Mountains of India

(Geography)
Static General knowledge
By INDO PATHSHALA

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 Mountains In India

Mountains are large landforms that rise prominently above their surroundings,
typically having steep slopes and a peak or summit.

Here are the main classifications:

• The Himalayan Range
• The Western Ghats
• The Eastern Ghats
• The Vindhya Range
• The Satpura Range
• The Aravalli Range
• The Purvanchal Range
• The Karakoram Range

The Himalayan Range

❖ On the basis of the latitudinal extent, the Himalayas can be divided into
three divisions:
▪ Trans-Himalayas.
▪ The Himalayan Mountain Ranges.
▪ The Eastern Hills or Purvanchal.
The Trans-Himalayas: North of the Great Himalayan Range.
o They stretch in an east-west direction for a distance of about 1,000
km.
o The prominent ranges that comprise the Trans-Himalayas include –
The Karakoram Range, the Ladakh Range, and the Zaskar Range.
▪ Karakoram Range
o Northernmost range of the Trans-Himalayan in India.
o K2, also known as Mount Godwin-Austen, lies in this range.
o 8611m high and is the second-highest peak in the world.
o Siachen Glacier and Remo Glacier are some of the prominent
glaciers lying in this range.
▪ Ladakh Range
o Southeastern extension of the Karakoram Range.
o The Kailash Range in western Tibet is also considered a westward
extension of the Ladakh Range.
▪ Zaskar Range
o It runs more or less parallel to the Great Himalayan Range.
o Kamet Peak (25,446 feet) is the highest peak in this range.
The Greater Himalayas
▪ They are also known as the Himadri, the Inner Himalayas, or the Central
Himalayas.
▪ Some of the prominent peaks in the Greater Himalayas (from west to east)
include – Nanga Parbat, Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga, and Namcha
Barwa.
The Inner or Middle Himalayas:
▪ They are also called Lesser Himalayas or Lower Himalayas.
▪ Their mean elevation is about 3,500 to 5,000 meters and their
average width is about 60 to 80 km
▪ Prominent ranges comprising this sub-division of the Himalayas
include – Nag Tibba, Mahabharat Range, Dhauladhar, the Pir
Panjal, and the Mussoorie Range.
PIR PANJAL :
✓ Westernmost range of the Lesser Himalayas which separates Jammu
from Kashmir
✓ Extends from the Jhelam River to the upper Beas River for 300-400km.
✓ Pir Panjal and Banihal passes are located in it
✓ Jawahar Tunnel passes through the Banihal Pass.
DHAULADHAR RANGE :
✓ Range of the Lesser Himalayas in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal
Pradesh
✓ Hill Stations -Dalhousie,Chamba, Kullu, Manali, Dharmshala, Shimla
o Southern slope is steeper than the northern slope
o The southernmost range of the Lessar Himalayas
 NAG TIBBA :
✓ Part of the Lesser Himalaya in the southwestern Uttarakhand
✓ Nag Tibba (3022m) is its highest peak
✓ Most easterly of the ranges of the Lesser Himalayas in India
✓ Hill Station– Mussoorie
KUMAON RANGE :
✓ Part of the Lesser Himalayas in the south-eastern part of Uttrakhand

The Eastern Range & Purvanchal

o The Eastern Hills, also known as Purvanchal, form a part of the

Himalayan mountain system.
These ranges are known by various local names.
GARO :
• Westernmost part of the Meghalaya Plateau
• Inhabited by the Garo tribes
• Nokrek Biosphere Reserve
• Highest peak- Nokrek
KHASI :

• Middle part of the Meghalaya Plateau

• Highest point of the Meghalaya Plateau
• Cherrapunjee and Mawsynram are located in it
• Shillong is located in the hill
• Inhabited by the matrilineal Khasi tribes
JAYANTIYA :
• Eastern part of the Meghalaya Plateau
• Inhabited by the Jatantiya tribes
• Jhuming cultivation is practised
• High rainfall region
• Presence of the laterite soils
BARAIL RANGE :
• Lies along the border of Assam and Manipur
• Links the Meghalaya Plateau with the Purvanchal Hills
• Covered with bamboo and pine trees
• Water divide between the Brahmaputra and the Barak rivers
MIZO HILLS :

• Southernmost part of the Purvanchal, also known as the Lusai Hills

• Lies in Mizoram
• Highest peak – Blue Mountain
• Crossed by the Tropic of Cancer
MANIPUR HILLS :
• Part of the Purvanchal in Manipur
• Loktak Lake is located in it
• Manipur River originates here
• Forms boundary between India and Myanmar
NAGA HILLS :

• Part of the Purvanchal, located between the Patkai Bum and the Manipur
Hills in Nagaland
• Highest peak- Saramati (3826m)
• Forms boundary between India and Myanmar
PATKAI BUM :
• Northernmost range of the Purvanchal, located in Arunachal Pradesh
• Forms boundary between India and Myanmar
• Source of Burhi Dihing and Disang rivers
MIKIR :

• Part of the Meghalaya Plateau located in Assam, just south of the

Brahmaputra River
• Mikir tribes live here who practise Jhuming cultivation
• Hills consist of the Archaean rocks
RENGMA :
• Part of the Meghalaya Plateau in Assam located to the east of the Mikir
Hills
• Full of bamboos and Rengma tribes live here.
DAFLA :
• Part of the Siwalik located in Arunachal Pradesh between the Subansiri
River and the Kameng River, that to the south of the Kamla River
• Tribes living here practice Jhuming
• Covered with dense bamboo, pine and deodar trees.
The Aravali Range

• Aligned in a north-east to south-west direction.

• Extend approximately 800 km between Delhi and Palanpur in Gujarat.
• General elevation: 400-600 m, with some hills well above 1,000 m.
• South-west extremity rises to over 1,000 m, with Mt. Abu (1,158 m)
separated from the main range by the Banas Valley.
• Guru Sikhar (1,722 m), the highest peak, is located in Mt. Abu.
The Vindhyan Range

o The Vindhyas serve as a dividing line between the Indo-Gangetic plains

and the Deccan area of India
o The range stretches 675 miles (1,086 km) from Gujarat in the west to the
Ganges (Ganga) River valley near Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
o It split into two branches:
▪ The Kaimur Range
▪ The Maikala Range
o Rise to primary southern tributaries of the Ganges-Yamuna basin,
including the Chambal, Betwa, Ken, and Tons rivers.
MAIKAL HILLS :
✓ Eastern part of the Satpura Range, located between Madhya Pradesh
and Chhattisgarh
✓ Source of many tributaries of Narmada, Mahanadi and Godavari
✓ Inhabited by the tribal peoples like Baiga and Gond
✓ Kanha National Park, Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve.
KAIMUR RANGE :
✓ Eastern range of the Vindhyas located between the Son and the Tons
rivers in northeastern Madhya Pradesh
✓ Its northern edge forms escarpments
✓ Prehistoric rock paintings have been discovered
The Satpura Range

✓ The Satpura Range is a hill range in western India, part of the Deccan
plateau.
✓ The hills run for 560 miles (900 kilometers) across Maharashtra and Madhya
Pradesh.
✓ It forms the watershed between the Narmada River (north) and Tapti River
(south).
✓ The name “Satpura” means “Seven Folds.”
✓ Peaks rise beyond 4,000 feet (1,200 meters).The eastern range receives more
rainfall than the western range.
✓ The range is covered with teak, sal, and bamboo deciduous forests.
✓ The Satpura Range includes:
▪ Mahadeo Hills to the north
▪ Maikala Range to the east
▪ Rajpipla Hills to the west
RAJPIPLA HILLS :
➢ The westernmost part of the Satpura Range, mainly in eastern Gujarat,
around the city of Rajpipla
➢ Separated from the Gawilgarh Hills by the Khandwa Gap
MAHADEO HILLS :
➢ Central part of the Satpura Range in southern Madhya Pradesh
➢ Watershed between Narmada and Godavari
➢ Highest Peak – Dhupgarh
➢ Origin of the Tapi River
MAIKAL HILLS :
➢ Eastern part of the Satpura Range, located between Madhya Pradesh and
Chhattisgarh
➢ Source of many tributaries of Narmada, Mahanadi and Godavari
➢ Inhabited by the tribal peoples like Baiga and Gond
➢ Kanha National Park, Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve.
The Western Ghats

➢ The Western Ghats is one of the eight hotspots of biological diversity in the
world.
➢ It spans six states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and
Kerala.
➢ It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the eight “hottest hot-spots”
of biological diversity.
➢ According to UNESCO, the Western Ghats are older than the Himalayas.
➢ It is called Sahyadri till 11° N.
The Western Ghats have three sections:
Northern Western Ghats: Located between the Tapi valley and 16° N
latitude.
❖ Made of horizontal sheets of Deccan lavas (Deccan Traps).
❖ Average height: 1,200 m above mean sea level, with some peaks
attaining more heights.
❖ Important peaks: Kalasubai (1,646 m), Salher (1,567 m),
Mahabaleshwar (1,438 m), Harishchandragarh (1,424 m).
❖ Important passes: Thal ghat and Bhor ghat.
Middle Sahyadri (Central Western Ghats):
❖ Runs from 16° N latitude to the Nilgiri hills.
❖ Made of granites and gneisses. Covered with dense forests.
❖ Average height: 1,200 m, with many peaks exceeding 1,500 m.
❖ Important peaks: Vavul Mala (2,339 m), Kudremukh (1,892 m),
Pashpagiri (1,714 m).
Southern Western Ghats:
❖ Separated from the main Sahyadri range by Pal ghat Gap (Palakkad
Gap).
❖ Known as the southern mountain complex.
 ❖ Anai Mudi (2,695 m) is the highest peak in southern India.
❖ Southern Western Ghats has 3 parallel ranges to the coast namely–
➢ Nilgiris
➢ Annamalai
➢ Cardamon and
➢ Transverse range – Palani
❖ These mountains have an average elevation of 1600 – 2500m.
➢ Dodabetta is the highest peak of Nilgiris
➢ Anamudi is the highest peak of Annamalai and South India.
➢ Agasti malai is the highest peak of Cardamom hills.
CARDAMOM HILLS :
❖ Southernmost part of the Western Ghats, in Kerala and Tamil Nadu
❖ Named after the cardamoms which are grown here, beside pepper
and coffee
❖ Has the Shencottah Gap
❖ Climatic barrier, source of many rivers
❖ So many forest reserves for ecological conservation, source of HEPs
PALANI HILLS :
❖ Mountains of Tamil Nadu east of the Anaimudi Peak
❖ North of Vaigai River
❖ Mostly within Dindigul district
❖ Hill station of Kodaikanal

ANAIMALAI HILLS :
❖ Anaimalai means ‘Elephant Hills’
❖ Located between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, south of the Palghat Gap
❖ Highest peak -Anaimudi (Idukki district, Kerala )
❖ Many sanctuaries and parks
❖ Trekking destination
❖ Tea, coffee, rubber and teak forests

NILGIRI HILLS :
NILGIRI HILLS :
❖ Trijunction of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, north of the Palghat
❖ Meeting point of the Eastern and Western ghats
❖ Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and other conservation areas
❖ Highest peak – Doddabetta, 4 km from Otty
❖ So many falls Pykara, Catherine, Kotagiri
The• Eastern Ghats
o The Eastern Ghats run almost parallel to the east coast of India, leaving
broad plains between their base and the [Link] is a chain of highly broken
and detached hills starting from the Mahanadi in Odisha to the Vagai in
Tamil Nadu.
o In the northern part, between the Mahanadi and the Godavari, comprising
the Maliya and Madugula Konda ranges.
➢ Maliya range: General elevation of 900-1,200 m.
➢ Mahendra Giri (1,501 m) is the tallest peak.
➢ Madugula Konda range: Elevations ranging from 1,100-1,400 m.
➢ Important peaks: Jindhagada Peak (1,690 m), Arma Konda (1,680 m),
Gali Konda (1,643 m), and Sinkram Gutta (1,620 m).
o In Cuddapah and Kurnool districts of Andhra Pradesh, the Eastern Ghats
reappear as the Nallamalai Range with a general elevation of 600-850 m.
o The southern part of this range is called the Palkodna range.
o In the south, hills and plateaus attain very low altitudes:
o Javadi Hills and Shevroy-Kalrayan Hills have elevations of 1,000 m.
o Biligiri Rangan Hills in Karnataka (border with Tamil Nadu) attain a
height of 1,279 m.
o Further south, the Eastern Ghats merge with the Western Ghats.
o Called Northern Circars between the Godavari and Mahanadi basins, which
are the highest part of the Eastern Ghats.
o In Odisha, the highest point is Mahendragiri in Ganjam District.