Rivers of India — Set 5

Correct Answer: C. Chhattisgarh

• **Mahanadi** = originates in the Sihawa hills of Chhattisgarh, flows east through Odisha to the Bay of Bengal forming a large delta. • **858 km** — total length of Mahanadi; its basin is crucial for rice cultivation in Chhattisgarh and Odisha. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: MP: Mahanadi's source is in Chhattisgarh, which was carved from MP in 2000; Maharashtra: has Godavari and Krishna sources, not Mahanadi; Odisha: Mahanadi flows through Odisha but originates in Chhattisgarh.

Correct Answer: C. Hindan

• **Hindan River** = a left-bank (northern) tributary of the Yamuna, joining near Delhi; a rain-fed river originating in Saharanpur district, UP. • **400 km** — approximate length of Hindan; considered one of India's most polluted rivers due to industrial discharge. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Ken: right-bank tributary from Vindhya hills, MP; Betwa: right-bank tributary from MP; Chambal: right-bank tributary draining MP and Rajasthan.

Correct Answer: B. Luni

• **Luni River** = called 'Salt River' (Lavana-vari) because desert groundwater of Rajasthan makes its lower reaches highly saline. • **495 km** — length of Luni; the only significant river in the Thar Desert, disappearing into the Rann of Kutch. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Mahi: flows into Gulf of Khambhat, a freshwater river; Banas: Chambal tributary in Rajasthan, not called salt river; Sabarmati: important Gujarat river, not saline.

Correct Answer: A. Sutlej and Beas

• **Indira Gandhi Canal** = draws water from the Harike Barrage at the confluence of the Sutlej and Beas rivers in Punjab. • **649 km** — total length of Indira Gandhi Canal, India's longest canal, transforming western Rajasthan's desert into farmland. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Beas and Chenab: Chenab is allocated to Pakistan under Indus Waters Treaty; Jhelum and Chenab: both western rivers given to Pakistan; Sutlej and Ravi: Ravi does not feed the Harike Barrage.

Correct Answer: B. Suheli

• **Suheli River** = flows through Dudhwa National Park in UP along with the Mohana river; supports Swamp Deer habitat in this Terai wetland. • **1977** — year Dudhwa was declared a National Park; Suheli's wetlands are vital for its tiger and rhino populations. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Sarda: flows along Nepal border, west of Dudhwa; Gomti: flows through Lucknow, not inside Dudhwa; Ghaghara: large river north of Dudhwa, not flowing inside the park.

Correct Answer: A. Sivagiri Hills

• **Periyar River** = originates in the Sivagiri Hills of the Western Ghats; Kerala's longest river, vital for irrigation and hydropower. • **244 km** — length of Periyar; the Idukki Dam, one of Asia's highest arch dams, is built on this river. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Agastya Mala: peak in south Kerala, source of smaller rivers; Anamudi: highest peak in south India, not the Periyar source; Silent Valley: region through which Kunthipuzha flows, not Periyar.

Correct Answer: D. Jamuna

• **Jamuna** = name of the Brahmaputra after it enters Bangladesh; joins the Padma (Ganga's main branch) forming the Meghna estuary. • **3** — the three names the same river uses: Tsangpo (Tibet) then Dihang/Brahmaputra (India) then Jamuna (Bangladesh). • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Meghna: forms after Padma and Jamuna meet, not the direct Brahmaputra name; Padma: Ganga's main channel in Bangladesh; Dhaleshwari: a distributary of Brahmaputra, not the main channel.

Correct Answer: B. Sabarmati

• **Sabarmati Basin** = among the given options, the smallest basin, covering mainly Gujarat and southern Rajasthan. • **21,674 sq km** — Sabarmati basin area, far smaller than Ganga (8.6 lakh sq km) and Tapi (65,000 sq km). • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Mahi: basin ~34,842 sq km, larger than Sabarmati; Ganga: India's largest basin at ~8.6 lakh sq km; Tapi: basin ~65,000 sq km, about 3 times the size of Sabarmati.

Correct Answer: C. Jog Falls

• **Jog Falls** = created by the Sharavati river in Shimoga district, Karnataka; India's second-highest plunge waterfall, dropping about 253 m. • **253 m** — height of Jog Falls, comprising four distinct cascades: Raja, Rani, Rover, and Rocket. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Unchalli Falls: on the Aghanashini river, Karnataka; Gokak Falls: on the Ghataprabha river, Karnataka; Dudhsagar Falls: on the Mandovi river on the Goa-Karnataka border.

Correct Answer: B. Godavari

• **Godavari** = symbolically called 'Shakti' of the Deccan due to its role in irrigating ~10% of India's land and sustaining the Satavahana dynasty. • **10%** — share of India's total geographical area drained by the Godavari basin, the largest drainage basin in Peninsular India. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Krishna: second-largest peninsular river, no 'Shakti' title; Tapi: west-flowing rift valley river, much smaller basin; Narmada: west-flowing Central Indian river, not a Deccan river.