Understanding Indian Rivers and Their Features

Let's carefully examine each statement provided in the question regarding important Indian rivers.

Statement 1: Tsangpo crosses over into India under the name of Dihang.

This statement is about the Brahmaputra river system. The Brahmaputra river originates in Tibet, China, where it is known as Yarlung Tsangpo. As it flows eastward through Tibet, it takes a southward bend and enters India in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. In Arunachal Pradesh, it is indeed known by the name Dihang. Further downstream, it is joined by other tributaries like Dibang and Lohit, and only then is it called the Brahmaputra in Assam. Therefore, the statement that Tsangpo enters India as Dihang is correct.

Statement 2: Godavari has the second largest river basin covering about 10 percent of the area of India.

India's river basins vary significantly in size. The largest river basin in India belongs to the Ganga river system. Following the Ganga, the Godavari river basin is the second largest in the country. It covers a substantial area, spread across states like Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha. The total area covered by the Godavari basin is approximately 312,812 square kilometers, which accounts for about 9.5% of the total geographical area of India. Rounding this figure, it is often stated to cover about 10 percent of the area. Thus, this statement is also correct.

• Largest River Basin: Ganga Basin
• Second Largest River Basin: Godavari Basin

Statement 3: Rivers Chambal and Betwa are the important tributaries of river Ganga which join river Ganga directly in Uttar Pradesh.

The Chambal and Betwa are significant rivers in the central Indian region. However, they are not direct tributaries of the river Ganga. Instead, they are important tributaries of the Yamuna river. The Yamuna river itself is the largest tributary of the Ganga river. The Yamuna joins the Ganga at Prayagraj (Allahabad) in Uttar Pradesh. The Chambal river joins the Yamuna in Etawah district, Uttar Pradesh, while the Betwa river joins the Yamuna near Hamirpur in Uttar Pradesh. Since Chambal and Betwa join the Yamuna and not the Ganga directly, this statement is incorrect.

• Chambal is a tributary of Yamuna.
• Betwa is a tributary of Yamuna.
• Yamuna is a tributary of Ganga.

Conclusion on Statements

Based on the analysis:

• Statement 1 is Correct.
• Statement 2 is Correct.
• Statement 3 is Incorrect.

Therefore, the correct statements are 1 and 2.

Revision Table: Key Indian River Facts

Additional Information on Indian River Systems

India is blessed with numerous rivers that are crucial for its economy, agriculture, and culture. These rivers are broadly classified into two major groups:

1. Himalayan Rivers: These rivers originate from the Himalayas. They are perennial, meaning they flow throughout the year because they are fed by both rain and melting snow. Examples include the Ganga, Indus, and Brahmaputra.
2. Peninsular Rivers: These rivers originate from the Peninsular plateau. Most of them are seasonal, depending mainly on rainfall. Examples include the Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, Mahanadi (east flowing, into Bay of Bengal), and Narmada, Tapi (west flowing, into Arabian Sea).

Understanding the river systems, their tributaries, basins, and flow patterns is important for studying India's geography.