Ponnaiyar
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Overview
The Ponnaiyar (Dakshina Pinakini or South Pennar) rises in the Nandi Hills of Karnataka and flows south-east through Krishnagiri, Tiruvannamalai and Cuddalore districts of Tamil Nadu.
It reaches the Bay of Bengal near Cuddalore. The Krishnagiri and Sathanur dams store its water.
Its water use has been the subject of a dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Geography and key facts
- East-flowing river, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
- Rises in the Nandi Hills
- Mouth near Cuddalore
- Krishnagiri and Sathanur dams
Why it matters for UPSC
Don't confuse it with the Penna (North Pennar) in Andhra Pradesh.
Note for UPSC
Also called the Dakshina Pinakini; flows from Karnataka through Tamil Nadu.
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 Ponnaiyar yet.
Key facts
- Type
- River
- State / UT
- Tamil Nadu
- River system
- Peninsular
- Basin
- East-flowing (south)
- Extent on map
- 11.8°–13.0°N, 77.8°–79.8°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)