Question

Which river is known as ‘Ganga of the south’?
A) Krishna
B) Godavari
C) Cauvery
D) Narmada

Answer 1

Hint:
- It is one of India's seven sacred rivers.
- It is a holy river in South India.
- It's a river that flows through the Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
- It begins in the Western Ghats at Talakaveri in the Kodagu district of Karnataka and runs via Tamil Nadu.

Complete answer:
The river splits into a large number of distributaries south of Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, before emptying into the Bay of Bengal, creating a vast delta known as the "garden of southern India." The Kaveri River, also known as Daksina Ganga (“Southern Ganga”) by devout Hindus, is revered in Tamil for its beauty and sanctity.

Option A. Krishna : After the Ganga, Godavari, and Brahmaputra, the Krishna River is India's fourth-largest river in terms of water inflows and river basin area. The river extends for nearly 1,288 kilometres (800 miles). Krishnaveni is another name for the river. Krishna river is also called Krishnaveni but not Ganga of the south. Hence, this option is incorrect.

Option B. Godavari: Dakshin Ganga and Gautami are two other names for the river. The Godavari is the peninsula's largest river. It flows through Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh, draining nearly half of the states. Godavari river is also called Dakshin Ganga and Gautami. Hence, this option is incorrect.

Option C.Cauvery: The Cauvery is also known as the Dakshin Ganga or the Ganga of the South.
The Kaveri (also known as the Cauvery) is a river in India that flows through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The Kaveri river rises at Talakaveri in the Western Ghats' Brahmagiri range, in the Kodagu district of Karnataka, at an elevation of 1,341 metres above sea level, and flows for around 800 kilometres before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.

It is the third largest river in South India, after the Godavari and Krishna, and the largest in the state of Tamil Nadu, bisecting the state into north and south. The Kaveri is a holy river in South India, where it is revered as the Goddess Kaveriamma. The Kaveri is also one of India's seven sacred rivers. Cauvery river is also called Ganga of the south. Hence this option is correct.
Option D. Narmada : The Narmada River, also known as the Reva and historically as the Narbada, is a river in India (Nerbudda). This river flows through the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. It's also recognized as "Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat's Lifeline" because of its numerous contributions to the states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. Narmada river is also called Reva but not Ganga of the south. Hence, this option is incorrect.

Thus the correct answer is option ‘C’.

Note:
i) The Kaveri's main functions are to provide water for irrigation, household use, and electricity generation.
ii) The KRS (Krishna Raja Sagar) dam, Amaravathi dam, Mettur dam, Upper Anicut dam, and Kallanai dam are just a few of the many dams constructed along this river's meandering course. The Kallanai dam in Tiruchirappalli is the world's second-oldest operating dam, dating from the first to second centuries AD. In 1902, Asia's first hydroelectric dam was built on the Kaveri's Shivanasamudra waterfalls.