MPPSC 2023 Prelims Paper-I · Question 57 of 100

Correct — D, Vaitarna. The Vaitarna is a west-flowing river of Maharashtra that originates in the Trimbak (Tryambakeshwar) hills of the Western Ghats in Nashik district — the same hill range from which the Godavari rises on its eastern side. From its source the Vaitarna flows westward through Nashik, Thane and Palghar districts before emptying into the Arabian Sea; its reservoir (Vaitarna Dam) is an important drinking-water source for Mumbai.

• (a)Shetrunji — A river of the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, rising in the Gir hills and flowing into the Gulf of Khambhat — unrelated to the Trimbak hills of Nashik.
• (b)Bhadra — A river of Karnataka, rising in the Western Ghats near the Kudremukh range and joining the Tunga to form the Tungabhadra (part of the Krishna system) — not sourced from the Trimbak hills.
• (c)Dhadhar — A river of Gujarat, rising in the hilly tract near Panchmahal and draining into the Gulf of Khambhat — not connected to the Trimbak hills.

The Trimbak (Tryambakeshwar) hills, part of the Western Ghats in Nashik district, are a notable river-source point in peninsular India — the Godavari, one of India's major east-flowing rivers, rises here on the eastern slope, while the Vaitarna, a west-flowing river, rises on the western slope of the same range and drains directly into the Arabian Sea.

Such questions test whether a student can distinguish a short, west-flowing coastal river of Maharashtra from east-flowing peninsular rivers or rivers native to a different state (Gujarat, Karnataka) — the trap is naming a real river from the wrong region.

• Vaitarna: a west-flowing river of Maharashtra, rising in the Trimbak (Tryambakeshwar) hills, Nashik district
• The Godavari also rises in the same Trimbak hills, but flows eastward across the peninsula
• The Vaitarna empties into the Arabian Sea after flowing through Nashik, Thane and Palghar districts
• The Vaitarna reservoir/dam is a key drinking-water source for Mumbai

• Confusing the Vaitarna (Maharashtra) with similarly-named or same-region rivers from Gujarat or Karnataka
• Assuming any river rising in the Western Ghats must flow east into the Bay of Bengal

Typically a direct 'which river rises from X hills/range' question, sometimes paired with the Godavari to test that the same range feeds both an east- and a west-flowing river.

No directly related past PYQ was found.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  The Godavari river, one of India's major east-flowing peninsular rivers, originates near which town in Nashik district?

  • (a)Trimbakeshwar
  • (b)Nashik city
  • (c)Igatpuri
  • (d)Bhimashankar

  Answer(a) Trimbakeshwar — the Godavari's source lies in the Trimbak hills here.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Which of the following is a west-flowing river of Maharashtra that drains directly into the Arabian Sea?

  • (a)Godavari
  • (b)Krishna
  • (c)Vaitarna
  • (d)Cauvery

  Answer(c) Vaitarna — it flows west from the Western Ghats straight to the Arabian Sea, unlike the east-flowing Godavari, Krishna and Cauvery.