RAS question
West Banas River originates from which area?
Correct answer: (D) Aravalli near Sirohi.
The West Banas River originates in the Aravalli hills near Sirohi, specifically in the hills south of Sirohi and Pindwara towns.
Explanation
The West Banas River should be located in Rajasthan's south-western drainage setting, not confused with the better-known Banas that is linked with the Chambal system. The official West Banas River Basin atlas states that the river originates in the hills south of Sirohi and Pindwara towns, initially flowing through a valley near these towns in the Mount Abu range of the Aravalli hills. This supports option D: Aravalli near Sirohi. It flows for 50 km within Rajasthan before entering Gujarat, then continues westward and joins the Little Rann of Kutch. The key exam trap is the name: West Banas is a separate west-flowing river, not the eastern Banas.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Nag Pahar is associated with the origin of the Luni, so it does not identify the source area of the West Banas.
- (B) Khamnor Hills are associated with the origin of the Banas, not the separate West Banas River.
- (C) Gogunda Hills are associated with the origin of the Berach, so they do not match the West Banas source described near Sirohi.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan drainage geography, especially the distinction between similarly named rivers and their source regions. It recurs in RAS because river-origin questions often check precise mapping of Aravalli hill tracts to western and eastern drainage systems.