The Narmada river flows to the west, while most other large peninsular rivers flow to the east. Why?<br/>1. It occupies a linear rift valley.<br/>2. It flows between the Vindhyas and the Satpuras.<br/>3. The land slopes to the west from Central India.<br/><br/>Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

1. It occupies a linear rift valley — Correct. Narmada flows through a tectonic rift/graben valley, which gives it a westward course to the Arabian Sea.

2. It flows between the Vindhyas and the Satpuras — Incorrect. This is factually true about its location, but this does not explain why it flows west; it is a descriptive feature, not the causal reason.

3. The land slopes to the west from Central India — Incorrect. The general slope of Peninsular India is towards the east, which is why most major peninsular rivers flow to the Bay of Bengal.

Therefore, only statement 1 correctly explains the westward flow of the Narmada.