CHAPTER 2 PHYSICAL FEATURES OF INDIA

NOTES & IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

INTRODUCTION:

India is a vast country with varied landforms. It has all major physical features of the earth, i.e., mountains, plains, deserts, plateaus and islands displaying a great physical variation.

MAJOR PHYSIOGRAPHIC DIVISIONS:

• The Himalayan Mountains: 
  • The Himalayas are geologically young and structurally fold mountains stretch over the northern borders of India separating it from China.
  • They run in a west-east direction from the Indus to the Brahmaputra representing the loftiest and one of the most rugged mountain barriers of the world.
  •  Forming an arc, they  cover a distance of about 2,400 Km. with width varying from 400 Km in Kashmir to 150 Km in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • The Himalaya consists of three parallel ranges: Himadri, Himachal & Shiwaliks.

1. HIMADRI: The northernmost range is known as the Great or Inner Himalayas.It consists of most of the loftiest peaks with an average height of 6,000 metres.
2. HIMACHAL: The range lying to the south of the Himadri forming a rugged mountain system and is known as Himachal or lesser Himalaya. The ranges are composed of highly compressed and altered rocks. The altitude varies between 3,700 and 4,500 metres and the average width is 50 Km. Prominent ranges- Pir Panjal, Dhaula Dhar, & Mahabharat.Prominent Valleys- Kashmir, the Kangra and Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh.
3. SHIWALIKS: The outermost range of the Himalayas extends over a width of 10-50 Km and altitude varying between 900 and 1100 metres. These ranges are composed of unconsolidated sediments brought down by rivers. These valleys are covered with thick gravel and alluvium. The longitudinal valley lying between lesser Himalaya and the Shiwaliks are known as Duns. DehraDun, Kotli Dun and Patli Dun
   • The Himalayas are divided into regions based on west-to-east regions. Punjab Himalaya, Kashmir, and Himachal Himalaya are the regions between Indus & Satluj, Kumaon Himalayas between Satluj and Kali, Nepal Himalayas between Kali & Teesta rivers, and Assam Himalayas between Teesta and Dihang rivers.
   • The Himalayas bend sharply to the south and spread along the eastern boundary of India beyond the Dihang gorge. They are known as the Purvanchal or the Eastern hills and mountains. These hills are mostly composed of strong sandstones. The Purvanchal comprises the Patkai hills, the Naga hills, the Manipur hills and the Mizo hills.

• The Northern Plains:
• The Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra along with their tributaries form the northern plains. It is one of the most fertile land spreading over an area of 7 lakh sq. km. This plain is formed of alluvial soil.
• The Northern Plain is broadly divided into 3 sections. The Western part is referred to as the Punjab Plains. The Indus and its tributaries — the Jhelum, the Chenab, the Ravi, the Beas and the Satluj originate in the Himalaya. This section of the plain is dominated by the doabs. The Ganga plain extends between Ghaggar and Teesta rivers. In the East, the Brahmaputra plain lies in Assam. 
• The Northern plains can be divided into four regions based on relief: 

1. The rivers, after descending from the mountains, deposit pebbles in a narrow belt of about 8 to 16 km in width lying parallel to the slopes of the Shiwaliks. It is known as bhabar. All the streams disappear in this bhabar belt. 
2. South of this belt, the streams and rivers re-emerge and create a wet, swampy and marshy region known as terai. 
3. The largest part of the northern plain lies above the floodplains of the rivers and presents a terracelike feature. This part is known as bhangar. The soil in this region contains calcareous deposits, locally known as kankar. 
4. The newer, younger deposits of the floodplains are called khadar. They are renewed almost every year and so are fertile, thus, ideal for intensive agriculture.

• The Peninsular Plateau:
  • The Peninsular plateau is a tableland composed of the old crystalline, igneous and metamorphic rocks. It was formed due to the breaking and drifting of the Gondwana land. This plateau consists of two broad divisions:
• Central Highlands: 

1. The part of the Peninsular plateau lying to the north of the Narmada river, covering a major area of the Malwa plateau, is known as the Central Highlands.
2. The Central Highlands are wider in the west but narrower in the east. The eastward extensions of this plateau are locally known as the Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand.
3. The Chotanagpur plateau marks the further eastward extension, drained by the Damodar river.

• Deccan Plateau:

1. It is a triangular landmass that lies to the south of the river Narmada. It is higher in the west and slopes gently eastwards. An extension of the plateau is also visible in the northeast known as the Meghalaya, Karbi-Anglong Plateau and North Cachar Hills. 

Western Ghats:

These are continuous and high, having average elevation about 900-1600 metres. Highest peak is Anaimudi (2695 metres), The Western Ghats cause orographic rain by facing the rain bearing moist winds to rise along the western slopes of the Ghats. Their height progressively increases from north to south. 

Eastern Ghats:

The Eastern Ghats are discontinuous and irregular and dissected by rivers draining into the Bay of Bengal with an average elevation of about 600 metres. It stretches from the Mahanadi Valley to the Nigiris in the south. Mahendragiri (1501 metres) is the highest peak. 

• The Indian Desert:

It lies towards the western margins of the Aravali Hills. It is covered with sand dunes. This region receives very low rainfall below 150 mm per year thus  has an arid climate with low vegetation. Streams appear during the rainy season. Luni is the only large river in this region.

• The Coastal Plains:

1. The western coast, sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, is a narrow plain. It consists of three sections. The northern part of the coast is called the Konkan (Mumbai – Goa), the central stretch is called the Kannad Plain, while the southern stretch is referred to as the Malabar coast.
2. The plains along the Bay of Bengal are wide and level. The northern part is referred to as the Northern Circar, while the southern part is known as the Coromandel Coast. Large rivers, such as the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri have formed extensive deltas on this coast. Lake Chilika is the largest saltwater lake of India.

• The Islands:

The country has two groups of islands:

1. The Lakshadweep Islands group lies close to the Malabar coast of Kerala. This group of islands is composed of small coral islands. It covers a small area of 32 sq km. Kavaratti island is the administrative headquarters of Lakshadweep. This island group has a great diversity of flora and fauna. Pitti island has a bird sanctuary.
2. Andaman and Nicobar islands are an elongated chain of islands in Bay of Bengal. They are bigger in size and are more numerous and scattered. These island groups are of great strategic importance for the country. There is great diversity of flora and fauna in this group of islands too. These islands lie close to the equator and experience equatorial climate and have thick forest cover.

• The diverse physical features of India have immense future possibilities for development because of the following reasons.

1. The mountains are the major sources of water and forest wealth.
2. The northern plains are the granaries of the country. They provide the base for early civilisations.
3. The plateau is a storehouse of minerals, which has played a crucial role in the industrialisation of India.
4. The coastal region and island groups provide sites for fishing and port activities.

• SOME IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:

1. What are the important physical features of India?
2. How are the Himalayas important for India?
3. Write a short note on the foothills of the Himalayas.
4. Describe the three ranges of himalayas in detail.
5. How can northern plains be categorised into regions based on relief?
6. Differentiate between Khadar & Bhangar.
7. Explain: a) Central Highlands b) Deccan Plateau
8. Differentiate between western ghats & eastern ghats.
9. Write a short note on the great Indian desert.
10. What are the various sections of Indian coastal plains?
11.  Describe the island groups of India.
12. How the diverse physical features of India have immense future possibilities for development?
13. Answer in one or two words:

1. Highest peak of western ghats
2. Capital of Lakshadweep
3. Northern Plains are the ____ of the country.
4. Southern part of western coast is called____.
5. ____ island has a bird sanctuary.

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