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Question 2 of 12 · Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India
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Which is the largest river of peninsular India?

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Answer: Option B — Godavari

Detailed Solution

The Godavari is the largest river of peninsular India and the second-longest river in India after the Ganga. It is about 1,465 kilometres long. Because of its size and religious importance, it is often called the "Dakshin Ganga" (Ganga of the South) or "Vriddha Ganga" (Old Ganga).

Course of the Godavari:

  • It rises at Trimbakeshwar, near Nashik, in Maharashtra, in the Western Ghats, at an altitude of about 1,067 metres.
  • It flows eastward across the Deccan Plateau, through Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Its basin also covers parts of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. It has the largest river basin in peninsular India, covering about 3.13 lakh square kilometres, nearly 10% of India's area. Maharashtra has the largest share of the basin.

Near Rajahmundry (Rajamahendravaram), it divides into two main branches, the Gautami and the Vasishta, and forms a large, fertile delta before entering the Bay of Bengal.

Important tributaries:

  • Left bank: Purna, Penganga, Wardha, Wainganga, Pranhita (formed by the Wardha, Wainganga and Penganga), Indravati and Sabari.
  • Right bank: Pravara, Manjira and Manair.
  • The Pranhita is its largest tributary.

Important projects on the Godavari include the Jayakwadi Dam (Maharashtra), the Sriram Sagar Project and the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (Telangana), the Polavaram Project (Andhra Pradesh), a national project, and the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram.

The Godavari is sacred to Hindus. The Kumbh Mela is held at Nashik-Trimbakeshwar every 12 years on its banks, and the Godavari Pushkaram is held at Rajahmundry. Nanded, with the Hazur Sahib gurdwara, and Bhadrachalam are also on its banks.

Other major peninsular rivers:

  • Krishna: the second-largest east-flowing peninsular river, rising at Mahabaleshwar.
  • Kaveri: rises at Talakaveri in Karnataka; called the "Dakshin Ganga" in some texts too.
  • Narmada: the largest west-flowing river of peninsular India, flowing through a rift valley.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗The Krishna is the second-largest peninsular river.
  • ✗The Kaveri is smaller and flows through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
  • ✗The Narmada is the largest west-flowing peninsular river.

Quick tip

Remember: Godavari = largest peninsular river (Dakshin Ganga, 1,465 km), rises at Trimbakeshwar (Nashik), largest tributary Pranhita, Polavaram project; Narmada = largest west-flowing river.

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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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