Which of the following is called the Ganga of South India?

The correct option is the Kaveri.

Key PointsKaveri River

• The Kaveri is a sacred river to the people of South India and is worshipped as the Goddess Kaveriamma.
• It flows through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
• The Kaveri river rises at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri range in the Western Ghats, Kodagu district of the state of Karnataka.

Pennar River:

• The Pennar (also known as Uttara Pinakini) is one of the major rivers of the peninsula.
• The Pennar rises in the Chennakesava hill of the Nandidurga range, in Chikkaballapura district of Karnataka and flows towards east eventually draining into the Bay of Bengal.
• Located in peninsular India, the Pennar basin extends over states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka having an area of around 55,000 sq.km
• The fan shaped basin is bounded by the Erramala range on the north, by the Nallamala and Velikonda ranges of the Eastern Ghats on the east, by the Nandidurga hills on the south and by the narrow ridge separating it from the Vedavati valley of the Krishna Basin on the west.

Thamirabarani:

• The Thamirabarani or Tamraparni or Porunai is a perennial river that originates from the Agastyarkoodam peak of Pothigai hills of the Western Ghats, above Papanasam in the Ambasamudram taluk.
• It flows through Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts of the Tamil Nadu state of southern India into the Gulf of Mannar.

Palar River: 

• The Palar River Basin is one of Tamilnadu's major river basins.
• The main Palar River begins in Nandhi Durg, Kolar district, at an elevation of 800 metres above mean sea level in eastern Karnataka, and flows through Kolar and Bangarupet Taluks, eventually forming the massive Bethamangal tank, which serves as the primary source of water for Kolar Gold Field and Bharath Earth Movers Limited.
• It flows through Andhra Pradesh for a short distance through Kuppam Taluk in Chitoor District before entering Vellore District of Tamil Nadu and flowing into the Bay of Bengal west of Vaniambadi Town, east of Maduranthagam, and south of Mahabalipuram. 

Confusion Points

• Godavari river is known as Dakshin Ganga or Ganga River of the South. But commissions' answer key has given Kaveri river as the right answer, so Kaveri is the Ganga of the south.