Which is the oldest river in India?

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Detailed Solution

The Damodar River and the Narmada River are often considered among the oldest rivers in India, with the Narmada widely recognized as one of the geologically oldest. The Narmada flows through a rift valley formed millions of years ago, which makes it one of the oldest rivers in geological history. Scientists believe it existed even before the Himalayas were fully formed. Similarly, the Damodar River in eastern India is also ancient, once called the “Sorrow of Bengal” due to frequent floods.

Geological importance of the Narmada

Flows through a rift valley between the Satpura and Vindhya ranges.
Estimated to be tens of millions of years old.
Its course has remained westward, unlike many rivers that shifted with plate tectonics.

Other ancient rivers in India

River	Region	Notable Fact
Narmada	Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat	Flows through ancient rift valley
Damodar	Jharkhand, West Bengal	Coal-rich valley, very old course
Son River	Madhya Pradesh, Bihar	Tributary of Ganga with old geological features

Thus, while both Damodar and Narmada are considered ancient, most sources agree that **the Narmada is the oldest river in India** in terms of geological age.

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