Hoshangabad (now Narmadapuram) is situated on the bank of which Indian river?

Introduction / Context:
This question checks knowledge of the association between important Indian towns and the rivers on whose banks they are located. Hoshangabad, officially renamed Narmadapuram, is a town in Madhya Pradesh and is often mentioned alongside the Narmada River. Such town-river pairings are standard general knowledge facts.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The town named in the question is Hoshangabad, now called Narmadapuram.
- The options include Godavari, Narmada, Musi, Mahanadi and Tapti.
- We assume the primary river flowing next to the town as the reference.
- The question is purely factual and does not involve calculations.

Concept / Approach:
The Narmada is a major west-flowing river of central India. It flows through Madhya Pradesh and forms a significant part of the Narmada valley. Hoshangabad is located on the south bank of the Narmada River and has long been associated with it, which is reflected in the town's new official name, Narmadapuram. The approach is to recall this well-known pairing and eliminate rivers that are geographically distant from Madhya Pradesh.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that Hoshangabad lies in Madhya Pradesh and is part of the Narmada valley region.Step 2: Recall that the Narmada River flows westwards across Madhya Pradesh, forming a fertile valley where towns like Jabalpur and Hoshangabad are situated.Step 3: Examine the options: Godavari and Mahanadi flow further south and east, mainly through Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.Step 4: Musi is a tributary of the Krishna flowing through Hyderabad, which is far from Hoshangabad.Step 5: Tapti is another west-flowing river but its major towns include Surat and Bhusawal, not Hoshangabad.Step 6: Therefore, the river on whose bank Hoshangabad is located is Narmada.

Verification / Alternative check:
Geography maps and state atlases show Hoshangabad clearly marked on the bank of the Narmada River. Government notifications about the renaming of Hoshangabad to Narmadapuram also emphasise the cultural link with the Narmada. Standard exam books list the pair "Hoshangabad – Narmada River" among frequently asked riverbank towns, confirming Narmada as the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Godavari: Flows mainly through Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and does not pass by Hoshangabad.

Musi: A smaller river flowing through Hyderabad in Telangana, unrelated to Hoshangabad.
Mahanadi: Flows through Chhattisgarh and Odisha, far from Hoshangabad in Madhya Pradesh.
Tapti: Another west-flowing river but its major riverbank towns are in Maharashtra and Gujarat, not Hoshangabad.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes mix up west-flowing rivers such as Narmada and Tapti because both drain into the Arabian Sea. Without careful attention to associated towns, they may guess incorrectly. To avoid this, it is useful to memorise a few key town-river pairs like "Jabalpur – Narmada", "Hoshangabad – Narmada" and "Surat – Tapti" to clearly distinguish the rivers.

Final Answer:
Narmada