Which of the following rivers rises from the Trimbak Hills in Nasik district?

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

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.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) 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) 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) A river of Gujarat, rising in the hilly tract near Panchmahal and draining into the Gulf of Khambhat — not connected to the Trimbak hills.

Concept: 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.

State PCS 2023 Q57 — Geography PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2023 Q57 — Geography PYQ with Answer