MOUNTAIN RANGES OF INDIA- 4

MOUNTAIN RANGES OF INDIA

North and Northeastern Mountains

• The North and Eastern Mountains are made up of the Himalayas and the Northeastern highlands.
• The Himalayas consist of a series of mountain ranges that run parallel to one another.
• The Greater Himalayan range, which encompasses the Great Himalayas and the Trans-Himalayan range, the Middle Himalayas, and the Shiwalik are some of the most important ranges.
• The Greater Himalaya, the Lesser/Middle Himalaya, and the Siwalik Range are all Himalayan Ranges.
• The typical orientation of these mountains in the north-western section of India is from northwest to southeast.
• The Himalayas run east-west in the Darjeeling and Sikkim areas, whereas they run southwest-northwest in Arunachal Pradesh. They are in the north-south direction in Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram.
• The Great Himalayan range, also known as the central axial range, is approximately 2,500 kilometres long from east to west, and its breadth ranges between 160 and 400 kilometres north to south.
• These mountains may be found in India's northeastern states.
• The Himalayan orogeny gave rise to these mountains, which vary in size and relief.
• Sandstones make up the majority of them. The lush trees cover these mountains.
• To the west, the Purvanchal hills are convex.
• Within the Himalayas, there are large-scale regional variances. The Brahmaputra forms the Himalayas' eastern boundary.
• The Himalayas curve dramatically to the south and from the eastern highlands of Purvanchal beyond the Dihang canyon.

                                     

 

Northern Mountains

The Himalayan Mountains make up India's northern mountain range. They are the world's tallest mountain ranges.

Trans Himalayas

• The Great Himalayan Range is immediately to the north.
• Because the majority of this Himalayan range is located in Tibet, it is also known as the Tibetan Himalaya.
• In the Zaskar Range, the Nanga Parbat (8126 m) is a significant range.
• The Ladakh Range is located north of the Zaskar Range and runs parallel to it. Only a few peaks in this range exceed 6000 metres in elevation.
• The Kailas Range (Gangdise in Chinese) is a branch of the Ladakh Range in western Tibet. Mount Kailash is the highest point in the area (6714 m). The Indus River rises on the Kailash range's northern slopes.
• The Great Karakoram Range, also known as the Krishnagiri Range, is India's northernmost Trans-Himalayan Range.
• The Karakoram Range stretches for around 800 kilometres east of the Pamir.
• The Karakoram Range is to the north-east of the Ladakh Plateau. It's been divided into several plains and mountains. 

                           

Punjab Himalayas

• Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh share a substantial chunk of the Punjab Himalayas. As a result, they're also known as the Kashmir and Himachal Himalayas.
• Karakoram, Ladakh, Pir Panjal, Zaskar, and Dhaola Dhar are the major ranges.
• The overall elevation decreases to the west.
• Karewa formations are also well-known in the Kashmir Himalayas.
• The lake deposits found on the flat-topped terraces of the Kashmir valley and on the sides of the Pir Panjal Mountain are referred to as 'Karewas' in Kashmiri.
• Clays, silts, and sands make up these deposits, which also exhibit signs of glaciation.
• The presence of tilted Karewas beds at altitudes of 1500-1800m on the Pir Panjal's flanks clearly shows that the Himalayas were uplifting as recently as the Pliocene and Pleistocene (1.8mya to 10kyears ago). Karewas is notable for the production of Zafran, a local kind of saffron.

 

North-Eastern Mountains

• The Brahmaputra forms the Himalayas' eastern boundary. The Himalayas curve steeply southward beyond the Dihang canyon, forming the Eastern highlands, or Purvanchal.
• North-Eastern Hills & Mountains are part of the Himalayan Mountain chain, with a basic alignment from north to south.
• They are recognised by many local names. They are known as Patkai Bum in the north, Naga hills in the south, and Manipur hills in the north.
• These are low hills populated by a variety of tribes that practise Jhum agriculture.
• The region is geologically unstable, with multiple faults crisscrossing it. Its north–south hill ranges are formed by small parallel valleys that slope westward.
• Mount Dapha (in Arunachal Pradesh) is the tallest mountain in the area, rising 15,020 feet (4,578 metres).
• Lohit, Burhi Dihing, Diyung, Kusiyara, Gumti, Kaladan, Manipur, Tixu, Nantaleik, and Naurya are the prominent rivers.

                                             

 

 

Kashmir or Northwestern Himalayas

• It comprises a series of ranges such as the Karakoram, Ladakh, Zaskar and Pir Panjal.
• The northeastern part of the Kashmir Himalayas is a cold desert, which lies between the Greater Himalayas and the Karakoram ranges.
• Between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal range, lies the world-famous valley of Kashmir and the famous Dal Lake.
• Important glaciers of South Asia such as the Baltoro and Siachen are also found in this region.
• The Kashmir Himalayas are also famous for Karewa formations, which are useful for the cultivation of Zafran, a local variety of saffron.
• Some of the important passes of the region are Zoji La on the Great Himalayas, Banihal on the Pir Panjal, Photu La on the Zaskar and Khardung La on the Ladakh range.
• Some of the important fresh lakes such as Dal and Wular and salt water lakes such as Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri are also in this region.
• This region is drained by the river Indus, and its tributaries such as the Jhelum and the Chenab.
• The Kashmir and northwestern Himalayas are well-known for their scenic beauty and picturesque landscape.
• The landscape of Himalayas is a major source of attraction for adventure tourists.
• Some famous places of pilgrimage such as Vaishno Devi, Amamath Cave, Charar-e-Sharif, etc. are also located here.
• Srinagar, capital city of the state of Jammu and Kashmir is located on the banks of Jhelum River. Dal Lake in Srinagar presents an interesting physical feature.
• Jhelum in the valley of Kashmir is still in its youth stage and yet forms meanders - a typical feature associated with the mature stage in the evolution of fluvial land form.
• In Kashmir Valley, the meanders in Jhelum River are caused by the local base level provided by the erstwhile larger lake of which the present Dal Lake is a small part.
• The southernmost part of this region consists of longitudinal valleys known as 'duns'. Jammu dun and Pathankot dun are important examples.

The Himachal and Uttarakhand Himalayas

• This part lies approximately between the Ravi in the west and the Kali (a tributary of Ghaghara) in the east.
• It is drained by two major river systems of India, i.e., the Indus and the Ganga.
• Tributaries of the Indus include the river Ravi, the Beas and the Satluj, and the tributaries of Ganga flowing through this region include the Yamuna and the Ghaghara.
• The northernmost part of the Himachal Himalayas is an extension of the Ladakh cold desert, which lies in the Spiti subdivision of district Lahul and Spiti.
• All the three ranges of Himalayas are prominent in this section also. These are the Great Himalayan range, the Lesser Himalayas (which is locally known as Dhaoladhar in Himachal Pradesh and Nagtibha in Uttarakhand) and the Shiwalik range from the North to the South.
• In this section of Lesser Himalayas, the altitude between 1,000-2,000 m specially attracted to the British colonial administration, and subsequently, some of the important hill stations such as Dharamshala, Mussoorie, Shimla, Kaosani and the cantonment towns and health resorts such as Shimla, Mussoorie, Kasauli, Almora, Lansdowne and Ranikhet, etc. were developed in this region.
• The two distinguishing features of this region from the point of view of physiography are the 'Shiwalik' and 'Dun formations'.
• Some important duns located in this region are the Chandigarh-Kalka dun, Nalagarh dun, Dehra Dun, Harike dun and the Kota dun, etc.
• Dehra Dun is the largest of all the duns with an approximate length of 35-45 km and a width of 22-25 km.
• In the Great Himalayan range, the valleys are mostly inhabited by the Bhotia's.
• These are nomadic groups who migrate to 'Bugyals' (the summer glasslands in the higher reaches) during summer months and return to the valleys during winters.
• The famous 'Valley of flowers' is also situated in this region. The places of pilgrimage such as the Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedamath, Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib are also situated in this part.
• The region is also known to have five famous Prayags (river confluences).

 

The Pir Panjal range

• The Pir Panjal range in Kashmir is the longest and the most important range.
• It extends from the Jhelum River to the upper Beas River for over 300 km.
• It rises to 5,000 metres and contains mostly volcanic rocks.

Passes in Pir Panjal

• Pir Panjal Pass (3,480 m), the Bidil (4,270 m), Golabghar Pass (3,812 m) and Banihal Pass (2,835 m).
• The Banihal Pass is used by the Jammu-Srinagar highway and Jammu-Baramula railway.
• The Kishanganga, the Jhelum and the Chenab cut through the range.
• Southeast of the Ravi, the Pir Panjal continues as Dhaola Dhar range, passing through Dalhousie, Dharmshala, and Shimla.

 

Important Valleys

• Between the Pir Panjal and the Zaskar Range of the main Himalayas, lies the valley of Kashmir. (Average elevation is 1,585 m above mean sea level)
• The synclinal basin of the valley is floored with alluvial, lacustrine [lake deposits], fluvial [river action] and glacial deposits. {Fluvial Landforms, Glacial Landforms}
• Jehlum River meanders through these deposits and cuts a deep gorge in Pir Panjal through which it drains. (Kashmir is like a basin with very few outlets)
• In Himachal Pradesh there is Kangra Valley. It is a strike valley and extends from the foot of the Dhaola Dhar Range to the south of Beas.
• On the other hand, the Kulu Valley in the upper course of the Ravi is transverse valley.

                                             

Sikkim Himalayas and The Darjiling:  

• They are surrounded to the east by the Bhutan Himalayas and to the west by the Nepal Himalayas
• This Himalaya is esteemed for its high mountain peaks such as Kanchenjunga (Kanchan Giri) and its fast-flowing rivers such as Tista and deep valleys
• The higher reaches of this region are populated by Lepcha tribes, in contrast to the southern portion, especially the Darjeeling Himalayas, which is inhabited by a mix of central Indian Tribes, Bengalis, and Nepalis. Instead of Shiwaliks, the ‘duar formations’ are prominent here and have also been used for growing tea gardens
• This region is also notable for its rich flora and fauna, scenic beauty and different types of orchids

 

The Arunachal Himalayas: 

• The Arunachal Himalayas run from the east of the Bhutan Himalayas to the Diphu pass in the east from southwest to northeast direction.
• Namcha Barwa and Kangtu are the major mountain peaks of the region
• The fast-flowing rivers from the north to the south cut up this region and created deep gorges.  E.g.: Brahmaputra runs through a deep Valley after dissecting Namcha Barwa. Lohit, Dibang, Dihang, Subansiri, and Kameng are some of the most prominent rivers of the region
• These rivers have the potential for hydroelectric power because of their perpetual flow with the high fall rate. 
• Several ethnic tribal groups, including the Nagas, Nyishi, Mishmi, Abor, and Monpa, reside in these areas from the west direction to the east
• Jhumming, which is known as slash and burn or shifting cultivation, is practised by most of these communities

The Eastern Mountain and Hills:

·         The Eastern Mountain and Hills are part of the Himalayan Mountain Range system and established from the north to the south

·         They are known as the Manipur hills, Naga hills, Patkai Bum, In the north and the south as Lushai hills or Mizo. The Eastern Mountain and Hills region is also populated by several tribal groups that practice Jhum cultivation

·         Several small rivers estranged the generality of these ranges. The Barak River (a tributary of Meghna) is prime in Mizoram and Manipur

·         Manipur’s physiography is distinguished by the ‘Loktak’ lake, which is engulfed by mountains from all sides. Mizoram, also called the ‘Molasses basin,’ is made of soft nonviscous deposits

 Prominent Mountain Passes in the Himalayas Ranges

• Jelep La Pass: It is a high mountain pass between India and Tibet in Sikkim. The pass connects Lhasa (Tibet) to India
• Karakoram Pass: The Karakoram Pass is between China and India and is situated in the Karakoram Range
• Mana Pass: One of the mountains passes in the Himalayas in Uttarakhand state. It is on the border between Tibet and India
• Shipki La Pass: It is situated on the border post on the India Tibet border and in Himachal Pradesh. The river Satluj spears India from Tibet via this pass
• Rohtang Pass: It joins the Spiti valleys of Himachal Pradesh and the Kullu valley with Lahaul. Manali-Leh Highway, a part of NH 21, passes over Rohtang Pass
• Banihal Pass: This mountain pass splits the south and the Kashmir Valley in the Indian UT of Jammu and Kashmir from the Outer Himalayas
• Nathu La Pass: It attaches China’s Tibet Autonomous Region with the Indian state of Sikkim. This pass is of strategic prominence in Indo-China relations
• The Atal tunnel, the world’s longest highway tunnel (9.02 km) above 3,000 metres, was recently made in Rohtang. It joins Spiti district and Solang Valley in the Manali district to Sissu in the Lahaul

Important Hills and Mountains

S No	Hills and Mountains	Location	Significance
1	Patkai Bum hills	Nagaland	The Pat-kai or Patkai Bum are a group of mountains on the Indo-Myanmar border that lie in the north-eastern Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Myanmar's Upper Burma area.
			The mountains of the Patkai range are not as craggy as those of the Himalayas, and the summits are much lower.
			The range's features include conical summits, steep slopes, and deep valleys.
2	Khasi Hills	Meghalaya	The Khasi Hills are a low mountain range on the Shillong Plateau in India's Meghalaya state.
			The Khasi Hills form part of the Garo-Khasi-Jaintia range, which connects to the Purvanchal Range and the greater Patkai Range to the east.
			The Khasi Hills, as well as the entire Garo-Khasi-Jaintia range, are part of the Meghalaya subtropical forests ecoregion.
			It is fed by Brahmaputra and Surma river tributaries.
3	Garo Hills	Meghalaya	The Garo Hills are located in Meghalaya, India, and are part of the Garo-Khasi range.
			It forms the western edge of the Shillong Plateau and reaches to a of roughly 4,600 feet.
			It gets exceptionally high rainfall and is largely wooded, and it is drained by several tributaries of the Brahmaputra River.
			Nokrek National Park, located in the region's west, protects a varied plant and animal life.
4	Jaintia Hills	Meghalaya	The Jaintia Hills are a physiographic area in the state of Meghalaya in northeastern India.
			It receives a lot of rain and is highly wooded. There is some production of fine timber woods, but there is little industry.
			The Kopili River, the region's major stream, is rocky and rapid, with several stunning waterfalls.
5	Naga Hills	Nagaland	The Naga Hills are part of the complex mountain barrier that separates India and Myanmar (Burma).
			The Nga Hills, a northern extension of the Arakan Yoma chain, reach a of 12,552 feet (3,826 m) at Mount Saramati on the India-Myanmar border.
			Mount Saramati is the highest point in the Naga highlands.
6	Mizo hills (Lushai hills)	Manipur	The Lushai Hills, also known as the Mizo Hills, are a mountain range in the Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur.
			The range is part of the Patkai range system, and its highest peak is Phawngpui, often known as 'Blue Mountain,' at 2,157 metres.
			Shifting (slash-and-burn) agriculture and some terrace farming are practised in the intermountain valleys.
7	Barail Range	Assam	The Barail Range is a tertiary mountain range in Northeast India that stretches from Nagaland and Manipur to the east and Assam and Meghalaya to the west, between the Brahmaputra and Barak basins.
			In the river valleys, the landscape ranges from low and undulating to mountainous with steep slopes.
			Through tiny ranges, the Barail Range connects to the Patkai Range.
			The Barail Range is home to one of the region's most varied, but little-known, ecosystems.
8	Mikir Hills	Assam	Mikir Hills are a series of hills found in Assam, to the south of Kaziranga National Park.
			The Karbi plateau, also known as the Mikir Hills, is Assam's oldest landform.
			It is pear-shaped and covers an area of around 7000 square kilometres.
			It is situated on the Karbi-Plateau. Dambuchko is its highest peak.
9	Dafla Hills	Arunachal Pradesh	Daphla hills, also known as Dafla Hills, is a steep region on the boundary of western Arunachal and Assam that is home to an autonomous tribe known as the Daphla.
			It is located to the north of the subdivisions of Tezpur and North Lakhimpur, and is bounded on the west by the Aka Hills and on the east by the Abor Range.
10	Abor Hills	Arunachal Pradesh	The Abor Hills are a location in Arunachal Pradesh in India's far northeast, near the Chinese border.
			The hills are bounded by the Mishmi and Miri Hills, and are drained by the Dibang River, a Brahmaputra tributary.
11	Mishmi Hills	Arunachal Pradesh	These hills are located at the confluence of the Northeastern Himalaya and the Indo-Burma mountains.
			The Mishmi Hills are geomorphically split into two sections: the flood plains of Brahmaputra River tributaries and the Arunachal Himalayas, which include snow-capped mountains, lower Himalayan ranges, and Shivalik ranges.
			The middle section of the Hills encircles the Dibang Valley on both sides.

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