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Gandikota canyon of South India was created by which one of the following rivers ?
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 3: Pennar.
The Gandikota canyon, famously known as the Grand Canyon of India, is located in the Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. It was formed by the Pennar River cutting through the Erramala hills of the Eastern Ghats over centuries. This natural gorge is characterized by massive, tiered formations of red sandstone, which the river has sculpted into a deep valley.
- Pennar (Option 3): It is the primary river responsible for the erosion and geological formation of this specific canyon near the Gandikota Fort.
- Cauvery (Option 1): Flows further south through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, forming waterfalls like Shivanasamudra but not the Gandikota canyon.
- Manjira (Option 2): A tributary of the Godavari, it flows primarily through Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Telangana.
- Tungabhadra (Option 4): A major tributary of the Krishna River, known for its rocky terrain in Hampi, but it does not traverse the Gandikota region.
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest previewThis question is a classic 'Book + News' hybrid. While Majid Husain (p.21) explicitly states the Pennar flows through a 'gorge of Cuddapah quartzite', the specific name 'Gandikota' became famous via tourism news ('Grand Canyon of India'). It rewards mapping physical features over rote memorization of tributaries.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"The Gandikota Canyon is carved by the mighty **Penna River**, which has created a dramatic gorge through ancient quartzite rock formations."
Why this source?
- Directly names the river responsible for carving Gandikota as the Penna River.
- States that the Penna River 'carved' the canyon through ancient rock formations, which attributes canyon formation to Penna rather than Cauvery.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"The river Pennar cuts through the Erramala hills, forming a gorge that tourists call the Grand Canyon of India."
Why this source?
- Explicitly says the 'river Pennar cuts through the Erramala hills, forming a gorge' called the Grand Canyon of India.
- Identifies the Pennar (Penna) as the agent forming the gorge at Gandikota, contradicting attribution to the Cauvery.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Over time, the Pennar River carved the pink granite rock of Erramala Hills and formed Gandikota Canyon."
Why this source?
- States that 'Over time, the Pennar River carved the pink granite rock of Erramala Hills and formed Gandikota Canyon.'
- Provides a clear, journalistic attribution of the canyon's formation to the Pennar River rather than the Cauvery.
- Directly names the river responsible for carving Gandikota as the Penna River.
- States that the Penna River 'carved' the canyon through ancient rock formations, which attributes canyon formation to Penna rather than Cauvery.
- Explicitly says the 'river Pennar cuts through the Erramala hills, forming a gorge' called the Grand Canyon of India.
- Identifies the Pennar (Penna) as the agent forming the gorge at Gandikota, contradicting attribution to the Cauvery.
- States that 'Over time, the Pennar River carved the pink granite rock of Erramala Hills and formed Gandikota Canyon.'
- Provides a clear, journalistic attribution of the canyon's formation to the Pennar River rather than the Cauvery.
Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > The Kaveri > p. 21
Strength: 4/5
“The Kaveri is a sacred river like the Ganga. Hence, it is called the Ganga of South India. Its length is 765 km and has a basin area 85,624 sq km. It rises from the southern part of Mysore Plateau as a rocky mountain stream forming rapids, cataracts and waterfalls. Its drainage basin receives rainfall during the summer monsoon as well as during the retreating and winter monsoon. Only 20 km above Mysore, it has been dammed to form the Krishnasagar Reservoir. It passes through the islands of Srinagapatnam and Sivasamudram. The channel around the Sivasamudram makes a succession of rapids which were harnessed to develop hydel-power in 1902.”
Why relevant
Describes the Kaveri (Cauvery) as rising on the Mysore Plateau as a rocky mountain stream forming rapids, cataracts and waterfalls.
How to extend
A student could use this to infer that the Cauvery has the energetic flow and bedrock erosive potential to carve deep features and then check maps to see if its course passes Gandikota.
Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 16: Fluvial Landforms and Cycle of Erosion > Consequent Rivers > p. 210
Strength: 3/5
“• The rivers which follow the general direction of the slope are known as the consequent rivers. Most of the rivers of peninsular India are consequent rivers. For example, rivers like the Godavari, Krishna and Cauvery, descending from the Western Ghats and flowing into the Bay of Bengal, are some of the consequent rivers of Peninsular India.”
Why relevant
States that Cauvery is a consequent peninsular river descending from the Western Ghats and flowing east to the Bay of Bengal (i.e., its general direction and origin).
How to extend
Combine with a map to verify whether the river’s downstream path goes through the Gandikota area where a canyon might be located.
INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Drainage System > River Systems of the Peninsular Drainage > p. 24
Strength: 4/5
“Flowing in a rift valley between the Satpura in the south and the Vindhyan range in the north, it forms a picturesque gorge in marble rocks and Dhuandhar waterfall near Jabalpur. After flowing a distance of about 1,312 km, it meets the Arabian sea south of Bharuch, forming a broad 27 km long estuary. Its catchment area is about 98,796 sq. km. The Sardar Sarovar Project has been constructed on this river. Collect information about Narmada river conservation mission named "Namami Devi Narmade" and discuss with your peers. The Tapi is the other important westward flowing river. It originates from Multai in the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh.”
Why relevant
Gives an example (Narmada) of a river forming a picturesque gorge in hard rock while flowing in a rift valley, showing rivers can form prominent gorges under suitable structural/geologic settings.
How to extend
A student could compare the geologic/structural setting of Gandikota (rift valley vs plateau river) to see if the Narmada-like mechanism applies to the Cauvery there.
Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > Rivers of the Western Sahyadris > p. 22
Strength: 3/5
“The western slopes of the Western Ghats receive heavy rainfall (200 to 500 cm) during the south-west monsoon. The small and swift flowing rivers traverse the narrow coastal plain. Because of heavy discharge of water and narrow width of the coastal plain they do not make delta. The main rivers merging into the Arabian sea are Surya, Kalu, Savitri (Maharashtra); Mandavi, Terekhol, Chapora, Zuvari, Sal and Talpona (Goa); Kalinadi, Gangawali, Sharavati, Tadri and Natravati in Karnataka; and Beypore, Ponnani, Bharatapuzha, Periyar and Pamba in Kerala. All these rivers have carved out narrow valleys with steep gradient forming cataracts and waterfalls.”
Why relevant
Notes that rivers on steep slopes (western Ghats) carve narrow valleys with steep gradients, cataracts and waterfalls—demonstrating the general ability of peninsular rivers to incise bedrock.
How to extend
Use this pattern plus local topography around Gandikota to judge whether incision by Cauvery could plausibly create a canyon at that location.
Describes the Kaveri (Cauvery) as rising on the Mysore Plateau as a rocky mountain stream forming rapids, cataracts and waterfalls.
A student could use this to infer that the Cauvery has the energetic flow and bedrock erosive potential to carve deep features and then check maps to see if its course passes Gandikota.
States that Cauvery is a consequent peninsular river descending from the Western Ghats and flowing east to the Bay of Bengal (i.e., its general direction and origin).
Combine with a map to verify whether the river’s downstream path goes through the Gandikota area where a canyon might be located.
Gives an example (Narmada) of a river forming a picturesque gorge in hard rock while flowing in a rift valley, showing rivers can form prominent gorges under suitable structural/geologic settings.
A student could compare the geologic/structural setting of Gandikota (rift valley vs plateau river) to see if the Narmada-like mechanism applies to the Cauvery there.
Notes that rivers on steep slopes (western Ghats) carve narrow valleys with steep gradients, cataracts and waterfalls—demonstrating the general ability of peninsular rivers to incise bedrock.
Use this pattern plus local topography around Gandikota to judge whether incision by Cauvery could plausibly create a canyon at that location.
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