Vision Academy EducareVision Academy Educare
Question 114 of 131 · Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India
Questionmedium
This question was previously asked in

State PCS

Which sacred confluence in Uttarakhand lies where the Dhauliganga meets the Alaknanda?

Answer View answer ▾

Answer: Option B — Vishnuprayag

Detailed Solution

Vishnuprayag is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, near Joshimath, at the meeting point of the Dhauliganga river and the Alaknanda river. It is the first of the Panch Prayag along the Alaknanda's course.

The Panch Prayag (five sacred confluences on the Alaknanda), in downstream order:

  • Vishnuprayag: Alaknanda + Dhauliganga.
  • Nandprayag: Alaknanda + Nandakini.
  • Karnaprayag: Alaknanda + Pindar.
  • Rudraprayag: Alaknanda + Mandakini.
  • Devprayag: Alaknanda + Bhagirathi, after which the river is called the Ganga.

About Vishnuprayag:

It is named after Lord Vishnu. According to tradition, the sage Narada meditated here and Vishnu appeared before him.

An octagonal temple, believed to have been built in the 19th century by a queen of Indore, stands at the confluence.

The Vishnuprayag Hydroelectric Project, a run-of-the-river project, is located here.

It lies on the route to Badrinath, the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib.

The nearby town of Joshimath (Jyotirmath) is the seat of one of the four mathas traditionally said to have been founded by Adi Shankaracharya. In 2022-23, the town drew national attention when cracks appeared in houses and roads because of land subsidence.

About the Dhauliganga:

  • The Dhauliganga rises near the Niti Pass on the India-Tibet border.
  • In February 2021, a flash flood linked to a rock and ice avalanche in the Rishiganga-Dhauliganga valley damaged the Rishiganga and Tapovan-Vishnugad hydropower projects.

📌 Remember

Another river, also called Dhauliganga, flows in the Pithoragarh district and joins the Kali.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Devprayag is the last of the five, where the Bhagirathi joins and the Ganga is formed.
  • ✗Nandprayag is the confluence with the Nandakini.
  • ✗Rudraprayag is the confluence with the Mandakini.

Quick tip

Remember: Panch Prayag order = Vishnu, Nand, Karna, Rudra, Dev ("Very New Kids Read Daily"); Vishnuprayag = Alaknanda + Dhauliganga.

💬 Discussions on this question

Ask a doubt ›

Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.

Ask a doubt

More Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India Questions

View all ›
  1. Q1.The world's largest river island, Majuli, is located in the:
  2. Q2.Which is the largest river of peninsular India?
  3. Q3.Which is the largest tributary of the Indus river?
  4. Q4.The Mettur Dam, built on the Kaveri river, is located in:
  5. Q5.Kolleru Lake, one of the largest freshwater lakes in India, is located in:

More General Knowledge Questions

  1. Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
  2. Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
  3. Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
  4. Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
  5. Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms

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.

‹ All Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India questionsBrowse all topics ›