The Aravalli and the Rivers of Rajasthan
The question in plain words: Why is there desert in the west of Rajasthan and green fields in the east? And which way do its rivers flow?
What you will be able to do: give the direction and the highest peak of the Aravalli, explain how the Aravalli divides Rajasthan into two parts, and identify the Luni, Banas, Chambal and Mahi with their directions.
1. A story: two cousins, two farms
Kishan lives in a village in Tonk district. The Banas river flows past his fields. His family grows wheat and mustard.
His cousin Gopal lives near Barmer. It rains little there. The fields mostly grow bajra. The nearby Luni river carries water mainly in the rainy season.
At Diwali, Gopal takes the bus via Jaipur to Kishan's village. From the window he sees sand dunes on one side, then a long line of hills, and after that green fields.
Gopal asks the conductor, "Which hills are these?"
The conductor says, "These are the Aravalli, bhai. They decide where there is sand and where there are fields."
Today we will understand this.
2. Step one: what is the Aravalli?
- The Aravalli is a long line of hills.
- In Rajasthan it runs from south-west to north-east.
- In the south-west, near Mount Abu (Sirohi), is Guru Shikhar, the highest peak of the Aravalli: 1,722 metres.
- In the north-east the Aravalli goes towards Khetri (Jhunjhunu) and further on reaches Delhi.
- The Aravalli is counted among the oldest fold mountain ranges in the world.
3. Step two: the Aravalli divides Rajasthan into two parts
- About 60% of Rajasthan lies north-west of the Aravalli. This is the Thar Desert: sand dunes, little rain, few rivers.
- About 40% lies south-east of the Aravalli. Here there is more rain, there are rivers, and more farming.
Why is there little rain in the west?
- The Arabian Sea branch of the monsoon blows parallel to the Aravalli.
- The Aravalli does not block these winds, so they do not rise and form rain clouds.
- So western Rajasthan gets very little rain.
4. Step three: the Aravalli is a roof that splits the water
Think of the sloping roof of a village house. Rain falling on it runs off to two sides from the high line in the middle.
The Aravalli works the same way. We call it a water divide.
- To the west: the Luni flows south-west to the Rann of Kutch. Many small rivers in the west simply disappear into the sand.
- To the east: the Banas joins the Chambal. The Chambal joins the Yamuna, and the Yamuna joins the Ganga, which reaches the Bay of Bengal.
- In the south: the Mahi goes to the Gulf of Khambhat, that is, the Arabian Sea.
5. Step four: four rivers, one by one
Four rivers at a glance
- Luni
- western slopes of the Aravalli near Ajmer south-west, about 495 km, Rann of Kutch; sweet water up to Balotra, salty beyond
- Banas
- Khamnor hills near Kumbhalgarh about 512 km, entirely within Rajasthan; joins the Chambal near Rameshwar, Sawai Madhopur
- Chambal
- near Mhow in Madhya Pradesh, Vindhya range enters Rajasthan at Chourasigarh, flows north-east via Kota; flows all year; joins the Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh
- Mahi
- Vindhyachal hills in Madhya Pradesh enters Rajasthan in Banswara; crosses the Tropic of Cancer twice; ends in the Gulf of Khambhat
Learn where each river starts and where it ends, together.
- The Luni has sweet water up to Balotra; beyond that it becomes more and more salty.
- The Banas flows entirely inside Rajasthan.
- The Chambal does not start in Rajasthan; it comes from Madhya Pradesh.
- The Mahi follows an upside-down "U": first north, then it turns south-west. So it crosses the Tropic of Cancer twice.
6. Shortcuts (after you understand)
Direction of the Aravalli: "Abu to Khetri" — bottom-left to top-right. Two parts: "60 sand, 40 land". Luni: "Luni runs to the Rann and turns salty" — west, Rann, salty. Banas: "Banas stays at home" — entirely in Rajasthan. Chambal: "Chambal comes to Kota" — from Madhya Pradesh, through Kota. Mahi: "Mahi cuts the Tropic twice".
7. Quick check
Which is the highest peak of the Aravalli?
Show answer
Correct answer: B
Guru Shikhar is near Mount Abu (Sirohi) and is 1,722 metres high.
Option A: Khetri is a place in the north-eastern Aravalli, not the highest peak.
Option C: The Banas rises near Kumbhalgarh; it is not the highest peak.
Option D: Chourasigarh is where the Chambal enters Rajasthan.
Hint: "Guru" sits on Abu.
Which river flows south-west to the Rann of Kutch?
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Correct answer: C
The Luni rises on the western slopes of the Aravalli near Ajmer and flows about 495 km to the Rann of Kutch.
Option A: The Banas flows east and joins the Chambal.
Option B: The Chambal flows north-east and joins the Yamuna.
Option D: The Mahi goes to the Gulf of Khambhat.
Hint: "Luni runs to the Rann".
The Banas river joins which river?
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Correct answer: A
The Banas joins the Chambal near Rameshwar in Sawai Madhopur district.
Option B: The Luni is west of the Aravalli; the Banas is east of it.
Option C: The Mahi takes a separate path in the south to the Arabian Sea.
Option D: Banas water finally reaches the Ganga, but the Banas itself joins the Chambal.
Hint: Banas → Chambal → Yamuna.
Which river crosses the Tropic of Cancer twice?
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Correct answer: D
The Mahi follows an upside-down "U". It flows from Madhya Pradesh through Banswara into Gujarat and crosses the Tropic of Cancer twice.
Option A: The Luni flows well north of the Tropic of Cancer.
Option B: The Banas also flows north of the Tropic of Cancer.
Option C: Inside Rajasthan the Chambal flows north of the Tropic of Cancer.
Hint: The river of the southern tip.
What is the best way to explain "water divide" to Class 5 children?
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Correct answer: B
In learning by doing, children see for themselves that a high line splits water to two sides. Linking it to the Aravalli is then easy.
Option A: Memorising a definition does not build the concept.
Option C: A list of names does not explain "why".
Option D: Hard words are difficult to understand without an activity.
Hint: Learning by doing.
"The Aravalli runs north to south." No. It runs south-west to north-east. "The Chambal rises in Rajasthan." No. It rises in Madhya Pradesh. "The Luni falls straight into the Arabian Sea." No. The Luni goes to the Rann of Kutch. "The Aravalli stops the monsoon and causes rain in the west." It is the other way round. The winds blow parallel to the Aravalli, so the west gets little rain.
Sand model: build a slanting ridge of sand in the school yard (the Aravalli). Pour water from a lota and watch where it flows. Roof example: point to a sloping roof at school or home to teach the word "water divide". Local river: ask children which river or stream is near their village and which way its water flows. Include everyone: by touching the raised ridge and river lines, children with low vision can also follow the directions. Check understanding: on a blank map, children draw the Aravalli and add arrows for all four rivers in the right direction.
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