[Prelims Spotlight] Important Mountain Ranges in India
Mountain Ranges in India
Karakoram Range
A sub range of the Hindu Kush Himalayan Range
K2, the second highest peak in the world is located here
Famous Glaciers : Siachen Glacier, Biafo Glacier
Karakoram range span the borders between Pakistan, India and China
Located in the regions of Gilgit –Baltistan (Pakistan), Ladakh (India), and Xinjiang region (China)
Ladakh Range
Southeastern extension of the Karakoram Range
From the mouth of the Shyok River in Ladakh to the border with Tibet
Extension of the Ladakh Range into China is known as Kailash Range
Lies here India’s cold desert named as ‘ LEH
Zaskar Range
Boundary line between Ladakh region of Kashmir & remaining two regions of the state i.e. Jammu region and Vale of Kashmir
Highest peak Kamet (UK)
Lies here Coldest place in India, Dras (The Gateway to Ladakh)
Famous Passes : Shipki, Lipu Lekh (Lipulieke), and Mana Pass
Pirpanjal Range
Separates Jammu Hills to the south from the Vale of Kashmir(Kashmir Valley), beyond which lie the Great Himalayas
Highest Point : Indrasan, 2nd Highest : Deo Tibba
Has India’s longest rail tunnel known as Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel, Banihal road tunnel
Famous Passes : Pir Panjal Pass, Banihal Pass, Rohtang pass
Dhauladhar Range (White Range)
Spread in J & K and Himachal, with home to major hill stations like Kullu, Manali & Shimla
Highest peak : Hanuman ji Ka Tiba, or ‘White Mountain‘
Shivalik Range
Southernmost & outer Himalayas also known as Manak Parbat in ancient times, literally means ‘tresses of Shiva’
About 2,400 km long from Indus till Brahmaputra, with a gap of about 90 kilometres between the Teesta and Raidak rivers in Assam known as sub Himalayas.
Aravali Range
Means ‘line of peaks’, runs across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana & Delhi, known as Mewar hills
Highest Peak : Gurushikhar, Mt abu
Famous passes : Pipli Ghat, Haldi Ghat
Locally known as Mewar hills
Maikal Range
Eastern part of the Satpuras range (MP)
Kaimur Range
Eastern portion of the Vindhya Range in MP, UP & Bihar, Parallel to river son
Mahadeo Range
forms the central part of the Satpura Range, located in MP
Highest peak : Dhoopgarh
Ajanta Range
Maharashtra, south of river Tapi, sheltering caves of world famous paintings of Gupta period
Rajmahal Hills
In Jharkhand made up of lava basaltic rocks
Point of Ganges bifurcation
Garo Khasi Jaintia Hills
Continuous mountain range in Meghalaya
Mikir Hills
a group of hills located to the south of the Kaziranga National Park (Assam)
a part of the Karbi Anglong Plateau
Abor Hills
Hills of Arunachal Pradesh , near the border with China, bordered by Mishmi and Miri Hills
drained by Dibang River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra
Mishmi Hills
in Arunachal pradesh with its northern & eastern parts touching China
Situated at the junction of Northeastern Himalaya and Indo-Burma ranges
Patkai Range
Also known as Purvanchal Range, consist of three major hills The Patkai-Bum, the Garo-Khasi-Jaintia and Lushai Hills
situated on India’s north-eastern border with Burma
Mizo Hills (Lushai Hills)
part of the Patkai range in Mizoram and partially in Tripura
Vindhya Range
a complex, discontinuous chain of mountain ridges, hill ranges, highlands & plateaus running through Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
Highest peak – Sadbhawna Shikhar
Satpura Range
a range of hills in central India
Passes through Madhya Pradesh, Gujrat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh
Highest peak : Dhupgarh
Dalma Hills
Located in Jamshedpur
famous for Dalma national park & minerals like iron ore & manganese
Girnar Hills
Gujrat
Baba Budan Giri
Karnataka
Harishchandra
At Pune, acts as a water divide bw Godavari & Krishna
Hills made up of lava
Balaghat range
Bw MP & Maharashtra, famous for manganese deposits
Chilpi series
MP
Talcher series
Odisha, rich in bituminous coal
Champion series
Karnataka, Dharawar period, rich in gold (contains kolar mines)
Nilgiri Hills
Referred as Blue mountains, a range of mountains in the westernmost part of Tamil Nadu at the junction of Karnataka and Kerala
Hills are separated from the Karnataka plateau to the north by the Moyar River and from the Anaimalai Hills & Palni Hills to the south by the Palghat Gap
Palani Hills
Eastward extension of the Western Ghats ranges
adjoin the high Anamalai range on the west, and extend east into the plains of Tamil Nadu
Anamalai Hills
Also known as Elephant Hill
a range of mountains in the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu and Kerala with highest peak Anamudi
Cardmom Hills
Part of the southern Western Ghats located in southeast Kerala and southwest Tamil Nadu