Indian Geography

Indian GeographyPhysical geography of India3 proto-continentsRift valley

AravalliDhrawadSinghbhum

NarmadaSonGodavariMahanadiDamodarCrack over western coastBreak up from Gondawana

Western Ghats Northern Plains

Slope: South eastern

Physiography of IndiaPre-Cambrian old region8 divisions:

N-C highlandsS-C highlandsEastern plateauNorth DeccanSouth DeccanWestern GhatsEastern GhatsMeghalaya uplands

Indian peninsular plateauN-C highlandsS-C highlandsEastern plateauNorth DeccanSouth DeccanWestern GhatsEastern GhatsMeghalaya uplands

Indian peninsular plateau

Aravalli Mahabharat Uplands Madhya Bharat Pathar BundelkhandN-C highlands1432One of the oldest mt rangeSedimentary, metamorphosed rocks marble, quartziteFrom Palanpur to Delhi ridgeSource of Sabarmati, Luni and Banas (tri. Chmbal)Aravalli range

Granite, gneissic rocksDrought-prone low agro-productivityJhansi, Gwalior, HamirpurBundelkhandVindhyan rangeMalawa plateauNarmada valleyS-C highlands

123From GJ to Bihar Rifting- southern slope steeper than northern slopeVindhyan range

Source of many north flowing riversChmabal, Sindh, Betwa and Ken(tributaries of Yamuna)Water divide of central India

Vindhyan range

Vindhyan range

Located btwn Arvalli and Vindhyan rangeSemi arid regionFaulty agro-practice- high soil erosion gully erosion- Chambal badlandsHistorically known as Khandesh

Malawa plateauBaghelkhandGarhjat hills, Rajmahal hills, Mahanadi basin, DandkarnyaChotanagpur plateauEastern plateau

123645Craton of Singhbhum metallic mineral richRifting along Damodar valley 2 partsN. Hazaribaug PlateauS. Ranchi plateauDamodar and MahanadiRifting coal formationUnique coal + iron combinationChhota Nagpur plateau

Ranchi pltHazaribaug pltRajmahal hills NE edge of Chhota Nagpur plt.Garhjat hills southern edge of Chhotanagpur plt Chhota Nagpur plateau

Garhjat hillsRajmahal hills

Radial drainage1) North koel, (tri. Of Son), 2) Damodar, Barakar3) Subarnrekha4) South koel rivers (tri. Of Brahmani)Chhota Nagpur plateauChhota Nagpur plateauNorth koel riverSubarnarekha riverSouth Koel

3 parts of plateauGaro-Khasi-JaintiaGaro (Nokrek), Khasi (Shillong)Mikir, Regma, Barail rangesKapilli river separates mikir, Regma & Barail from Meghalaya plateau

Meghalaya PlateauMikir hillsRegma hillsKapilli river

Extension of Peninsular blockSeparated from Chhotanagpur plateauDown warping along Rajmahal garo hills = malda gapGanga-Brahmaputra flow through the Malda gap

Meghalaya PlateauRajmahal hillsMalda gap

Hills are not very highNot effective in blocking the rain bearing winds reach till Arunachal PradeshBut pass with funnel effect heavy rainfall in MeghalayaBut inadequate storage water shortage Meghalaya PlateauMonsoon winds

India pass over Reunion hot spotBasaltic lava flowLayer over layer of lava formationLook like steps traps

Deccan trapsSatpura range (Rajpipla, Gawilgarh, Mahaev, Maikal, Amarkantak plt.)Maharastra plateau

North Deccan

Satpura rangeMH plateaufold mt. of Archaenean then faultingRajpipla (GJ)Gawilgarh (MH) Mahadeo (MP), Maikal (Chh)Highest peak Dhupgarh (Mahadeo) Satpura range

1234Amarkantak plateau- east of Maikal rangeSource of Narmada and Son (tri. Of Ganga)Betul plateau south of Mahado hillssource of river Tapi, Pench/ Wainganga river (Tri. Of Godavari)

Satpura Range

1234Betul plateauAmarkantak plateauPrelims2007Q. Which one of the following rivers originate in Amarkantak?DamodarMahanadiNarmadaTapi

Ans. c)UPSCQuestion

Shield crystalline rocksOverland by lava flowIn south merge with KN plateau and in east with Telangana plateauMH plateauMH plateauAjantasatmalaBalaghatHarishchandraTelangana pltKN pltWestern Ghats1) KN -Dharwad pltOne of the oldest physiographical region2) Telangana plateau

South Deccan2

Baba budan hills, Maidan and MalnadMalnad = forested Maidan = aridHighest peak of Baba Budan = MulangiriKN plateauplainMalnadMaidanBanglore plateauBaba budan hillsThe most oldest sedimentary rocks of IndiaAncient Dharwad craton (shield) metallic mineral rich regionShimoga, Tumkur and Chitradurg, Chikmaglur of KN mineral richDharwad plateau

Iron and limestoneBellary (KN) and upto Ratnagiri (MH) Fe oreKemangundi and Kudremukh mines (near Chikmaglur)Dharwad plateauArachaean gneisses Avg. elevation 500-600mSouthern portion higher than northern partNorth Satmala hillsSouth Sheshachalam hills, Rayanseema pltDrained by Godavari, Krishna and Penneru

Telangana plateau

Godavari riverKrishna riverPenneru riverBenglore plateauTelangana plateauSatmala hillsSheshachalam hills

GJ-MH-KN-TN-KRAjanta Satmala Balaghat HarishchandraHighest peak: AnaimudiPasses:Thalghat Btwn Mumbai-NashikBhor ghat btwn Mumbai -Pune

Western GhatsAjantaSatmalaBalaghatHarishchandraMore rainfall in KNSteeper in MH, lower and broader in KNKR isolated hills rain bearing wind pass between gapsWestern Ghats: Rainfall pattern

KN: Gentle slope= Air parcel can retain energy and speed for a long time, allowing cloud droplets to grow and precipitate as rainfall.In Karnataka, mountains are continuous. No gaps= Clouds cant easily escape to leeward side.

Western Ghats: Rainfall pattern

Western Ghats- UNESCO world heritage site (evergreen to thorn)KN-TN-KR region:SHOLA forest biosphere reserve unique BD above 2000m Stunted tropical montane forestWestern Ghats: ecologyKN-KR-TN region:Bandipur-Waynad-Mudumalai NP Largest population of leopards leopards + tigers+ wild dogsTN tea-coffee KN rubber, coffee, cashew plantationKR- spicesWestern Ghats: ecology and agriculture

Discontinuous range lower than western Ghats Northern circasNallamallaPalkondaJavadi ShevroyHighest peak: Armakonda

Eastern Ghats

12345Laterite soilsBauxite deposits:MalaygiriNiyamgiri Baflai mali Panchpat mali

POSCO plant, Niyamgiri

Eastern Ghats

`11243South of Western Ghats but geologically not part of Western Ghats or Eastern GhatsNilgiri,AnamalaiPalaniKardamom hills

Southern hill complex

1234Palghat btwn Nilgiri and Annamalai hillsShenkotta gap btwn CardamomHill stations:Nilgiri OotyAnnamalai MunnarPalani hills - Kodaikanal

Southern complex

NilgiriPalanicardamomAnnamalaiPrelims2005Q. Which one of the following is correct sequence of hills starting from north to south?Nallamalla Nilgiri Javadi Anamalai hillsAnamalai Javadi Nilgiri- Nallamalla hillsNallamalla Javadi Nilgiri- Anamalai hills

UPSCQuestion Prelims2005d) Anamalai Nilgiri javadi- Nallamalai

UPSCQuestion Hills of South India

NilgiriPalanicardamomAnnamalaiNallamallaJavadiPrelims2005c) Nallamalla Javadi Nilgiri- Anamalai hills

Ans. C)

UPSCQuestion Prelims2008Q. Which of the following hills are found where Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats meet?Anamalai hillsCardamom hillsNilgiri hillsShevroy hills

UPSCQuestion Ans. C)Nilgiri hillsPhysical map of Southern India

Prelims2005Q. Which of the following is not correct?Western Ghats are relatively lower in their northern regionThe Anaimudi is highest peak in western GhatsTapi river lie south of SatpuraThe Narmada and Tapi river valley are said to be old rift valleysAns. A)

UPSCQuestion Peninsular plateau oldest and most stable regionRich in minerals iron, limestone, bauxite98% of Gondwana coalPeninsular: Regur black soil important for cotton and sugarcane cultivationPlantation agriculture in hilly areas: tea, coffee, rubber, spices, cashews

Importance of Peninsular plateauPhysiography of IndiaFrom Rann of Kutch to SundarbanWestern coastal plainEastern coastal plainCoastal plains

12Narrower than Eastern coastal plainSteeper fast flowing rivers No alluvial depositsRivers form Estuaries and not deltasGood for Port development

Western coastal plain

Formation of 2 gulfs: gulf of Khambhat and gulf of KutchhNarmada, Mahi,Tapi and Sabarmati flow into Gulf of KhambhatKathiawar: radial drainageIslands: Alia bet, Pirotan island, DiuBaidar, Kora, Kurumbhar Is in g. of KutchhWestern coastal plain

SabarmatiMahiNarmadaTapi

KR coast/Malabar coast:Vembnad lakePeriyar river merge near Vembnad lakeInner side Ernakulam and outward side - KochiWestern coastal plainkochiVembnad lakePeriyar riverAnnamalai hillsBroader Large rivers extensive delta formationMahanadi deltaGodavari delta Krishna delta Kaveri deltasEastern coastal plain

Odisha coast: Wheeler Is. missile testingChilka lake (biggest)Olive ridley turtles Ganjam coast- (nr. Mouth of Rushikulya river)Eastern Coastal PlainWheeler Is.Rushikulya riverChilka lake

Andhra coast:Kolleru lake deltaic lake (Goadavari and Krishna rivers)Pulicut lake split bar Shriharikota Is. (ISRO rocket launching station)Eastern Coastal plainsKolleru lakePulicut lake +Shriharikota Island

TN coast:Winter rainfallRameshwaram Pamban Island last point DhanushkondiGulf of Mannar biosphere reserveRam setu issueEastern PlainPalar riverVaigai riverKaveri riverCardamom hillsShevroy hillsJavadi hillsPhysiography of India