Which one of the following rivers in India was not crossed by Alexande

Which one of the following rivers in India was not crossed by Alexander and his army?

Hyphasis

Acesines

Hydraotes

Hydaspes

This question was previously asked in

UPSC NDA-2 – 2022

Based on standard historical accounts, Alexander and his army crossed all four rivers listed: Hyphasis (Beas), Acesines (Chenab), Hydraotes (Ravi), and Hydaspes (Jhelum) during his eastward campaign in the Punjab region. Therefore, the question as stated appears to be factually incorrect or flawed, as all options represent rivers that *were* crossed. However, assuming there is an intended correct answer among the options, and lacking access to the original source or intended interpretation, selecting any single river as “not crossed” contradicts historical evidence. Without further clarification or context, providing a definitive answer is not possible based on historical facts. Given the constraints, and assuming a potential error in the question’s premise, this answer choice is selected arbitrarily as an example of how one *might* be chosen in a flawed question context, not based on historical accuracy. *Please note: Standard historical records indicate that Alexander and his army crossed all rivers mentioned in the options.*

Historical accounts of Alexander’s invasion of India detail his army crossing the Indus River, and subsequently the major tributaries of the Indus in Punjab, moving from west to east:
1. Hydaspes (Jhelum) – Site of the Battle of the Hydaspes against King Porus.
2. Acesines (Chenab) – A large river, crossed after the Jhelum.
3. Hydraotes (Ravi) – Crossed after the Chenab.
4. Hyphasis (Beas) – Reached as the easternmost point of his conquest where his troops mutinied and refused to proceed further east across this river towards the Ganges.
All four rivers listed were therefore crossed by Alexander’s army during their eastward advance.

Alexander the Great’s campaign in India took place between 327 and 325 BCE. His advance was halted at the Hyphasis (Beas) River due to the exhaustion and unwillingness of his troops to face potential further powerful kingdoms to the east (like the Nanda Empire). After turning back, he moved his army south along the Jhelum and Indus rivers towards the Arabian Sea. The Satluj River, another major tributary of the Indus, is located east of the Beas and was not reached or crossed by Alexander’s main army.

More similar MCQ questions for Exam preparation:-