RAS question
The Banas River, a major tributary of the Chambal, originates from which hills?
Correct answer: (A) Khamnor hills near Rajsamand.
The Banas River originates in the Khamnor hills of the Aravali range near Rajsamand, about 5 km from Kumbhalgarh.
Explanation
The Banas is a major tributary of the Chambal and its origin is specifically the Khamnor hills of the Aravali range, not a broader nearby hill label. India WRIS places the river's origin about 5 km from Kumbhalgarh and notes that the river flows through Rajasthan for its entire length. It then meets the Chambal near village Rameshwar in Khandar Block of Sawai Madhopur district. This matters in Rajasthan geography because Banas questions often test two linked facts together: the precise Aravali source near Rajsamand and the river's role in the Chambal system. Its important tributaries include Berach, Kothari and Morel, which further anchor it as a central river of eastern Rajasthan drainage.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Nag Pahar at Ajmer is associated with the origin of the Luni, whereas the Banas is traced to the Khamnor hills of the Aravali range.
- (C) Janapav hills in Madhya Pradesh are linked with the Chambal's origin, not with the origin of its tributary Banas.
- (D) Kumbhalgarh is close to the origin area, but India WRIS Wiki identifies the specific origin as the Khamnor hills, about 5 km from Kumbhalgarh.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan drainage, especially the source-location mapping of major rivers and their tributary systems. It recurs in RAS because river origins, confluences and tributaries are compact factual hooks used across physical geography questions.