Consider the following assertion: In the Pleistocene period either the Yamuna once flowed into the Indus, or the Sutlej flowed into the Yamuna and one major tributary of either had shifted from the Ganga to the Indus or vice versa. Which of the following is/are the basis of the above assertion?
- The Nadi-Sukta of the Rigveda
- The explorations of the Sutlej and the Yamuna by Robert Bruce Foote
- The presence of the same species of dolphins in both the Indus and the Ganga river systems
Select the answer using the code given below:
Correct answer: D
Explanation
The Pleistocene river-shifting hypothesis in the Indo-Gangetic plains rests primarily on biogeographic evidence — notably the presence of the same species of freshwater dolphin (Platanista gangetica) in both the Indus and Ganga systems, which suggests a former hydrological connection. The Nadi-Sukta of the Rigveda lists rivers but is a much later cultural document and does not establish Pleistocene drainage shifts. Robert Bruce Foote is famous for discovering the first Palaeolithic tool at Pallavaram (1863), not for Sutlej-Yamuna exploration. Hence only statement 3 is the basis. A classic trap: candidates over-trust the Nadi-Sukta because of its river content. (early consensus; verify with official UPSC key when released)