UPSC Prelims 2019 Q23: Geography – Indian Rivers & Water Resources
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only
Explanation
Pilgrimage Cities and Their Rivers
| Place | River | Verdict | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Pandharpur (Maharashtra) | Chandrabhaga (Bhima) | CORRECT | Pandharpur is on the Bhima river, called Chandrabhaga here (crescent-moon bend); home of Vithoba temple, Warkari pilgrimage. |
| 2. Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu) | Cauvery | CORRECT | Trichy sits on the banks of the Cauvery; the Rockfort temple and Srirangam (Ranganathaswamy) island in the Cauvery are here. |
| 3. Hampi (Karnataka) | Malaprabha | FALSE | Hampi is on the Tungabhadra, NOT Malaprabha. Vijayanagara ruins on the south bank of the Tungabhadra. |
Pairs 1 and 2 are correct; pair 3 is wrong. Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only.
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Pandharpur-Chandrabhaga and Tiruchirappalli-Cauvery are correct; Hampi is on the Tungabhadra, not the Malaprabha.
- (b) Incorrect. Pair 3 (Hampi-Malaprabha) is wrong - Hampi is on the Tungabhadra.
- (c) Incorrect. Pair 2 (Trichy-Cauvery) is correct, and pair 3 is wrong.
- (d) Incorrect. Pair 3 is false; Hampi stands on the Tungabhadra, not the Malaprabha.
Key point
Pandharpur = Chandrabhaga (Bhima). Trichy = Cauvery. Hampi = Tungabhadra (NOT Malaprabha). Malaprabha flows through Badami/Aihole/Pattadakal (Chalukyan sites).
Remember
Pandharpur is on the Chandrabhaga (a name for the Bhima river) and Tiruchirappalli is on the Cauvery - both pairs correct. Hampi (Vijayanagara) is on the Tungabhadra, NOT the Malaprabha (which flows past Badami). Answer: 1 and 2 only.
Common mistakes
- Confusing Tungabhadra with Malaprabha - both are Krishna tributaries but different sites (Hampi vs Badami).
- Forgetting Chandrabhaga is a local name for Bhima at Pandharpur (crescent shape).
- Assuming Trichy is on the Kaveri delta - it is on the Cauvery (older upstream stretch) with Srirangam island.
Exam tip
Sacred-town + river anchors: Ujjain-Shipra, Nasik-Godavari, Haridwar-Ganga, Prayagraj-Ganga/Yamuna/Saraswati, Puri-none (Bay of Bengal), Rameswaram-none (Palk Strait), Pandharpur-Chandrabhaga, Hampi-Tungabhadra, Badami-Malaprabha.
Sources
- NCERT Class 11 - India: Physical Environment (Drainage system)
- Survey of India - District maps for cultural sites