Physical Features of India

The Tapi, or Tapti, River flows westward through a rift valley situated between the Satpura Range to the north and the Vindhya Range to the south, so option A is the intended answer. It rises in the Satpura region of Madhya Pradesh and eventually enters the Arabian Sea through the Gulf of Khambhat. The Narmada is another important west-flowing river associated with a rift valley, which explains why the physical setting can be confused. The Aravalli–Vindhya, Nilgiri–Annamalai and Garo–Khasi pairings do not describe the Tapi’s course. The governing concept is the relationship between Indian rivers and the relief features guiding their flow.

The Thar Desert is the largest desert in India. It is also called the Great Indian Desert and lies mainly in Rajasthan, with extensions into parts of Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana. The Ladakh Desert is a cold desert in India, but it is smaller than the Thar Desert. Exam tip: Remember Thar Desert for India's largest desert and Rajasthan as its main state.