Consider the following rivers:
- 1.Vamsadhara
- 2.Indravati
- 3.Pranahita
- 4.Pennar
Which of the above are tributaries of Godavari?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) 2 and 3 only
Only the Pranahita and the Indravati flow into the Godavari, and both are major left-bank tributaries. The Vamsadhara and the Pennar are separate east-flowing rivers that reach the Bay of Bengal on their own.
- ✗ 1. The Vamsadhara rises in Odisha and flows into the Bay of Bengal in Andhra Pradesh. It is an independent river with its own basin, not a Godavari tributary.
- ✓ 2. The Indravati rises in Odisha, flows through Chhattisgarh and joins the Godavari. It is an important left-bank tributary.
- ✓ 3. The Pranahita carries the combined waters of the Penganga, Wardha and Wainganga. It is the Godavari's largest tributary, covering about 34.87% of the basin's drainage area.
- ✗ 4. The Pennar rises in the Nandidurg range of Karnataka and flows east into the Bay of Bengal on its own. It is a separate river basin lying south of the Krishna.
Remember · Godavari's major tributaries are the Pravara, Purna, Manjira, Pranahita (largest; carries Wardha–Wainganga–Penganga), Indravati and Sabari. The Pennar and Vamsadhara are independent east-flowing rivers.
Sources
- India-WRIS: Godavari river basin ↗ “The largest tributary of the Godavari is the Pranhita with about 34.87% coverage of drainage area. … The waters of the Indravathi join the river Godavari 48 Km down stream.”
- India-WRIS: Pennar river basin ↗ “The Pennar rises in the Chenna Kasava hill of the Nandidurg range, in Chikkaballapura district of Karnataka and flows towards east eventually draining into the Bay of Bengal.”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2015, General Studies Paper I. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·
