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Question 116 of 131 · Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India
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State PCS

Ashtamudi Lake, a Ramsar site and gateway to the backwaters, is located in which state?

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Answer: Option A — Kerala

Detailed Solution

Ashtamudi Lake is located in the Kollam district of Kerala. It is the second-largest lake (backwater) in Kerala, after Vembanad Lake, and is called the "gateway to the backwaters of Kerala". Boat journeys between Kollam and Alappuzha (Alleppey) are among the most popular backwater routes.

Meaning of the name:

"Ashtamudi" means "eight branches" (ashta = eight, mudi = branches or braids) in Malayalam. The lake has a shape like a palm with many arms or channels.

Key facts:

  • It is a palm-shaped estuarine lake system, fed mainly by the Kallada river, and opens into the Arabian Sea at Neendakara, a major fishing harbour.
  • It was designated a Ramsar site (a wetland of international importance) in 2002.
  • It supports mangroves, many fish species, prawns, crabs and clams; clam fishing here was among the first in India to receive MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certification.
  • Its shores are lined with coconut groves and fishing villages.
  • The Kollam Sea Festival and boat races take place in the area.
  • Threats include pollution, land reclamation and waste dumping.

Ramsar sites in Kerala:

  • Ashtamudi Wetland (2002), Sasthamkotta Lake (2002) and Vembanad-Kol Wetland (2002).
  • Sasthamkotta is the largest freshwater lake in Kerala.
  • Vembanad is the longest lake in India and the largest lake in Kerala; the Nehru Trophy Boat Race is held on its Punnamada stretch.
  • What are backwaters?

Backwaters (kayals) are a chain of brackish lagoons and lakes parallel to the coast, connected by canals and rivers. They are typical of the Malabar coast. The West Coast Canal (National Waterway 3) uses this network.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Goa has rivers like the Mandovi and Zuari, but no lake by this name.
  • ✗Maharashtra's lakes include Lonar, a crater lake in Buldhana.
  • ✗Puducherry has the Ousteri wetland.

Quick tip

Remember: Ashtamudi (Kollam) = "eight branches", gateway to Kerala's backwaters; Vembanad = longest lake; Sasthamkotta = largest freshwater lake of Kerala.

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Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Rivers, Lakes & Dams 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 drainage system: the Himalayan rivers (the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra systems), the peninsular rivers (Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Narmada, Tapi and Mahanadi), their tributaries and origins, waterfalls, lakes, and the major dams and multipurpose river projects. Exams ask about the origin of a river, its tributaries, the cities on its banks, and the river on which a dam is built. For example, the Bhakra Nangal Dam is on the Sutlej, the Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi, and the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada. Remember that the Narmada and Tapi flow west into the Arabian Sea, while most peninsular rivers flow east. Practise the rivers, lakes and dams 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.

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