RAS question
The Tungabhadra River, a major tributary of the Krishna, is formed by the confluence of:
Correct answer: (A) Tunga and Bhadra rivers in Karnataka.
The Tungabhadra River is formed by the confluence of the Tunga and Bhadra rivers in Karnataka.
Explanation
The Tungabhadra is a major tributary of the Krishna, and its formation is tied directly to its name: it is made by the meeting of the Tunga and Bhadra rivers at Koodli, near Shimoga in Karnataka. India-WRIS supports this core river-system fact, noting under the Krishna River System that the Tungabhadra is the Krishna's most important tributary and is itself formed by the Tunga and Bhadra rivers, both originating in the Western Ghats. This is why option A is the only correct confluence pair. The surrounding facts also matter for RAS: the Tungabhadra Dam near Hospet is a major irrigation and power project, Hampi stands on its banks, and the river later joins the Krishna near Kurnool.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Bhima and Ghatprabha are different tributaries in the Krishna system; they do not combine to form the Tungabhadra.
- (C) Krishna and Venna cannot be the formation pair because the Tungabhadra is a tributary of the Krishna, while Venna is associated with the Krishna's source, not with forming the Tungabhadra.
- (D) Musi and Manjra are not the Tunga-Bhadra pair that forms the Tungabhadra; they belong to different tributary contexts.
Concept
This tests Indian drainage systems, especially how major peninsular rivers and their tributaries are identified through source, confluence and basin relationships. It recurs in RAS because river systems connect physical geography with irrigation projects, historical sites and regional location questions.