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mediumQ. No. 14331-which-river-in-india-is-known-for-the-gangasagar-mela

Which river in India is known for the 'Gangasagar Mela'?

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This question examines an important river-or-lake fact: “Which river in India is known for the 'Gangasagar Mela'?” The correct answer is Ganga. The Gangasagar Mela is held at Sagar Island (Sagardwip) in West Bengal, where the Ganga (through its distributary Hooghly) meets the Bay of Bengal. It is the second largest pilgrimage in India after the Kumbh Mela. A river system includes its source, tributaries, distributaries, drainage basin, watershed, channel, floodplain, delta or estuary and final outlet. River behaviour depends on relief, geology, rainfall, snowmelt, sediment load, vegetation and human intervention. Examination questions often confuse a river’s source with its mouth, a left-bank tributary with a right-bank tributary, or a natural lake with a reservoir.

AHooghly
BBhagirathi
CGanga
DDamodar
Correct Answer: GangaYour Answer: C

Explanation

Correct Answer: Option C — Ganga Gangasagar Mela is held at Sagar Island in West Bengal, where the Ganga river system reaches the Bay of Bengal through the Bhagirathi–Hooghly channel. Pilgrims gather around Makar Sankranti for a holy dip near the confluence and to visit the Kapil Muni Temple. - Option A — Hooghly: The Hooghly is the distributary channel through which the Ganga reaches Sagar Island; it is closely related, but the expected river-system answer is Ganga. - Option B — Bhagirathi: Bhagirathi is the upper part of the Bhagirathi–Hooghly channel in West Bengal, not the standard answer used for Gangasagar. - Option D — Damodar: The Damodar joins the Hooghly system upstream and is not the river identified with the mela. Exam Takeaway: Gangasagar means the Ganga at Sagar Island meeting the Bay of Bengal.

Important Notes

  • Gangasagar is located on Sagar Island in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, near the mouth of the Ganga river system and the Bay of Bengal.
  • The annual fair is associated with Makar Sankranti and the Kapil Muni Temple. Geography questions usually focus on the confluence, island location and Ganga connection.
  • The Damodar rises on the Chota Nagpur Plateau and joins the Hooghly system upstream. It is historically called the Sorrow of Bengal but is not the Gangasagar river answer.
  • Sagar Island should not be confused with Ganga Sagar Lake in Rajasthan. The former is a deltaic island and pilgrimage site on the West Bengal coast.

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What are the major rivers of India and which are the longest?

Major rivers of India: Ganga (2525 km, longest in India), Godavari (1465 km, longest peninsular river), Krishna (1400 km), Yamuna (1376 km), Narmada (1312 km), Indus (1114 km in India). Rivers are classified as Himalayan rivers (perennial, fed by glaciers) and Peninsular rivers (mostly seasonal). The Ganga basin is the largest river basin in India.

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