Palar
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Overview
The Palar rises in the Nandi Hills area of Kolar district, Karnataka, and flows south-east through Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to the Bay of Bengal near Kalpakkam.
It passes Vellore and Kanchipuram district. It is a seasonal river, usually dry outside the north-east monsoon, and is heavily used for groundwater.
Tannery pollution around Vellore and Ambur has affected its waters.
Geography and key facts
- East-flowing river: Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu
- Rises near the Nandi Hills
- Flows past Vellore; mouth near Kalpakkam
- Seasonal; affected by tannery effluent
Why it matters for UPSC
Peninsular rivers that rise near the Nandi Hills – Palar, Ponnaiyar, Penna, Arkavathi – show radial drainage.
Note for UPSC
Rises in Karnataka and flows through Tamil Nadu (Vellore) to the Bay of Bengal.
Prelims asks about tributaries, the states a river flows through, its basin and the projects on it, so trace the course on the map.
Asked in PYQs
No question in our Prelims bank names Palar yet.
Key facts
- Type
- River
- States / UTs on its course
- Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh
- River system
- Peninsular
- Basin
- East-flowing (south)
- Extent on map
- 12.5°–13.4°N, 78.0°–80.2°E
From the Map Explorer data; positions are for orientation.
In the lessons
- Physical Features and Drainage of India (map lesson)
- Drainage Systems of India: Himalayan and Peninsular Rivers (map lesson)