ARAVALLI RANGE- SNIPPETSHOTS

ARAVALLI RANGE

                The Aravalli Range is one of India's oldest ranges of Fold Mountains. The range of the Aravalli Mountains runs approximately 670 km in Northern-Western India running in South-West Direction.

·         Aravalli ranges are an example of residual mountains. The current form of the Aravalli Range has receded to residual hill ranges due to degradation.

·         Aravalli Range starting near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana, Rajasthan, and ending in Ahmedabad Gujarat

·         An extension of Aravalli divides the drainage of Ganga and Indus from Delhi to Haridwar.

·         The two main ranges of Aravalli include the Sambhar Khetri Range and the Sambhar Sirohi Range, situated in Rajasthan.

·         Though largely forested in the south, it is mostly barren and thinly populated, consisting of large areas of sand and stone and masses of rose-colored quartzite.

·         The highest peak of Aravalli is Guru Shikhar near Mount Abu, which is 1722 meters high.

Formation of Aravalli Range:

• Aravalli Range is a belt formed by folding the Earth's crust, also called orogenic.
• It stretches from northeast to southwest, discovered in the Indian Peninsula.
• The range is an element of India's Shield formed from cratonic collisions.
• In old times, Aravalli was extremely tall but has been modelled down entirely from the long-time weathering process.
• The Aravalli Range connects two age-old Earth's crust pieces that create the Indian craton, the Aravalli and the Bundelkand Craton.
• Cratons are discovered in the interior part of tectonic plates. They are ancient and steady regions of the continental geosphere.
• It comprises two sequences in the Proterozoic eon, metasedimentary and metavolcanic rock.
• The Aravalli-Delhi Orogen is an event that led to sizeable structural deformation of the Earth's lithosphere, such as the Aravalli mountains, due to the interactivity between tectonic plates when a continental plate is destroyed and is forced in the upwards direction to build mountain ranges.

 Aravalli Range PDF Notes

The Aravalli Mountain in Rajasthan is divided into following Ranges

                                                        

                                     

  

Important Peaks of North-Eastern Aravalli Region
Peak Name	District	Height (meters)
Raghunathgarh	Sikar	1055
Khoh	Jaipur	920
Bhairach	Alwar	792
Barwara	Jaipur	786
Babai	Jhunjhunu	780
Bilali	Alwar	775
Manoharpur	Jaipur	747
Baraith	Jaipur	704
Sariska	Alwar	677

1. North-Eastern Aravalli Range

• This range is also known as Alwar hill range.       
• In North-Eastern Aravalli Range all the hill ranges are eroded.
• It stretches from delhi to isolated hills of Alwar & Jaipur.
• Average elevation of this range is approx. 300-670 meters.
• Towards north & east it merges with Ganga-Yamuna plains.
• Torawati hills, Malkhet & Khetri Group of hills are also part of north eastern Aravali range.

  2. Central Aravalli Range

·         The Average height of Central Aravali Range is 700 meters but in the valley it is approx 550m.

Important Peaks of Central Aravalli Region
Peaks	District	Height (m)
Goramji	Ajmer	934
Taragarh	Ajmer	870
Naag Pahar	Ajmer	795

·         Four famous ghats of this range are Bar, Pakheria, Shivpur and sura ghat. Shekhawati lower hills and Marwar hills are part of Central Aravali range.

·         It includes districts of Ajmer, south-western Tonk and Jaipur Surrounded

(1)  North by Alwar hills

(2)  East by Karauli table-land

(3)  South by Banas plains and

(4)  West by Sambhar basin

 3. Southern Aravali Range

Peaks of Southern Aravali Range
Peak Name	District	Height (m)
Guru Shikhar	Sirohi	1722
Ser	Sirohi	1597
Dilwara	Sirohi	1442
Jarga	Sirohi	1431
Achalgarh	Sirohi	1380
Kumbhalgarh	Rajsamand	1224
Dhoniya	Abu Block	1183
Hrishikesh	Abu Block	1017
Kamalnath	Udaipur	1001
Sajjangarh	Udaipur	938
Lilagarh	—	874

·         The southern Aravali expansion of hill ranges: 100km width

·         and the average height is 1000meter. 

·         Granite and Aravali quartzite also found in this range and it formed 8-10 hill ranges are in parallel.

·         The Southern Aravali range includes district of Banswara, Udaipur, Sirohi, Dungarpur & South-eastern margin of Pali district.

·         Physiographically it is a dominant part of Aravallis which falls in Mewar.

·         The general altitude of the region is above 650 metre and it extends longitudinally from Bhim tehsil in the north to the Dungarpur tehsil in the south.

·         The region separates Marwar in the west from the Mewar in the east, extending along the western border of Udaipur district.

·         The Aravalli within Mewar appears like a triangular shaped land form, having greatest width as well as height in the south. Thus, the whole western portion of the Mewar is part of Aravalli and widely known as south Aravalli region.

Main hill ranges of southern Aravali are:

·         Girwa Hills

·         Mewar hills & Bhorat Plateau

·         Merwara Hills

·         Abu block & Oria plateau

Geology

• The Aravalli Range, an eroded stub of ancient mountains, is the oldest range of fold mountains in India.
• The natural history of the Aravalli Range dates back to times when the Indian Plate was separated from the Eurasian Plate by an ocean.
• The range rose in a Precambrian event called the Aravalli-Delhi Orogen. The Aravalli Range is a northeast–southwest trending orogenic belt located in the north western part of Indian Peninsula.
• In ancient times, Aravalli were extremely high but since have worn down almost completely from millions of years of weathering, whereas the Himalayas, young fold mountains, are still continuously rising.
• Aravalli have stopped growing higher due to the cessation of upward thrust caused by the tectonic plates in the Earth's crust below them.

  Mining

• Mining of copper and other metals in the Aravalli range dates back to at least the 5th century BCE, based on carbon dating.
• Recent research indicates that copper was already mined here during the Sothi-Siswal period going back to c. 4000 BCE. Ancient Kalibangan and Kunal, Haryana settlements obtained copper here.

 

Climate

• The Northern Aravalli range in Delhi and Haryana has humid subtropical climate and hot semi-arid continental climate with very hot summers and relatively cool winters.
• The main characteristics of climate in Hisar are dryness, extremes of temperature, and scanty rainfall. The maximum daytime temperature during the summer varies between 40 and 46 °C (104 and 115 °F). During winter, its ranges between 1.5 and 4 °C.
• The Central Aravalli range in Rajasthan has an arid and dry climate.
• The Southern Aravalli range in Gujarat has a tropical wet and dry climate.

 

Rivers

• Three major rivers and their tributaries flow from the Aravalli, namely Banas and Sahibi rivers which are tributaries of Yamuna, as well as Luni River which flows into the Rann of Kutch.

 North-to-south

• North-to-south flowing rivers originate from the western slopes of the Aravalli range in Rajasthan, pass through the southeastern portion of the Thar Desert, and end into Gujarat.
• Luni River, originates in the Pushkar valley near Ajmer, ends in the marshy lands of Rann of Kutch. It used to be one of the channels of the Saraswati River, as a result its banks have several Indus Valley Civilisation sites including Lothal.
• Sakhi River, ends in the marshy lands of Rann of Kutch.
• Sabarmati River, originates on the western slopes of Aravalli range of the Udaipur District, end into the Gulf of Khambhat of the Arabian Sea.

 West to North West- Western Slope

• West to north-west flowing rivers originate from the western slopes of the Aravalli range in Rajasthan, flow through semi-arid historical Shekhawati region and drain into southern Haryana.
• Several Ochre Coloured Pottery culture sites, also identified as late Harappan phase of Indus Valley Civilisation culture, have been found along the banks of these rivers.
• Sahibi River, originates near Manoharpur in Sikar district flows through Haryana and meets its confluence with the Yamuna in Delhi where it is called Najafgarh drain, along with its following tributaries: Masani barrage, is an important wildlife area.
• Dohan river, tributary of the Sahibi River, originates near Neem Ka Thana in Sikar district).
• Sota River, tributary of the Sahibi River with which it merges at Behror in Alwar district.
• Krishnavati river, former tributary of Sahibi river, originates near Dariba copper mines in Rajsamand district of Rajasthan, flows through Patan in Dausa district and Mothooka in Alwar district, then disappears in Mahendragarh district in Haryana much before reaching Sahibi River Many important wetlands lie in its paleochannel, including Matanhail, Chhuchhakwas-Godhari, Khaparwas Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary, Sarbashirpur, Sultanpur National Park, Basai and The Lost Lake (Gurugram).

 West to North-East- Eastern Slopes

• West to north-east flowing rivers, originating from the eastern slopes of Aravalli range in Rajasthan, flow northwards to Yamuna.
• Chambal River, a southern-side tributary of Yamuna River.
• Banas River, a northern-side tributary of Chambal River.
• Berach River, a southern-side tributary of Banas River, originates in the hills of Udaipur District.
• Ahar River, a right-side (or eastern side) tributary of the Berach river, originates in the hills of Udaipur District, flows through Udaipur city forming the famous Lake Pichola.
• Wagli River, a right-side tributary of the Berach River.
• Wagon River, a right-side tributary of the Berach River.
• Gambhiri River, a right-side tributary of the Berach River.
• Orai River, a right-side tributary of the Berach River.

 

Ecology

Wildlife corridors

The Great Green wall of India

• "The Great Green Wall of Aravalli" is a 1,600 km long and 5 km wide green ecological corridor along Aravalli range from Gujarat to Delhi, it will be connected to Shivalik hill range and 1.35 billion (135 crore) new native trees will be planted over 10 years to rehabilitate the forest cover in this area.
• To be implemented on a concept similar to the Great Green Wall of Sahara in Africa, it will act as a buffer against pollution, 51% of which is caused by the industrial pollution, 27% by vehicles, 8% by crop burning and 5% by Diwali fireworks.

 Northern Aravalli leopard and wildlife corridor

• The Sariska-Delhi leopard wildlife corridor or the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor is a 200 km long important biodiversity and wildlife corridor which runs from the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan to Delhi Ridge.
• This corridor is an important habitat for the Indian leopards and jackals of Aravalli.

 Southern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor

• This corridor runs from Sariska and Ranthmbor to Rann of Kutch National Park and Gir National Park in Gujarat.

 Nature reserves

• Ashoka pillar at Delhi Ridge, brought to Delhi from Topra Kalan by Firuz Shah Tughlaq in 1356.
• The following national parks, wildlife reserves, and forests lie in the Aravalli Range.

Delhi Ridge

• Northern ridge biodiversity park, 87 hectares approximately near Delhi University
• Yamuna biodiversity park
• Neela Hauz biodiversity park, next to Sanjay Van
• Sanjay Van
• Sanjay Lake
• Aravalli Biodiversity Park
• Tilpath valley biodiversity park, 70 hectares approximately near Sainik Farm
• Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary

 Haryana

• Aravali Biodiversity Park, Gurgaon
• Madhogarh biodiversity park forest
• Nuh Aravalli biodiversity park forest
• Satnali biodiversity park forest
• Tosham hills range biodiversity park
• Masani barrage wildlife area.
• Matanhail wildlife area
• Chhuchhakwas-Godhari wetland
• Khaparwas Wildlife Sanctuary
• Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary
• Sarbashirpur
• Sultanpur National Park
• Basai
• Bandhwari forest
• Mangar Bani forest
• The Lost Lake (Gurugram)

 Rajasthan

• Sariska Tiger Reserve
• Ranthambore National Park
• National Chambal Sanctuary
• Phulwari ki Nal Wildlife Sanctuary
• Sita Mata Wildlife Sanctuary
• Todgarh-Raoli Sanctuary
• Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary
• Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
• Bassi Wildlife Sanctuary
• Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary

  

Gujarat

• Balaram Ambaji Wildlife Sanctuary
• Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary
• Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary

 Fauna

• The Aravalli Range is rich in wildlife. The first-ever 2017 wildlife survey of a 200 square kilometre area crossing five districts (Gurgaon, Faridabad, Mewat, Rewari and Mahendergarh) of Haryana by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) found 14 species, including leopards, striped hyena, golden jackal (with 92% occupancy across the survey area), nilgai, palm civet, wild pig , rhesus macaque , peafowl and Indian crested porcupine.
• Encouraged by the first survey, the wildlife department has prepared a plan for a comprehensive study and census of wildlife across the whole Aravalli Range, including radio collar tracking of the wild animals.
• Well known leopard and hyena habitat is along the Ferozpure Jhirka-Nuh Aravali range as well as Delhi South Ridge (Faridabad-Gurugram) to Farrukhnagar area on the Delhi–Haryana border, with reports of sightings in Saidpur, Lokri and Jhund Sarai Viran villages near the KMP expressway; Bhukarka 7 km from Pataudi; Pathkori, Bhond, Mandawar in Ferozepur Jirka region.

 Significance of Aravalli Range:

·         Acts as a barrier to prevent additional desertification in Rajasthan's east, and afterwards in the Gangetic plains.

• If the erosion of the natural barrier known as 'The Aravali' continues unchecked, dust storms may become more powerful and frequent.
• Responsible for ensuring enough monsoon rainfall, which in turn supports a diversified flora and fauna, rich biodiversity, livelihood, and agriculture in the member states.
• The Aravalli serves as a barrier for clouds to move eastwards to the lower Himalayas, influencing the climate of north India.
• The plains are protected from the effects of westerly winds from Central Asia.
• Despite its diminishing forest resources, the Aravalli serves as a buffer for the urban landscape, absorbing the strain and shock of increased anthropogenic activity and pollution.
• An Aravalli that is greener serves as a groundwater recharge for a region that is experiencing severe water scarcity.

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