In Indian geography, the river Mahanadi originates from which of the following regions that is considered its source?

Introduction / Context:
This question tests basic Indian river geography, specifically the source region of the river Mahanadi. Mahanadi is an important peninsular river that flows through central and eastern India, supporting irrigation, power generation and agriculture. Knowing its origin region helps candidates understand drainage patterns and physiographic divisions of India, which are frequently tested in competitive exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The river in question is the Mahanadi.
• The problem asks about its source region, not its mouth or basin states.
• Options are Mahabaleshwar, Trimbak Plateau, Dandakaranya and None of these.
• The student is expected to connect the river to the correct physiographic region.

Concept / Approach:
Many Indian rivers originate from specific plateaus or hill ranges whose names are frequently asked. For example, the Krishna river originates near Mahabaleshwar and the Godavari from the Trimbak plateau. The Mahanadi rises in the highlands of central India, in an area associated with the Dandakaranya region. The approach is to recall which major rivers are paired with each source region from standard geography textbooks.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra is well known as the source region of the Krishna river, not Mahanadi. Step 2: Remember that the Trimbak Plateau or Trimbakeshwar area in Maharashtra is the source of the Godavari river. Step 3: The Mahanadi rises in the highlands of central India, in present day Chhattisgarh, in an area broadly linked with the ancient Dandakaranya region. Step 4: Since the question asks about the region, not the exact village or hill, Dandakaranya best matches the description among the given options. Step 5: Therefore, option Dandakaranya is the correct choice.

Verification / Alternative check:
Another way to verify is to mentally pair each river with its commonly taught origin: Krishna–Mahabaleshwar, Godavari–Trimbak plateau and Mahanadi–central India highlands/Dandakaranya region. When options supply the other two well known sources, they can be eliminated by association, leaving Dandakaranya as the logical answer connected to Mahanadi.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Mahabaleshwar: This western ghat region is associated with the Krishna river and not with the Mahanadi, so selecting it would mix up river sources.
Trimbak Plateau: This plateau is the source region for the Godavari, the longest peninsular river, not for Mahanadi.
None of these: Since Dandakaranya is an acceptable regional description of the central Indian highlands where Mahanadi originates, None of these is incorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse the origins of major peninsular rivers because the questions look similar and the regions lie in somewhat comparable latitudes. Mixing up Krishna and Godavari sources is especially common. Another pitfall is thinking too literally about the exact hill name and therefore rejecting a broader regional term like Dandakaranya, even though that is what exam setters expect as the correct option in this question.

Final Answer:
The river Mahanadi originates in the highlands of the Dandakaranya region in central India.