Authentic Classroom Explanation by IAS Monk

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📍 The Question

Consider the following statements:

1. Jhelum River passes through Wular Lake.
2. Krishna River directly feeds Kolleru Lake.
3. Meandering of Gandak River formed Kanwar Lake.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None

Correct Answer: (a) Only one

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🎯 Theme of the Question

Indian Geography | Inland Water Bodies | Lakes & River Systems | Map-based Concepts

This is a static + conceptual geography question, testing precise knowledge of river–lake relationships in India.

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🧠 Classroom Explanation

Let us examine each statement carefully.

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🔹 Statement 1: Jhelum River passes through Wular Lake. ✅

• Wular Lake is located in Jammu & Kashmir
• It is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia
• The Jhelum River flows into and out of Wular Lake
• The lake acts as a natural flood regulator for the Jhelum

✔️ Statement 1 is correct

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🔹 Statement 2: Krishna River directly feeds Kolleru Lake. ❌

• Kolleru Lake lies in Andhra Pradesh
• It is located between the Krishna and Godavari deltas
• However:
  • It is fed by seasonal rivers like Budameru and Tammileru
  • It is not directly fed by the Krishna River
• It functions as a natural flood-balancing reservoir

✘ Statement 2 is incorrect

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🔹 Statement 3: Meandering of Gandak River formed Kanwar Lake. ❌

• Kanwar (Kabar) Lake is located in Bihar
• It is an oxbow lake
• Formed due to meandering of the Burhi Gandak River, not the Gandak River
• Burhi Gandak is a tributary of the Ganga, distinct from Gandak

✘ Statement 3 is incorrect

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📊 Final Assessment

Statement	Status
Jhelum passes through Wular Lake	✅ Correct
Krishna directly feeds Kolleru Lake	❌ Incorrect
Gandak formed Kanwar Lake	❌ Incorrect

👉 Only one statement is correct

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❌ UPSC Elimination Logic

• UPSC tests:
  • Direct vs indirect river feeding
  • Confusion between similarly named rivers (Gandak vs Burhi Gandak)
• Precision matters more than general awareness

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🧩 Memory Hook

“Wular flows with Jhelum, Kolleru balances floods, Kanwar bends with Burhi Gandak.”

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🧠 Prelims Strategy Insight

For lake–river questions:

• Always verify:
  • Direct feeding vs basin location
  • Exact river name (main river vs tributary)
• Oxbow lakes are almost always linked to meandering rivers

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🧭 IAS Monk Whisper

Geography punishes near-correct answers — rivers demand exact names.