CH 2 PHYSICAL FEATURES OF INDIA

• ndia has all the major physical features of the earth, i.e., mountains, plains, deserts, plateaus and islands. The land of India displays great physical variation. Geologically, the Peninsular Plateau constitutes one of the ancient land masses on the earth’s surface. The Himalayas and the Northern Plains are the most recent landforms. The northern plains are formed of alluvial deposits.
• Major Physiographic Divisions

  The physical features of India are grouped under the following physiographic divisions:

  1. The Himalayan Mountains
  2. The Northern Plains
  3. The Peninsular Plateau
  4. The Indian Desert
  5. The Coastal Plains
  6. The Islands
• The Himalayan mountains are stretched over the northern borders of India
• The Himalayas run in a west-east direction from the Indus to the Brahmaputra
• The Himalayas consist of 3 parallel ranges in their longitudinal extent
• The northernmost range is known as the Great or Inner Himalayas or the Himadri, with an average height of 6,000 metres
• The folds of the Great Himalayas are asymmetrical in nature and composed of granite
• The range south of the Himadri is known as Himachal or lesser Himalaya
• The Pir Panjal range is the longest and most important range
• The outermost range of the Himalayas is called the Shiwaliks, composed of unconsolidated sediments
• The longitudinal valley between the lesser Himalayas and the Shiwaliks is known as Duns, with examples like Dehradun, Kotli Dun, and Patli Dun
• The part of the Himalayas between Indus and Satluj is known as Punjab Himalaya, also known regionally as Kashmir and Himachal Himalaya from west to east
• The part of the Himalayas between Satluj and the Kali rivers is known as Kumaon Himalayas
• The Nepal Himalayas are divided by the Kali and Teesta rivers, with the part between Teesta and Dihang rivers known as Assam Himalayas
• The Brahmaputra marks the easternmost boundary of the Himalayas
• Beyond the Dihang gorge, the Himalayas bend sharply to the south and spread along the eastern boundary of India, known as the Purvachal or the Eastern hills and mountains
• The Purvachal comprises the Patkai Hills, the Naga Hills, the Manipur Hills, and the Mizo Hills
• The Northern Plain has been formed by the interplay of the 3 major river systems – the Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra along with their tributaries
• It spreads over an area of 7 lakh sq. km
• The Western part of the Northern Plain is referred to as the Punjab Plains, formed by the Indus and its tributaries – the Jhelum, the Chenab, the Ravi, the Beas, and the Satluj
• The Ganga plain extends between Ghaggar and Teesta rivers, spread over the states of North India, Haryana, Delhi, U.P., Bihar, partly Jharkhand, and West Bengal
• The Brahmaputra Plain lies in the state of Assam
• The Northern plains can be divided into 4 regions based on variations in elevation points
• After descending from the mountains, rivers deposit pebbles in a narrow belt of about 8 to 16 km in width, known as Bhabar
• All the streams disappear in the Bhabar belt
• Rivers re-emerge and create a wet, swampy, and marshy region known as terai
• The largest part of the northern plain is formed of older alluvium, presenting a terrace-like feature known as Bhangar
• The soil in the Bhangar region contains calcareous deposits and is known as Kankar
• Newer, younger deposits of the floodplains are called Khadar
• The Peninsular Plateau is composed of old crystalline, igneous, and metamorphic rocks
• Formed due to the breaking and drifting of the Gondwana land
• Distinct feature: black soil area known as Deccan Trap
• The Peninsular Plateau consists of 2 divisions:
• Central Highlands:

  • Part of the plateau north of the Narmada River
  • Covers a major area of the Malwa plateau
  • Eastward extensions known as Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand
• Deccan Plateau:

  • Triangular landmass south of the river Narmada
  • Extension visible in the northeast known as Meghalaya, Karbi-Anglong Plateau, and North Cachar Hills
• Western Ghats:

  • Parallel to the western coast
  • Continuous and can be crossed through passes only
  • Higher elevation than Eastern Ghats (900–1600 metres)
  • Anamudi is the highest peak
• Eastern Ghats:

  • Stretch from the Mahanadi Valley to the Nilgiris in the South
  • Discontinuous and irregular
  • Can be dissected by rivers draining into the Bay of Bengal
  • Average elevation is 600 metres
  • Mahendragiri (1,501 metres) is the highest peak
• Indian Desert:

  • Lies towards the western margins of the Aravali Hills
  • Sandy plain covered with sand dunes
  • Receives very low rainfall, below 150 mm per year
  • Dry climate with low vegetation cover
• Coastal plain is a flat, low-lying piece of land next to the ocean
• Eastern Coastal Plain:

  • Lies between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal
  • Northern part is known as the Northern Circar
  • Southern part is known as the Coromandel Coast
  • Large rivers like Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri have formed extensive deltas
  • Lake Chilika is an important feature along the eastern coast