Question

Amarkantak plateau in the maikal hills marks the origin of the river
A) Gandak
B) Chambal
C) Narmada
D) Ghaghar

Answer 1

Hint: Amarkantak is located in the Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh, at an elevation of 1065 metres, near the confluence of the Vindhya and Satpura mountain ranges, in a sylvan setting. It is 1048 metres above sea level on average. It was constructed during 1042-1122 AD by the monarch Karan Chendi. The Machendranathh at the Pataleshwar temple is a notable example of Kalchuri craftsmanship.

Complete answer:
The Amarkantak region is a rare natural heritage area where the Vindhya and Satpura Ranges meet, with the Maikal Hills serving as the fulcrum. The Narmada River, Son River, and Johila River (Tributary of Son) all originate here.

The Amarkantak plateau is home to the enormous Narmada river, as well as the Son, Mahanadi, and Arnadoh, a key tributary of the Godavari. The Narmada river is 150 million years older than the Ganga, and Amarkantak is revered by Hindus as the path to Nirvana. Legend has it that Lord Shiva himself bestowed special cleansing qualities on the Narmada. The faithful are required by tradition to take a holy plunge in the Ganga, pray for seven days on the banks of the Yamuna, and three days on the banks of the Saraswati. The devotees, on the other hand, are said to be purified simply by seeing the Narmada.

Therefore the correct answer is option ‘C’.

Note: The settlement of Amarkantak is surrounded by a diverse range of medicinal-valued vegetation. The Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the road to Bilaspur, some 40 kilometres from the town of Amarkantak in the state of Chhattisgarh. The Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve includes the lovely lush green woodland belt in Amarkantak.