From which hills does the Chambal river originate?

The Chambal river rises at Janapav, in the Vindhya range near Mhow in the Indore district of Madhya Pradesh. The spot is also traditionally regarded as the birthplace of Parashurama.

Course of the Chambal:

• It flows north through Madhya Pradesh, then north-east through Rajasthan (where it passes Kota), and then forms the boundary between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, and later between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
• It finally joins the Yamuna in the Etawah area of Uttar Pradesh.
• It is about 960 km long and is the chief tributary of the Yamuna from the south.
• Unlike most rivers of the region, it flows north, against the general direction of many peninsular rivers.

Main tributaries:

The Banas, the Kali Sindh, the Parbati and the Shipra.

Dams and projects:

• The Chambal Valley Project, a joint venture of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, includes three dams and a barrage:
• Gandhi Sagar Dam (Madhya Pradesh),
• Rana Pratap Sagar Dam (Rawatbhata, Rajasthan),
• Jawahar Sagar Dam (Rajasthan), and
• Kota Barrage (Rajasthan).

Special features:

The Chambal is famous for its badland topography. Its valley is cut into deep ravines by severe gully erosion, forming the Chambal ravines, which were once known as a hideout for dacoits.

The National Chambal Sanctuary, a tri-state protected area of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, protects the critically endangered gharial, the red-crowned roof turtle and the Ganges river dolphin.

The Chambal is considered one of the cleanest and least polluted rivers of north India.

Why not the other options?

• ✗The Amarkantak Hills (Maikal range) are the source of the Narmada.
• ✗The Mahadeo Hills are part of the Satpura range; Pachmarhi and Dhupgarh lie here.
• ✗The Gawilgarh Hills are an offshoot of the Satpura range in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh; Chikhaldara lies here.