mi)),
Maharashtra, (74&_160;km (46.0&_160;mi))–(35&_160;km (21.7&_160;mi)), border between Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra and (39&_160;km (24.2&_160;mi) border between Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat and in Gujarat (161&_160;km (100.0&_160;mi)).
[5].
The source of the Narmada is a small tank called Narmada Kund located on the Amarkantak hill ((1,057&_160;m (3,467.8&_160;ft))), in the Shahdol District of eastern Madhya Pradesh. The river descends from the Amarkantak hill range at the Kapildhara falls over a clif and meaders in the hills flowing through a tortuous course crossing the rocks and islands up to the ruined palace of Ramnagar. Between Ramnagar and Mandla, (25&_160;km (15.5&_160;mi)), further southeast, the course is comparatively straight with deep water devoid of rocky obstacles. The Banger joins from the left. The river then runs north–east in a narrow loop towards Jabalpur. Close to this city, after a fall of some (9&_160;m (29.5&_160;ft)), called the Dhuandhara, the fall of mist, it flows for (3&_160;km (1.9&_160;mi)), in a deep narrow channel through the magnesium limestone and basalt rocks called the Marble Rocks; from a width of about 90&_160;m (295.3&_160;ft), above, it is compressed in this channel of 18&_160;m (59.1&_160;ft)), only. Beyond this point up to its meeting the Arabian Sea, the Narmada enters three narrow valleys between the Vindhya scarps in the north and the Satpura range in the South. The southern extension of the valley is wider at most places. These three valley sections are separated by the closely approaching line of the scarps and the Satpura hills.
Emerging from the Marble Rocks the river enters its first fertile basin, which extends about 320&_160;km (198.8&_160;mi), with an average width of35&_160;km (21.7&_160;mi), in the south. In the north, the valley is limited to the Barna–Bareli plain terminating at Barkhara hills opposite Hoshangabad. However, the hills again recede in the Kannod plains. The banks are about(12&_160;m (39.4&_160;ft)) high. It is in the first valley of the Narmada that many of its important tributaries from the south join it and bring the waters of the northern slopes of the Satpura hills. Among them are the Sher, the Shakkar, the Dudhi, the Tawa (biggest tributary) & the Ganjal. The Hiran, the Barna, the Choral, the Karam and the Lohar are the important tributaries joining from the north.
Below Handia and Nemawar to Hiran fall (the deer's leap), the river is approached by hills from both sides. In this stretch the character of the river is varied. The Omkareshwar island, sacred to the Lord Shiva, is the most important river island in Madhya Pradesh. At first, the descent is rapid and the stream, quickening in pace, rushes over a barrier of rocks. The Sikta and the Kaveri join it below the Khandwa plain. At two points, at Mandhar, about40&_160;km (24.9&_160;mi), below Nemawar, and Dadrai,(40&_160;km (24.9&_160;mi), further down near Punasa, the river falls over a height of about 12&_160;m (39.4&_160;ft).
