Map Class 08

Previous Class Topic

Covered

Political aspects

Of India’s mapping

Discussed

Strategic border areas

And boundaries

Physical Aspects of India

Divided into major physiographic regions:

Northern Mountains (Trans-Himalayas, Great Himalayas, Middle Himalayas, Shiwaliks, Purvanchal Hills)

Peninsular Region (Hills and Plateaus)

Plains (Northern Plains and Coastal Plains)

Islands (to be addressed separately)

Below is a structured overview of each major region, emphasizing important sub-regions, mountain
ranges, passes, and other key characteristics.

Northern Mountains

Overview

Extend in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent.

Divided into five broad units:

Trans-Himalayas

Great Himalayas

Middle Himalayas (Lesser Himalayas)

Shiwaliks (Outer Himalayas)

Purvanchal Hills

Each unit features distinct geological origins, elevations, key peaks, passes, and localities.
Trans-Himalayas

Lies to the north of the Great Himalayas and were formed before the main Himalayan uplift.

Primarily visible in

Ladakh

, parts of

Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul Spiti Valley

, and the

Northern tip of Sikkim

Characterized by dry, barren terrain with minimal vegetation outside high-altitude snow areas.

Key Mountain Ranges in the Trans-Himalayas

Karakoram Range:

Originates near the Pamir Knot in Central Asia, extending to Pangong Tso.

Contains

K2 (Godwin Austen)

, the world’s second-highest peak.

Ladakh Range:

Lies to the south of Karakoram.

Encompasses Leh, a central administrative location in Ladakh.

Zanskar Range:

Situated south of the Ladakh Range and north of the Great Himalayas.

Notable for the

Zanskar Valley

And proximity to

Hemis National Park

(India’s largest national park).

Notable Features

Changtang Plateau

: Extends between the Indus River and Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.
Changpa Community

: Practitioners of transhumance in the Changtang region rearing

Changthangi goats

Famed for yielding fine pashmina wool.

Important Lakes

Pangong Tso

(partly in Ladakh, partly in Tibet)

Tso Moriri

(a Ramsar site)

Great Himalayas

A single, continuous mountain arc forming the highest Himalayan zone.

Average elevations are around 6200 m with numerous peaks above 8000 m.

Extends from

Nanga Parbat

In the west (in the Pakistan-occupied region) to

Namcha Barwa

In the east (in Tibet).

Influences India’s climate by blocking cold air from the north and uplifting monsoon currents.

Key Peaks

Mount Everest

(on the Nepal–China border, the world’s highest peak)

K2

(in the Karakoram, though often mentioned alongside Great Himalayan giants)

Kanchenjunga

(second-highest in India, on the India–Nepal border)

Nanda Devi

(near 7800 m, notable peak in Uttarakhand)

Important Valleys and Pilgrimage Sites

Kashmir Valley
: Formed by the Jhelum; known for Karewa deposits favorable for saffron cultivation.

Chota Char Dham in Uttarakhand

: Comprises Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath.

Middle Himalayas (Lesser Himalayas)

Average elevations are around 3000–4000 m, composed of multiple ranges rather than a single chain.

Also called

Himachal

, formed more recently than the Trans-Himalayas and Great Himalayas.

Key Sub-Ranges

Pir Panjal

Dhauladhar

Mussoorie Range

Nagtibba

Mahabharat Range

(in Nepal)

Valleys and Hill Stations

Kashmir Valley

: Lies between the Great Himalayas and Pir Panjal.

Kullu and Kangra Valleys

In Himachal Pradesh.

Famous towns such as

Dalhousie, Dharamshala, Manali

(near Dhauladhar) and

Mussoorie

(near the Mussoorie Range).

In Arunachal Pradesh, the Lesser Himalayas and Shiwaliks converge, forming narrower belts, including

Dafla, Miri, Abor,

And

Mishmi Hills
(west to east), with the Brahmaputra entering India between Abor and Mishmi.

Shiwaliks (Outer Himalayas)

Located south of the Middle Himalayas with elevations mostly under 1000 m.

Known as the

Jammu Hills

Near Jammu.

Characterized by elongated valleys (

Doons

Such as

Dehradun

).

In the far east, they become thinner and less continuous, merging with parts of the Lesser Himalayas in
Arunachal Pradesh.

Purvanchal Hills

Constitutes the eastern extension of the Himalayas, curving around India’s northeast.

Often considered separate from the main Himalayan arc yet grouped under the broader Northern
Mountains.

Key Sub-Ranges

Patkai Hills

(Arunachal Pradesh)

Naga Hills

(Nagaland)

Manipur Hills

(Manipur)

Mizo or Lushai Hills

(Mizoram)

Tripura Hills

(Tripura)

Jaintia, Khasi, and Garo Hills

Distinct Features

Mizo Hills

: Display ridge-and-valley formations with unconsolidated sedimentary layers called

Molasses

; hence, Mizoram is sometimes referred to as the

Molasses Basin

Manipur

: Contains a central flatland housing

Loktak Lake

Tripura

: Features low hills with ridges and narrow valleys.

Passes and Glaciers in the Northern Mountains

Important Passes

In Ladakh and Surrounding Regions

Karakoram Pass

: Approximately 5600 m, near the India–China–Pakistan-occupied Kashmir tri-junction.

Khardung La

: On the Ladakh Range, linking Leh to Nubra Valley; once the highest motorable pass, now superseded by

Umling La

Burzil Pass

: Historically linked the Kashmir Valley with Gilgit-Baltistan.

Zoji La

: which connects Srinagar to Leh, is located on the Zanskar range.

Banihal Pass

: Located in the Pir Panjal range, linking Jammu to Srinagar.

Rohtang Pass

: Situated in the Pir Panjal range above Manali, it serves as a gateway to Lahaul Spiti.

Baralacha La

: Along the Manali–Leh route in the Great Himalayan zone.

Shipki La

: Where the Sutlej enters India, on the India–China border in Himachal Pradesh.

Mana

And

Niti Passes

: Important routes in Uttarakhand along the India–Tibet border.

Lipulekh Pass

: Near the India–Nepal–China tri-junction, used for pilgrimage to Manasarovar.

In Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh

Nathu La, Jelep La, Naku La

: Passes in Sikkim near the India–China and India–Bhutan borders.

Bum La

: Near Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh on the India–China border.

Dipu Pass

: At the tri-junction of India, China, and Myanmar in the far east.

Tunnel Projects

Zoji La Tunnel

: Under construction to provide all-weather connectivity from Sonmarg to Drass and onward to Leh.

Banihal Tunnel

: Completed near Banihal Pass on the Jammu–Srinagar route.

Chenani–Nashri (SPM) Tunnel

Atal Tunnel

: Located near Rohtang, ensuring year-round access between Manali and Lahaul Spiti.

Major Glaciers

Trans-Himalayas and Great Himalayas

Siachen Glacier

: The largest glacier under Indian administration and the source of the Nubra River.

Baltoro Glacier

: Located in the Pakistan-occupied area.

Himachal Pradesh

Bara Shigri

And

Chhota Shigri

: Found in Lahaul Spiti; they source the Chandra and Bhaga streams which form the Chenab.

Uttarakhand

Bandarpoonch Glacier

: Source of the Yamuna.

Gangotri Glacier

: Origin of the Bhagirathi, the upper course of the Ganga.

Chorabari Glacier

: Feeds the Mandakini River near Kedarnath.

Nanda Devi

And

Pindari Glaciers

: Located in the upper reaches around the Nanda Devi region.

Milam Glacier

: Found near the eastern Kumaon region.

Sikkim

Kanchenjunga Glacier
: Part of the glacial system around Kanchenjunga.

Zemu Glacier

: The source of the Teesta River.

Lhonak Glacier

: Notable for its glacial lake, which has triggered flooding in parts of Sikkim.

Peninsular Region

Hills and Plateaus

Aravalli Range

One of the oldest fold mountains (around 450 million years old).

Extends from

Gujarat

Through

Rajasthan

To

Delhi

Divides Rajasthan into a dry western part and a relatively fertile eastern part.

Highest point:

Guru Shikhar

(in the Mount Abu region).

Vindhya Range

It spans central India and often acts as the divide between northern and southern river systems.

Extends from

Gujarat

Toward the Uttar Pradesh–Bihar border.

Kaimur Hills

Form an eastern extension of the Vindhyas.

Satpura Range

Located south of the Vindhyas, forming a parallel set of mountains in central India.
Narmada

Flows in the rift valley between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges.

Tapi

Flows south of the Satpura Range.

Maikala Range

Southeastern extension near the Madhya Pradesh–Chhattisgarh border.

The

Amarkantak Plateau

, a source of the Narmada and Son Rivers, lies nearby.

Chota Nagpur Plateau

Covers parts of northern Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and parts of Odisha and West Bengal.

Rich in mineral resources.

Rajmahal Hills

Situated in northeastern Jharkhand near the Ganga Plain.

Represent the ancient extension towards the Garo Hills in Meghalaya before geological changes created
the Rajmahal–Garo gap.

Western Ghats

Extends from south of the Tapi at the Gujarat/Maharashtra interface down to Kanyakumari.

Known locally as the

Sahyadri

In some stretches.

Characterized by escarpments, heavy rainfall on the western slopes, and biodiverse evergreen forests.

Key Segments from North to South

Sahyadri in Maharashtra

: Contains peaks like

Mahabaleshwar

(origin of the Krishna River).

Karnataka Western Ghats

: Features peaks such as

And hill ranges like

Baba Budan Hills

And

Kudremukh

Coorg Hills

: Known for coffee plantations and strategically located near

Brahmagiri

(source of the Kaveri).

Nilgiri (Blue Mountains)

: The meeting point of the Western and Eastern Ghats across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka; includes
peaks like

Doddabetta

And regions such as

Mukurthi,

Known for its national park.

Anaimalai Hills

: Host

Anamudi

, the tallest peak in peninsular India, with the eastern extension known as the

Palani Hills

(home to hill stations like Kodaikanal).

Cardamom Hills

: The southern extremity hosting spice plantations and extending to Kanyakumari.

Important Passes in the Western Ghats

Palghat (Palakkad) Gap

: A major break between the Nilgiri and Anaimalai ranges facilitating east–west movement.
Eastern Ghats

Run discontinuously from the

Mahanadi Delta

In Odisha to the

Nilgiris

In Tamil Nadu.

Generally lower in elevation compared to the Western Ghats and is dissected by rivers such as the
Godavari, Krishna, and Penner.

Notable Sections

Mahendragiri

In Odisha, historically cited as a high peak.

Jindhagada Peak

In Andhra Pradesh, a contender for the highest point.

Nallamalla Hills

: Spread across Andhra Pradesh and parts of Telangana.

Erramala and Velikonda Ranges

: Creating scenic valleys, such as around

Gandikota

On the Penner.

Palakonda

: Associated with Tirupati, the Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve and noted for its Red Sanders.

Javadi and Shevaroy Hills

In northern Tamil Nadu, featuring hill stations like

Yercaud

Plains of India

Northern Plains

Also called the

Indo-Gangetic-Brahmaputra Plains

, formed by alluvial deposits of the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra rivers.

Sub-Regions

Punjab–Haryana Plain

(influenced by the Indus tributaries)

Ganga Plain

(stretching from western Uttar Pradesh to West Bengal)

Brahmaputra Plain

(in the Assam region from Sadiya to Dhubri)

Rajasthan Plains

The western part includes the

Thar Desert

(Marusthali), while the eastern portion exhibits semi-arid conditions.

The Aravalli Range separates these plains from more fertile eastern regions.

Coastal Plains

Eastern Coastal Plain

Stretching from the

Sundarbans

In West Bengal to

Kanyakumari

Divided into segments:

Utkal Coast

: From the Sundarbans to the northern Andhra border, including the Mahanadi Delta and Chilika Lake.

Andhra Coast

: Encompasses the Krish­na–Godavari (KG) Delta.

Coromandel Coast

: From the delta region down to Rameshwaram, historically known as

Cholamandalam

.
Key Features

Chilika Lake

: The largest brackish water lake in India.

Chandipur Coast

: Known for its extreme tidal variations.

Godavari and Krishna Deltas

: Major fertile regions for cultivation.

Western Coastal Plain

Extends from

Kutch

In Gujarat to

Kanyakumari

Subdivided based on local nomenclature:

Kathiawar Coast

: From Kutch to Daman.

Konkan Coast

: From Daman to Goa.

Malabar Coast

: From Goa to Kanyakumari.

Key Features

Backwaters (Kayals)

In Kerala along the Malabar stretch.

Canara Coast

: The Karnataka segment of the Malabar.

Topic to be Discussed in the Next Class

Environmental aspects of India include notable national parks, biosphere reserves, and Ramsar sites.

Island regions of India such as

Andaman & Nicobar

And

Lakshadweep