Geography (India & World) • Topic 2 of 4

Rivers, Mountains & Lakes

The Ganga is India's longest river. Peninsular rivers include the Godavari (longest in the south, the 'Dakshin Ganga'); the Narmada and Tapti are the two big rivers that flow WEST into the Arabian Sea.

Two families of rivers

Himalayan riversPeninsular rivers
ExamplesGanga, Indus, BrahmaputraGodavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Narmada, Tapti
Sourcesnow / glaciers (flow all year)rainfall (seasonal)
LongestGanga (longest in India)Godavari ("Dakshin Ganga")

Which way do they flow?

Deccan Plateau Narmada, Tapti Arabian Sea (West) Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri Bay of Bengal (East)
Narmada & Tapti are the west-flowing exceptions; the rest drain east into the Bay of Bengal.
Lakes to remember. Wular (largest freshwater lake, J&K) · Chilika (largest brackish-water lagoon, Odisha) · Sambhar (largest salt lake, Rajasthan).

✅ Solved examples

1. Which is the longest river in India?
The Ganga.
2. Which south-Indian river is called the Dakshin Ganga?
The Godavari (longest peninsular river).
3. Which two major rivers flow westward into the Arabian Sea?
The Narmada and the Tapti.
4. India's largest brackish-water lagoon is?
Chilika Lake, in Odisha.

✏️ Practice — try these, take hints as needed

1. The largest freshwater lake in India is?
In Jammu & Kashmir.
—
—
Wular Lake
2. Longest river in peninsular (south) India?
Dakshin Ganga.
—
—
Godavari
3. Sambhar, India's largest salt lake, is in which state?
Desert state.
—
—
Rajasthan
4. The Narmada flows into which sea?
West coast.
—
—
Arabian Sea
5. Longest river in India overall?
Northern plains.
—
—
Ganga

📝 Topic test — 8 questions

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