Himalayan Rivers Quiz: Ganga, Indus, Brahmaputra (Clerkship 2024)
A little practice. A step forward.
10 questions on the source, tributaries and names of the Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra. 📖 Read the detailed topic
From which Himalayan glacier does the Ganga originate?
The Ganga emerges from Gomukh at the Gangotri glacier in Uttarakhand, where it is called the Bhagirathi. Yamunotri is the source of the Yamuna. Milam is the glacier of the Gori Ganga, and Siachen feeds the Nubra river.
- The Ganga rises at Gomukh, Gangotri glacier
- At the source it is the Bhagirathi
- It becomes the Ganga after Devprayag
- Ganga-Gangotri, Yamuna-Yamunotri: match the names
Where do the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda meet to form the Ganga?
At Devprayag in Uttarakhand the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda join and the river is called the Ganga. At Rudraprayag the Mandakini joins the Alaknanda, and at Karnaprayag the Pindar does. At Prayagraj the Ganga meets the Yamuna.
- Five Prayags on the Alaknanda: Vishnuprayag, Nandaprayag, Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag, Devprayag
- The Ganga enters the plains at Haridwar
- Prayagraj (Ganga-Yamuna) is different from Devprayag (Bhagirathi-Alaknanda)
- The last prayag, Dev-prayag, is where the Ganga is born
Which river is called the 'Sorrow of Bihar'?
The Kosi flows from Nepal into Bihar and joins the Ganga. It often changes course and causes huge flood damage, so it is called the 'Sorrow of Bihar'. The Gandak and Ghaghara are also left-bank tributaries, but this title belongs to the Kosi.
- Kosi, Gandak, Ghaghara: left-bank tributaries of the Ganga
- The Son is a right-bank tributary
- The Damodar was called the 'Sorrow of Bengal', the Kosi the 'Sorrow of Bihar'
- Kosi = Kashta (trouble): the sorrow of Bihar
| Bank | Main tributaries of the Ganga |
|---|---|
| Left | Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi |
| Right | Yamuna, Son |
Which distributary leaves the Ganga near Farakka in Murshidabad and flows south?
At Farakka the Ganga splits: the main stream goes to Bangladesh as the Padma, while the Bhagirathi flows south through Murshidabad, Nadia and Hooghly as the Hooghly river and reaches the sea. The Farakka Barrage releases water into the Bhagirathi to support Kolkata port. The Meghna is a Bangladeshi river and the Mayurakshi is a tributary of the Bhagirathi.
- Farakka Barrage was built to keep the Bhagirathi-Hooghly navigable
- The main Ganga enters Bangladesh as the Padma
- At Farakka: main stream east as Padma, branch south as Bhagirathi
Where is the source of the Indus?
The Indus rises from the Bokhar Chu glacier near Lake Mansarovar and Mount Kailash in Tibet and enters India through Ladakh. Leh lies on its bank but is not the source. The main river of the Kashmir Valley is the Jhelum.
- The Indus enters India through Ladakh
- It flows through Pakistan to the Arabian Sea
- It is fed by the five rivers of Punjab
- Both the Indus and the Brahmaputra begin near Mansarovar
Which of the following is NOT a tributary of the Indus?
The Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, the five rivers of Punjab, are tributaries of the Indus. The Yamuna is a tributary of the Ganga: it rises at the Yamunotri glacier and joins the Ganga at Prayagraj.
- Five tributaries of the Indus: Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej
- Punjab means the land of five rivers
- The Yamuna is a right-bank tributary of the Ganga
- J-C-R-B-S: Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej
| River | Source | Joins |
|---|---|---|
| Indus | Near Mansarovar, Tibet | Arabian Sea |
| Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej | Himalaya | The Indus |
| Yamuna | Yamunotri | The Ganga (Prayagraj) |
Which river of Sikkim and North Bengal is a tributary of the Brahmaputra?
The Teesta rises in Sikkim, flows through the Jalpaiguri region of West Bengal and joins the Brahmaputra (Jamuna) in Bangladesh. The Damodar, Ajay and Kangsabati are rivers of South Bengal that come from the Chota Nagpur plateau and drain towards the Hooghly.
- The Teesta is a right-bank tributary of the Brahmaputra
- Other North Bengal rivers: Torsa, Jaldhaka, Mahananda
- Teesta in the north, Damodar in the south of Bengal
What is the Brahmaputra called in Tibet?
In Tibet the Brahmaputra is the Yarlung Tsangpo (Tsangpo). In Arunachal Pradesh it is the Siang or Dihang, and in Assam the Brahmaputra. The Meghna is a river of Bangladesh and the Lohit is a tributary of the Brahmaputra.
- Names in order: Tsangpo (Tibet) → Siang/Dihang (Arunachal) → Brahmaputra (Assam) → Jamuna (Bangladesh)
- It cuts through the Himalaya in a deep gorge
- Tsangpo → Siang → Brahmaputra → Jamuna: four names
| Region | Name of the river |
|---|---|
| Tibet | Tsangpo |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Siang / Dihang |
| Assam | Brahmaputra |
| Bangladesh | Jamuna |
By what name is the Brahmaputra known in Bangladesh?
In Bangladesh the Brahmaputra flows as the 'Jamuna', joins the Padma, and the Padma and Meghna together fall into the Bay of Bengal. India's Yamuna is a completely different river, a tributary of the Ganga.
- Bangladesh's Jamuna = the Brahmaputra
- The Ganga and Brahmaputra together build the Sundarbans delta, the largest in the world
- India's Yamuna (tributary of the Ganga) and Bangladesh's Jamuna (the Brahmaputra) are not the same
- Two Yamunas: India's joins the Ganga, Bangladesh's is the Brahmaputra
Majuli, one of the largest river islands, lies in which river?
Majuli is a river island in the Brahmaputra in Assam, the largest in India. The Brahmaputra widens in the monsoon and shifts course, forming many sandbars and islands. The other three rivers have no such famous island.
- Majuli is also a district of Assam
- The Brahmaputra is Assam's main river and a cause of floods
- Majuli = island of the Brahmaputra
📊 Topic Analysis
10 questions on the source, tributaries and names of the Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra.
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