Ghāghara

Karnali River कर्णाली नदी
Ghaghara घाघरा
Karnali river at Nepal
Countries	China, Nepal, India
Tributaries
- left	Bheri, Sarju, Kuwana, Rapti, Chhoti Gandak
- right	Seti, Dahawar, Sarda, Budhi Ganga
Source	Mapchachungo Glacier
- location	Tibet, China
- elevation	3,962 m (12,999 ft)
Mouth	Ganges
- location	Doriganj, India
- coordinates	25°45′11″N 84°39′59″E / 25.75306°N 84.66639°E / 25.75306; 84.66639Coordinates: 25°45′11″N 84°39′59″E / 25.75306°N 84.66639°E / 25.75306; 84.66639
Length	1,080 km (671 mi)
Basin	127,950 km2 (49,402 sq mi)
Discharge
- average	2,990 m3/s (105,591 cu ft/s)
Map showing the Ghaghara and Gandaki tributaries of the Ganges

Karnali, also called Ghaghara (Nepali: कर्णाली Karṇālī [kʌrˈnɑːliː]; Hindi: घाघरा Ghāghrā [ˈɡʱɑːɡrɑː]; Chinese: 加格拉河) is a perennial trans-boundary river originating on the Tibetan Plateau near Lake Mansarovar. It cuts through the Himalayas in Nepal and joins the Sharda River at Brahmaghat in India. Together they form the Ghaghra River, a major left bank tributary of the Ganges. With a length of 507 kilometres (315 mi) it is the longest river in Nepal. The total length of Ghaghara River up to its confluence with the Ganges at Doriganj in Bihar is 1,080 kilometres (670 mi). It is the largest tributary of the Ganges by volume and the second longest tributary of the Ganges by length after Yamuna.

In Chinese it is called K'ung-ch'iao Ho(孔雀河), in Nepali it is called Kauriala and Karnali. It is also spelled Gogra, Ghaghra, Ghogra, Ghagra, or Ghāghara.

It rises in the southern slopes of the Himalayas in Tibet, in the glaciers of Mapchachungo, at an elevation of about 3,962 metres (12,999 ft) above sea level. The river flows south through one of the most remote and least explored areas of Nepal as the Karnali River. The 202-kilometre (126 mi) Seti River drains the western part of the catchment and joins the Karnali River in Doti District north of Dundras hill. Another tributary, the 264-kilometre (164 mi) long Bheri, rises in the western part of Dhaulagiri Himalaya and drains the eastern part of the catchment, meeting the Karnali near Kuineghat in Surkhet.

Cutting southward across the Siwalik Hills, it splits into two branches, the Geruwa on the left and Kauriala on the right near Chisapani to rejoin south of the Indian border and form the proper Ghaghara. Other tributaries originating in Nepal are the West Rapti, the Kali (or Mahakali) and the little Gandak. It flows southeast through Uttar Pradesh and Bihar states to join the Ganges downstream of the town of Chhapra, after a course of 1,080 kilometres (670 mi). Sarayu river is stated to be synonymous with the modern Ghaghara river or as a tributary of it.