RAS question
Devprayag is the confluence of:
Correct answer: (C) Bhagirathi and Alaknanda.
Devprayag is the confluence where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda merge and flow onward as the Ganga.
Explanation
Devprayag is tested because it fixes the exact point at which the river-name sequence becomes Ganga. The official Uttarakhand Tourism page describes Devprayag as the holy site where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda merge to flow as Ganga. In the standard five-Prayag sequence, Vishnuprayag is Alaknanda-Dhauliganga, Nandprayag is Alaknanda-Nandakini, Karnaprayag is Alaknanda-Pindar, Rudraprayag is Alaknanda-Mandakini, and Devprayag is Bhagirathi-Alaknanda. Therefore, option C is not just a river-pair recall item; it identifies the confluence that marks the formation of the Ganga in this sequence.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Ganga and Yamuna refers to the Prayagraj confluence, not Devprayag.
- (B) Bhagirathi and Mandakini is not the pair for Devprayag; the supported pair is Bhagirathi and Alaknanda.
- (D) Alaknanda and Mandakini meet at Rudraprayag in the five-Prayag sequence, not at Devprayag.
Concept
This tests Indian physical geography, especially Himalayan river systems and the Panch Prayag sequence. RAS repeats such location-confluence questions because they connect map work, pilgrimage geography, and river nomenclature.