RAS question
Tilwara in Rajasthan is a Mesolithic site on which river?
Correct answer: (A) Luni.
Tilwara in Rajasthan is a Mesolithic site on the banks of the Luni River in Barmer district.
Explanation
Tilwara belongs to the Mesolithic phase of Rajasthan's prehistory and is located in Pachparma Tehsil of Barmer district on the banks of the Luni River. That river setting is the key exam point: the site is not just a generic Mesolithic locality but one specifically associated with the Luni. Excavations at Tilwara yielded very fine geometric microliths along with crude pottery, and the site also provides evidence of animal domestication and comparison with Bagor. Together, these details explain why Tilwara is remembered in RAS history questions as a Mesolithic settlement on the Luni rather than as part of the eastern Rajasthan river systems.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Mahi is one of the eastern river systems named for the more fertile tract east of the Aravallis, while Tilwara is placed in Barmer on the Luni.
- (C) Banas belongs to the eastern side of the Aravallis, whereas Tilwara is specifically located on the Luni River.
- (D) Chambal is also associated with the eastern Rajasthan river plains, not with the Barmer Mesolithic site of Tilwara.
Concept
This tests the mapping of prehistoric sites to their physical setting, a recurring RAS theme because Rajasthan's archaeology is closely tied to river valleys, the Aravallis and the Thar-Luni region. Tilwara matters because Mesolithic evidence such as microliths and domestication is often asked through site-location pairs.