Tapti River: Source to Mouth Journey Across Central India

The Tapti River, one of central India's major west-flowing rivers, begins its journey in the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh at an elevation of 750 meters (2,460 feet) above sea level. Its source lies in the Satpura Range near the town of Multai.

From its origin, the river travels westward for 724 kilometers (450 miles) across the Deccan Plateau before emptying into the Gulf of Khambhat (also known as the Gulf of Cambay) near Surat in Gujarat. The Tapti River basin encompasses an expansive area of 65,145 square kilometers (25,153 square miles), draining portions of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.

Unlike most Indian rivers that flow eastward toward the Bay of Bengal, the Tapti's westward course makes it hydrologically distinctive. Along with the Narmada River, it's one of only three major rivers in peninsular India that flow from east to west.