Mountain Systems in India

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Peninsular Mountains of India – Aravalli, Vindhya, Satpura, Western & Eastern Ghats | UPSC GeographyHills-of-India-Aravalis-Vindhyas-Satpuras-kaimur-rajhmahal-hills

 

  1. The Himalayas
  2. Karakoram and Pir Panjal Range
  3. Peninsula Plateau
    1. The Map for this article
    2. The Thar Desert
    3. Central Highlands
    4. The Vindhyas Range
      1. Elevation is from east (higher) to west (lower)
    5. The Narmada River
    6. The Satpuras (means “Hundred Mountains”)
      1. Elevation is from east (the Maikala Range ) to west (the Rajpipla Hills) – that is why Narmada and Tapi flow from east to west
      2. Pachmarhi, a beautiful hill station
      3. Amarkantak: the meeting point of the Vindhyas and the Satpuras, with the Maikal Hills being the fulcrum
      4. Pandav Caves at Pachmarhi
      5. Kanha National Park
    7. The Deccan Plateau
      • The Eastern Ghats
        • Height increases from  south to north (Arma Konda)
      • The Western Ghats
        1. Height increases from north to south (Anamudi Hills is highest)
        2. The Satmala Range, Nashik

        3. Anamudi, Kerala, the highest point in South India

  1. The Eastern India

The valley between the Vindhyas and the Satpuras

The Satpuras Range parallels the Vindhya Range to the north, and these two east-west ranges divide Indian Subcontinent into the Indo-Gangetic plain of northern India and the Deccan Plateau of the south. The Narmada River originates from north-eastern end of Satpura and runs in the depression between the Satpura and Vindhya ranges.

It is this valley that separates north Indian from South India.

Hill Ranges of the Peninsular Plateau

  • Aravali Range
  • Vindhyan Range
  • Satpura Range
  • Western Ghats (or The Sahyadris)
    • The northern section
    • The Middle Sahyadri
    • The southern section
  • Eastern Ghats
  • Significance of the Peninsular Plateau

The seven mountain ranges or folds of  Satpura’s are:

  1. Maikal
  2. Mahadeo Hills
  3. Kalibhit
  4. Asirgarh
  5. Bijagarh
  6. Barwani
  7. Arwani

The Western Ghats

The Western Ghats also known as Sahyadri Hills is a 1600 km long mountain range running along the west coast of India. It covers the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Maharastra and Gujarat. Covering approximately 1,40,000 sq km, these mountains are home to number of endemic plants and animal species. These hills are interrupted at Phalgat with a gap of about 30 km (Palghat gap). About 60% of the Western Ghats is in the state of Karnataka.

The Western Ghats is a continuous stretch of mountain range (except for a 30 Km at the Palghat gap). However, there are a number of smaller gaps and passes. The Western Ghats has a high altitudinal variation and the average elevation is 1200 meters.

Some important spots on the western Ghats are:

  1. Satmala Range, Nasik
  2. Malshej Ghat, Pune
  3. Kalsubai Peak, Maharastra
  4. Nilgiri Hills
  5. The Anamudi, Kerala
  6. Anaimalai Hills or Elephant Hills
  7. Shola Kudremukh – Grassland
  8. Savandurga – Rock Hill
  9. Kunchikal Waterfalls

The Nilgiri form part of the Western Ghats in western Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala . At least 24 of the Nilgiri mountains’ peaks are above 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). The highest peak of Nilgiri Hills  is Doddabetta, Tamil Nadu at 8,652 ft. The Anamudi peak in Kerala  at 8,842 feet  is the highest peak in the Western Ghats and, it also is the highest point in all South India.

Difference between Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats

Western Ghats Eastern Ghats
Form a continuous water divide. Discontinuous and dissected by rivers.
Can be crossed through passes Series of detached hills
Higher than Eastern Ghats Lower than Western Ghats
Face Arabian sea and run along the western plateau Face Bay of Bengal and run along the Eastern Plateau
Comparatively narrow Comparatively broader
Highest Peak-Anaimudi Highest Peak-Mahendragiri

 

The Western Ghats Meet with Eastern Ghats in the Nilgiri Hills.

Terminology:

Mountain: Slope > 15 degrees (or around 75 degrees wrt ground) and goes continuously up to 1000 meter high
Hill: Less than 100-100 meter high and usualy
Peninsula: Water on 3 sides

Some important facts about peaks

·        Highest peak in Aravalli: Gurushikhar (in Mt. Abu)

·        Highest peak in Satpura – Dhupgarh (Mahadeo Hills)

·        Highest peak in E. Ghats – Mahendragiri (Orissa)

·        Highest peak in W. Ghats – Anaimudi (Annamalai Hills – Kerala)

·        Highest peak in Nilgiris – Doda Betta

·        Hills in Southern Hill complex – Nilgiri, Annamalai, Cardamom & Palani Hills in Eastern Ghats: Shevaroy, Javadi, Palkonda, Nallamalai, Northern Circars

·        Oblique ranges to Western Ghats in Maharashtra: Ajanta, Satmala, Harishchandra, Balaghat

·         Satpura range from East to West: Amarkantak – Maikal- Mahadeo – Gawilgarh – Rajpipala

·        Highest peak in Andaman and Nicobar is-lands- Saddle Peak

·        The highest peak of Naga hills is Saramati peak.

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