List of the prominent Mountain Ranges in India
⇒ The Himalaya Range :-
- Himalaya is the highest mountain ranges in India
- The word Himalaya literally translates to “abode of snow” from Sanskrit.
- The Himalayan Mountain range is the youngest mountain range of India and new fold mountain is formed by the collision of two tectonic plates.
- Himalayan Mountain Range has almost every highest peak of the world.
- On an average they have more than 100 peaks with height more than 7200 m.
- Nanga Parbat and Namcha Barwa are considered as the western and eastern points of the Himalaya.
- While Mount Everest is the highest peak of the world at 8848 m which lies in the Himalayan Range of Nepal.
- It is also the source of many great river ranges, including the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Indus.
- Himalayas also play a vital role in regulating the climate in northern India by preventing cold air from entering Indian mainland in winter season.
⇒ The Kailash Range :-
- The Kailash Range near Mansarovar has been called the ‘Kingof the mountains’ with its cluster of giant peaks.
- It is venerated as the ‘Adobe of Lord Shiva’.
- This mountain range is stretched from Sulaiman in West Punjab to the whole boundary of northern India right up to Assam and Arakan Hills ranges in the east.
- It is a mine of Gemstones and full of Minerals.
⇒ The Satpura and Vindhya Range :-
- The Satpura and Vindhaya Range lies in Central India running parallel to each other.
- Out of these two, Satpura range is higher in length and is the source of rivers like Narmada and Tapti.
- Both Satpura and Vindhaya are mainly situated across Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra with some extension to Gujarat, Chattissgarh and Uttar Pradesh.
- Kalumar Peak (752m) and Duphgarh Peak (1350m) are the highest point in Vindhaya and Satpura range.
- These ranges have famous tourist spot like Panchmarhi, Kanha National Park, Amarkantak and Omkareshwar Temple.
⇒ The Zanskar Range :-
- Zanskar Mountain Range lies in the North of the main Himalayas.
- It is an unofficial boundary between India and Tibet
- At the eastern end is the Fatu La Pass lies at the eastern end of this mountain range.
⇒ The Garhwal Himalaya Range :-
- The Garhwal Himalaya is the Mountain Ranges in India located in the state of Uttarakhand, India.
- It is located across Garhwal and Kumaon division of Uttarakahnd.
- It has some of the most beautiful hill stations of India like Mussoorie, Dhanaulti, Tiuni, Nainital, Bhimtal and Kausani.
- UNESCO World Heritage Site, Valley of Flowers and Nanda Devi National Park is also located in Garhwal Himalaya.
- This range is also a part of Himalaya Shivalik Hills, the outer most hills of the Himalaya located in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
⇒ Karakoram Range :-
- Karakoram Range lies to the North-West and South of the Himalayan Range.
- A major part of the Karakoram Range lies under the disputed category of Indian and Pakistan and both countries have declared a claim over it.
- Karakoram Range, with a length of 500 km holds many largest peaks of Earth.
- K2, the second highest peak of the world, at 8,611 m lies in the Karakoram Range.
- Hindu-Kush, an extension of the Karakoram Range runs in Afghanistan.
- Karakoram has the most glaciers excluding Polar Regions.
- The Siachen Glacier and The Biafo Glacier, which are world’s 2nd and 3rd largest glaciers are located in Karakoram range.
⇒ Pir Panjal Range :-
- Pir Panjal Range lies to the North-west and south of the Himalayan Range.
- The Pir Panjal Range is located in southern direction of Himalayas starting from Himachal Pradesh in India and running north-west towards Jammu & Kashmir and disputed area of Jammu & Kashmir.
- This range is also known as Lower Himalayas.
- Rivers like Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum flow through this range.
- The city of Gulmarg, a very important hill station lies at the foothills of Pir Panjal Range.
⇒ Eastern Mountain Range or The Purvanchal Range :-
- The Purvanchal Range can be considered as the extension of Himalayas in the eastern part of India.
- Because the process of formation of this range is quite similar to that of Himalayas, although the range is not as high as the Himalayas.
- The Purvanchal Range or the Eastern Mountain Range comprises three parts: The Patkai-Bum Hill, The Garo-Khasi-Jaintia Hills and Lushai Hill (Mizo Hill).
- Mawsynram, in Meghalaya is the wettest place on Earth because of these hills.
- This range covers all the eastern states of India, which are commonly known as the Seven Sisters.
⇒ The Aravalli Range :-
- The oldest mountain range of World, Aravalli Range has the width of range varying from 10 km to 100 km.
- In local language, Aravalli translates to ‘line of peaks’, and spans a total length of 800 km, covering the Indian states of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujrat.
- Aravalli Range plays a very important role in Indian climate as it block wind carrying rain to reach Thar Desert.
- Guru Shikhar is highest point of Aravalli Range with total elevation of 1722 m.
- Mount Abu, the only hill station in Rajasthan is situated on this range, which is a famous tourist attractions.
- The Udaipur City, which is also known as Venice of the East, lies in the southern slopes of Aravalli Mountains.
- Banas, Luni, and Sabarmati are the rivers that flow through this mountain range.
⇒ The Western Ghats :-
- Western Ghats is 1600 m long mountain range that runs from Gujarat to Kanyakumari in Southern India.
- This mountain range is also called “Sahyadri Mountains”.
- It comprises the mountain range of Nilgiris, Anaimalai and Cardomom.
- Tapti River marks its beginning from Western Ghat in Gujarat and runs parallel to Arabian Sea crossing states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
- Anaimalai Hills with elevation of 2695 m in Kerala is highest peak of this range.
- Western Ghats is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and has great bio-diversity.
- It is home for some 139 mammal species, 508 bird species, 179 amphibian species and 250 reptile species.
- Famous tourist attractions located in this range includes Jog falls, Ooty, Bandipur National Park.
- Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri are the important rivers located in this range.
⇒ The Eastern Ghats :-
- Eastern Ghats is mountain range running in eastern part of Indian Peninsula parallel to Bay of Bengal.
- This range is not continuous and is lower in elevation when compared to Western Ghats.
- This mountain range runs through Indian states of West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
- Arma Konda with elevation of 1680 m is highest peak of present this region.
- Eastern Ghats have a significant role in Indian agriculture as four major rivers of India i.e. Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna and Kaveri fall into Bay of Bengal through Eastern Ghats. They create a large fertile region which is suitable for crops like rice.
- These Ghats are older than Western Ghats and they have some very important pilgrim sites like Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple in Andhra Pradesh.
- Vishakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar are important cities located in Eastern Ghats.
India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great grandmother of tradition. Our most valuable and most instructive material in the history of man is treasured up in India only.
India has some of the highest mountain ranges in the world. It is a home to many major mountain ranges that have peaks of over 1000 meters. The position of the mountain ranges influences the climate of any region. It also obstructs the moisture laden winds. These mountain ranges are also the origin of the various rivers. This explains the significance of the various Mountain Ranges in India.
