Explore the major hill ranges of India including the Aravalli Hills, Vindhyan Range, Satpura Range, Western Ghats (Sahyadris), and Eastern Ghats. Learn about their origins, geographies, and significance.

Aravalli Hills

• Origin: Gujarat (Palanpur)
• Extent: Up to Haryana, terminating at the Delhi Ridge.
• Length: 800 km.
• Type: Old fold mountain range, one of the oldest tectonic mountains in the world.
• Age: Rocks are over 2 billion years old.
• Elevation: Average height of 400-600 meters; some peaks rise above 1000 meters.
• Notable Peaks:
  • Mt. Gurushikhar (1722 m, highest point in the Aravallis)
  • Mt. Abu (1158 m, part of a plateau)

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• Geology: Composed mainly of Dharwar igneous and metamorphic rocks.
• Mineral Deposits: Largest marble deposits in India.
• Rivers: Banas (tributary of Chambal), Luni (ephemeral, terminates in the Rann of Kutch), Sabarmati.
• Passes: Several passes, notably between Udaipur and Ajmer (e.g., Piplighat, Dewair, Desuri).
• Lakes:
  • Lake Sambhar (largest inland saline water body in India)
  • Lake Dhebar (south of Aravallis)
  • Lake Jaisamand (Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary)

Vindhyan Range

• Formation: Non-tectonic mountains formed by downward faulting of the Narmada Rift Valley (NRV).
• Extent: 1200 km, from Bharuch (Gujarat) to Sasaram (Bihar).
• Geology: Younger than Aravallis and Satpura; composed of older Proterozoic rocks.
• Height: Average height between 300-650 meters.
• Diamond Deposits: Cut across by Kimberlite piles (diamond deposits).
• Local Names: Known locally as Panna, Kaimur, Rewa.
• Escarpments: Steep, sharp slopes that rise from the NRV, well-developed in Kaimur and Panna regions.

Satpura Range

• Components: Satpura, Mahadeo, and Maikala hills.
• Formation: Tectonic mountains, formed about 1.6 billion years ago due to folding and structural uplift (Horst landform).
• Extent: 900 km.
• Notable Hills:
  • Mahadeo Hills: Located to the east of Satpura hills, Pachmarhi is the highest point.
  • Maikala Hills: Located to the east of Mahadeo hills, includes the Amarkantak plateau (1127 m).

  

• Highest Points:
  • Dhupgarh (1350 m, highest peak of Pachmarhi).
  • Amarkantak plateau.
• Drainage: Narmada and Son rivers originate here, flowing into both the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
• Location: Predominantly in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
• Mineral Deposits: Rich in bauxite due to the presence of Gondwana rocks.
• Landmarks: Dhuandhar Waterfalls on the Narmada River (Madhya Pradesh).

Western Ghats (Sahyadris)

• Formation: Formed by the subduction of the Arabian basin and tilting during the Himalayan uplift.
• Appearance: Block mountains on the west, with escarpments and stairway formations (Treppen). The eastern section is a rolling plateau.
• Geographical Spread:

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  • Six states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
  • UNESCO World Heritage site, one of the eight “hottest hot-spots” of biological diversity globally.
• Impact on Monsoon: Intercepts rain-laden winds from the southwest monsoon.
• Sections:
  • Northern Western Ghats:
    • Location: Between Tapi Valley and 16° N latitude.
    • Composition: Basaltic lava cover (Deccan Traps).
    • Notable Peaks: Kalsubai (1,646 m), Salher (1,567 m), Mahabaleshwar (1,438 m).
    • Passes: Thal Ghat and Bhor Ghat.

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  • Middle Sahyadri (Central Western Ghats):
    • Location: Between 16°N and the Nilgiri Hills.
    • Composition: Granites and gneisses.
    • Notable Peaks: Vavul Mala (2,339 m), Kudremukh (1,892 m), Pashpagiri (1,714 m).
    • Nilgiri Hills: Doda Betta (2,637 m), Makurti (2,554 m).
    • Features: Dense forests, waterfalls (e.g., Jog Falls), river Kaveri originates from Brahmagiri Hills.
  • Southern Western Ghats:
    • Location: Separated from the main Sahyadri range by the Palakkad Gap.
    • Notable Peaks: Anai Mudi (2,695 m), Anaimalai (1,800-2,000 m), Palani (900-1,200 m), Cardamom Hills.

    

    • Features: Palakkad Gap, a rift valley, allows monsoon clouds to penetrate inland.
    • Passes: Palghat Gap connects Tamil Nadu plains with Kerala's coastal plain.

    

Eastern Ghats

• Location: Parallel to the east coast of India, running from the Mahanadi (Odisha) to the Vagai (Tamil Nadu).
• Characteristics:
  • Highly fragmented and detached hills with little structural unity.
  • More continuous in the northern part, between the Mahanadi and Godavari rivers.
  • Scattered appearance south of the Godavari-Krishna region.
• Notable Peaks:
  • Maliya Range: Mahendra Giri (1,501 m).
  • Madugula Konda Range: Jindhagada Peak (1,690 m), Arma Konda (1,680 m).
  • Nallamalai Range: Elevation 600-850 m, located in Andhra Pradesh.
  • Southern Ghats: Javadi Hills, Shevroy-Kalrayan Hills, Biligiri Rangan Hills (1,279 m).

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• Geology: Precambrian fold mountains, made of different rock systems (Khondalite, Granitic Gneiss).
• Rivers: Peninsular rivers have carved wide U-shaped valleys; Indravati is one of the few rivers originating from the Eastern Ghats.

Comparison Between Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats

Western Ghats	Eastern Ghats
600-1200 m, higher in the south	150-300 m
Rock System: Chernochete	Gneiss, Khondalite, Dharwar
Upliftment due to tilting	Further subdued
Major watershed for southern India	Poor watershed
Treppen formation, block mountains	Denudation, ancient fold mountains
Dense forests	Less forested (dry to moist deciduous)
Laterite soils	Red sandy soils
150+ cm rainfall along west coast	60-100 cm rainfall

Significance of the Peninsular Plateau

• Mineral Wealth: Deposits of iron, manganese, copper, bauxite, chromium, mica, gold, coal, etc.
• Soil: Fertile black lava soil suitable for cotton cultivation.
• Agriculture: Suitable for plantation crops (tea, coffee, rubber) and rice.
• Forests: Diverse forest products.
• Rivers: Rivers from the Western Ghats offer hydroelectricity and irrigation.
• Tourism: Hill resorts like Ooty, Panchmarhi, Kodaikanal, Mahabaleshwar, etc.