Question

Arrange the following west flowing Indian rivers from northernmost to southernmost based on their joining point to Arabian Sea:
(A) Narmada
(B) Mahi
(C) Periyar
(D) Tapi
Choose the correct answer from the options given below :

• A. (A), (D), (C), (B)
• B. (B), (D), (A), (C)
• C. (B), (A), (D), (C)
• D. (C), (A), (B), (D)

Hint:

Mahi, Narmada, and Tapi all drain into the Gulf of Khambhat in Gujarat from North to South in alphabetical order of their second letters (Mahi, Narmada, Tapi), while Periyar is located in Kerala, far to the south.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Indian rivers are geographically divided into east-flowing (entering the Bay of Bengal) and west-flowing rivers (entering the Arabian Sea).
Arranging these rivers from North to South requires knowledge of their estuaries or entry points along the western coast of India.
Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze the geographic coordinates of the entry points of these four west-flowing rivers into the Arabian Sea:
- (B) Mahi River: Originates in Madhya Pradesh, flows through Rajasthan and Gujarat, and enters the Gulf of Khambhat at approximately $22^\circ \text{ N}$ latitude. This is the northernmost river among the four.
- (A) Narmada River: Flows through a rift valley between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges and empties into the Gulf of Khambhat near Bharuch, Gujarat, at approximately $6^\circ \text{ N}$ latitude.
- (D) Tapi River: Flows parallel to the Narmada River to its south and empties into the Gulf of Khambhat near Surat, Gujarat, at approximately $1^\circ \text{ N}$ latitude.
- (C) Periyar River: Located in the southern state of Kerala, it is the longest river in the state and enters the Arabian Sea at Cochin at approximately $10.1^\circ \text{ N}$ latitude, making it the southernmost river in this list.
Therefore, the correct geographical sequence from northernmost to southernmost is Mahi (B) $\rightarrow$ Narmada (A) $\rightarrow$ Tapi (D) $\rightarrow$ Periyar (C).

Step 2: Final Answer:
The correct sequence is (B), (A), (D), (C), corresponding to option (3).