Consider the following rivers:
- 1.Brahmani
- 2.Nagavali
- 3.Subarnarekha
- 4.Vamsadhara
Which of the above rise from the Eastern Ghats?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) 2 and 4
The Nagavali and the Vamsadhara both rise in the Eastern Ghats of Odisha, so 2 and 4 is right. The Brahmani and the Subarnarekha, by contrast, start near Nagri village in Ranchi district on the Chota Nagpur plateau of Jharkhand.
- ✗ 1. The Brahmani, known as the South Koel in its upper reaches, originates near Nagri village in Ranchi district, Jharkhand, at about 600 m.
- ✓ 2. The Nagavali rises in the Eastern Ghats (near Lakhabahal in Kalahandi district, Odisha) and reaches the Bay of Bengal near Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh.
- ✗ 3. The Subarnarekha also rises near Nagri village in Ranchi district, Jharkhand, at about 600 m elevation, and flows about 395 km to the Bay of Bengal.
- ✓ 4. The Vamsadhara rises in the Eastern Ghats of Odisha and falls into the Bay of Bengal near Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
Remember · Nagavali and Vamsadhara start in the Eastern Ghats; Brahmani (South Koel) and Subarnarekha both start near Nagri, Ranchi, on the Chota Nagpur plateau.
Sources
- Srikakulam District (Government of Andhra Pradesh): History ↗ “The Vamsadhara river rises in the Eastern Ghats of Orissa State and enters Srikakulam District in Bhamini Mandal and finally falls into the Bay of Bengal near Kalingapatnam.”
- Srikakulam District (Government of Andhra Pradesh): About District ↗ “The Nagavali and Suvarnamukhi rivers also originate in the Eastern Ghats while Nagavali in Vangara Mandal”
- India-WRIS (Ministry of Jal Shakti): Subarnarekha ↗ “It originates near Nagri village in Ranchi district of Jharkhand at an elevation of 600 m. The total length of the river is about 395 km.”
- India-WRIS (Ministry of Jal Shakti): Brahmani ↗ “The Brahmani, known as the South Koel river in the upper reaches, originates near Nagri village in Ranchi district of Jharkhand at an elevation of about 600m.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2021, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·