State PCS
Nohkalikai Falls, one of the tallest plunge waterfalls in India, is located in which state?
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Answer: Option C — Meghalaya
Detailed Solution
Nohkalikai Falls is located near Sohra (Cherrapunji) in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya. With a single drop of about 340 metres, it is often described as the tallest plunge waterfall in India.
Key facts about Nohkalikai Falls:
- The water falls from the edge of the Khasi plateau into a deep pool that often appears green or blue.
- It is fed by rainwater collected on the plateau top, so its flow is strongest in the monsoon (June to September) and much weaker in the dry winter months.
The name comes from a Khasi legend. "Noh Ka Likai" means "the leap of Ka Likai". According to the legend, a woman named Likai threw herself from the cliff in grief after a tragic event involving her child.
About the Sohra (Cherrapunji) area:
Sohra and nearby Mawsynram are among the wettest places on Earth, receiving very heavy rain from the south-west monsoon. Moist winds from the Bay of Bengal are forced to rise sharply over the Khasi hills, which are shaped like a funnel.
Other waterfalls in the area include the Nohsngithiang (Seven Sisters) Falls and Dainthlen Falls.
The region is also known for limestone caves such as Mawsmai Cave and the living root bridges built by the Khasi people from the roots of rubber fig trees.
Other famous waterfalls of India:
- Kunchikal Falls (Karnataka): among the highest tiered falls in India.
- Dudhsagar Falls (Goa-Karnataka border, on the Mandovi).
- Jog Falls (Karnataka, on the Sharavati).
- Athirappilly Falls (Kerala, on the Chalakudy river).
- Hundru Falls (Jharkhand, on the Subarnarekha).
- Chitrakote Falls (Chhattisgarh, on the Indravati), sometimes called the "Niagara of India".
Why not the other options?
- ✗Mizoram is known for the Vantawng Falls.
- ✗Arunachal Pradesh is known for the Nuranang (Jang) Falls near Tawang.
- ✗Sikkim is known for the Seven Sisters Waterfall on the road to Gangtok.
Quick tip
Remember: Nohkalikai Falls (about 340 m) = Sohra (Cherrapunji), East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya; tallest plunge fall in India.
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Physical Features of India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Physical Features of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's location and extent, its neighbours and boundary lines, and its physiographic divisions: the Himalayas, the Northern Plains, the Peninsular Plateau, the Indian Desert, the coastal plains and the islands, along with important mountain passes, peaks and hill ranges. Questions often ask which states the Tropic of Cancer passes through, the southernmost point of India (Indira Point), the highest peak in India (Kangchenjunga), and which pass connects which regions. India shares its longest land border with Bangladesh. Learning the Himalayan ranges from north to south (Himadri, Himachal and Shiwaliks) is also useful. Practise the physical features of India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.