The Amarkantak Hills is the source of which of the following rivers ? . 1. Narmada 2. Mahanadi 3. Tapti 4. Son Select the correct answer using the code given below :

The Amarkantak Hills, located in the Maikal range of Madhya Pradesh, serve as a significant watershed for several major Indian rivers. The Narmada River originates from the Amarkantak plateau, specifically from a water body known as Narmada Kund, and flows westward through a rift valley [4]. The Son River, a major south-bank tributary of the Ganga, also originates from the Amarkantak plateau near the source of the Narmada before flowing northeast [3]. While the Mahanadi is often associated with the broader Amarkantak region in general geographical contexts, its specific source is the Sihawa hills in the Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh [2]. The Tapti (Tapi) river originates from the Multai reserve forest in the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh, not Amarkantak. Therefore, Narmada, Son, and Mahanadi (in a regional sense) are linked to this source, making option 4 the most accurate choice.

Sources

1. [1] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > Narmada River > p. 20
2. [3] CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I ,Geography, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Drainage > The Narmada Basin > p. 21
3. [4] INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Drainage System > River Systems of the Peninsular Drainage > p. 24
4. [2] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > The Son River > p. 16