🌏 Physical Features of India
🔸 Geographers believe that the physical form of India is a mixture of all types of landforms (भू-आकृति) found in the world.
🏔️ Our country has practically all major physical features of the Earth — mountains (पहाड़), plains (मैदानी क्षेत्र), deserts (रेगिस्तान), plateaus (पठार) and islands (द्वीप).
🛠️ Formation of Different Types of Landforms
💡 There are some theories (सिद्धांत) behind the creation of these physical features, one of which is the Theory of Plate Tectonics (प्लेट विवर्तनिकी का सिद्धांत).
📜 Theory of Plate Tectonics
🪨 This theory tries to explain the formation of physical features (भौतिक विशेषताएँ) of the Earth.
🌐 According to this theory, the crust (भूपर्पटी — upper part) of the Earth has been formed out of seven major plates.
🗺️ Important Plates
1️⃣ Eurasian Plate (यूरेशियन प्लेट)
2️⃣ North American Plate (उत्तरी अमेरिकी प्लेट)
3️⃣ South American Plate (दक्षिण अमेरिकी प्लेट)
4️⃣ African Plate (अफ़्रीकी प्लेट)
5️⃣ Indo-Australian Plate (हिंद-ऑस्ट्रेलियाई प्लेट)
6️⃣ Pacific Plate (प्रशांत प्लेट)
7️⃣ Antarctic Plate (अंटार्कटिक प्लेट)
⚙️ Plate Movements
The plate movements (प्लेट की गति) are classified into three main types —
🔴 Convergent Boundary (संमिलन सीमा) — Some plates move towards each other and form a convergent boundary.
🟢 Divergent Boundary (अपसारी सीमा) — Some plates move away from each other and form a divergent boundary.
🔵 Transform Boundary (रूपांतर सीमा) — When two plates come close, they may collide (टकराना) and crumble (टूटना), or one may slide (फिसलना) under the other. Sometimes, they also move horizontally past each other.
🏞️ Historical Landform Facts
📌 The oldest landmass (भूमि खंड) — the Peninsular Part (दक्षिण पठार क्षेत्र) — was part of Gondwana Land (गोंडवाना भूमि).
🏔️ The Himalayan Mountains (हिमालय पर्वत) were uplifted out of the Tethys Sea (टिथिस सागर).
🌏 The Major Physiographic Divisions of India (भारत के प्रमुख भौतिक विभाग)
🗻 The Himalayan Mountains (हिमालय पर्वत)
- The Himalayas are geologically young (भूगर्भीय रूप से युवा) and structurally fold mountains (संरचनात्मक रूप से भ्रंश पर्वत) stretching along India’s northern borders.
- Total length – 2,400 km
- Width – 400 km in Kashmir to 150 km in Arunachal Pradesh.
Three parallel ranges (तीन समानांतर पर्वतमालाएँ):
⛰ Great or Inner Himalayas / Himadri (हिमाद्रि)
- Northernmost range.
- Most continuous and contains the highest peaks. (औसत ऊँचाई – 6,000 मीटर)
- Major peaks – Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Nanga Parbat.
🏞 Himachal (Lesser Himalaya) (हिमाचल / लघु हिमालय)
- Height – 3,700 to 4,500 m.
- Important ranges – Pir Panjal, Dhaula Dhar, Mahabharat.
- Famous valley – Kashmir Valley.
🌄 Shiwaliks (शिवालिक)
- Outermost range.
- Height – 900 to 1,100 m.
- Longitudinal valleys between Lesser Himalaya and Shiwaliks are called Duns (दून घाटियाँ) – Dehra Dun, Kotli Dun, Patli Dun.
📍 Regional Division of Himalayas (हिमालय का क्षेत्रीय विभाजन)
- Based on river valleys (नदी घाटियों के आधार पर):
- Punjab Himalayas – Between Indus & Sutlej.
- Kumaon Himalayas – Between Sutlej & Kali.
- Nepal Himalayas – Between Kali & Tista.
- Assam Himalayas – Between Tista & Dihang.
🌾 The Northern Plains (उत्तरी मैदान)
- Formed by alluvial soil (जलोढ़ मिट्टी) deposited by Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra rivers & their tributaries.
- Area – 7 lakh sq. km
- Length – 2,400 km | Width – 240–340 km
- Khadar soil – very fertile, ideal for intensive farming (गहन कृषि).
- Densely populated and agriculturally productive.
✨ Major Physiographic Divisions of India (भारत के प्रमुख भौतिक विभाजन)
🌄 The Himalayan Mountains (हिमालय पर्वत)
🗻 Key Facts:
- The Himalayas are geologically young (भूगर्भीय रूप से नवयुवक) and structurally fold mountains (संरचनात्मक रूप से भ्रंश पर्वत) located in the northern borders of India.
- Length: 2,400 km
- Width: 400 km in Kashmir to 150 km in Arunachal Pradesh
- Three Parallel Ranges (तीन समानांतर श्रेणियाँ):
🏔 1. Great Himalayas / Himadri (महान हिमालय)
- Northernmost & most continuous range
- Average height: 6,000 m
- Includes Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Nanga Parbat
🏞 2. Himachal (Lesser Himalayas) (हिमाचल / लघु हिमालय)
- Height: 3,700–4,500 m
- Ranges: Pir Panjal, Dhauladhar, Mahabharat
- Famous Kashmir Valley lies here
🌳 3. Shiwaliks (शिवालिक)
- Outermost range
- Height: 900–1,100 m
- Duns (longitudinal valleys) like Dehra Dun, Kotli Dun, Patli Dun
🗺 Division of Himalayas by Regions (क्षेत्रों के आधार पर हिमालय का विभाजन)
- Punjab Himalayas – Between Indus & Sutlej
- Kumaon Himalayas – Between Sutlej & Kali
- Nepal Himalayas – Between Kali & Tista
- Assam Himalayas – Between Tista & Dihang
🌾 The Northern Plain (उत्तरी समतल मैदान)
- Formed by Indus, Ganga & Brahmaputra river systems
- Made of alluvial soil (जलोढ़ मिट्टी) → very fertile & productive
- Area: 7 lakh sq. km
- Length: 2,400 km | Width: 240–340 km
- Khadar (new alluvium) is ideal for agriculture
- Densely populated region
📍 Division of the Northern Plain (उत्तरी मैदान का विभाजन)
🔹 By Location:
1️⃣ Punjab Plains – Formed by Indus & its tributaries (Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) → dominated by Doabs (दो = two, आब = water)
2️⃣ Ganga Plains – Between Ghaggar & Teesta; covers Haryana, Delhi, UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal
3️⃣ Brahmaputra Plains – Formed by Brahmaputra & tributaries in Assam
🔹 By Relief Features (स्थलाकृति के आधार पर):
🌿 Bhabar – Pebble deposits near Shiwalik slopes; streams disappear here
💧 Terai – Marshy, swampy, re-emerging rivers; fertile for crops
⛰ Bhangar – Old alluvium, above flood plains, contains kankar (calcium nodules)
🌱 Khadar – New alluvium, renewed yearly → extremely fertile
📌 Doab (दोआब)
Meaning: 'Do' = two, 'Ab' = water → land between two rivers
❇️ The Peninsular Plateau (प्रायद्वीपीय पठार)
🔹 It is composed of old crystalline (स्फटिकीय), igneous (आग्नेय) and metamorphic (परिवर्तित) rocks.
🔹 It was once part of Gondwana Land (गोंडवाना भूभाग), making it one of the oldest landmasses (सबसे पुराने भू-भाग) in the world.
🔹 The Peninsular Plateau consists of three broad divisions: Central Highlands (मध्य उच्चभूमि), Deccan Plateau (दक्कन का पठार) and Chhotanagpur Plateau (छोटानागपुर का पठार).
🔶 Central Highlands (मध्य उच्चभूमि)
🔹 Lies north of the Narmada River (नर्मदा नदी के उत्तर), covering the Malwa Plateau (मालवा का पठार).
🔹 Vindhya Range (विंध्य पर्वत) is bounded by Satpura Range (सतपुड़ा पर्वत) in the south and Aravalli Hills (अरावली पर्वत) in the northwest.
🔹 Westward extension merges with the sandy and rocky desert (रेतीला और पथरीला मरुस्थल) of Rajasthan.
🔶 Deccan Plateau (दक्कन का पठार)
🔹 Triangular landmass south of the Narmada River (नर्मदा नदी के दक्षिण).
🔹 Satpura Range forms the northern base; Mahadev Hills (महादेव पहाड़ियाँ), Kaimur Hills (कैमूर पहाड़ियाँ) and Maikal Range (मैकाल पर्वत) form eastern extensions.
🔹 Higher in the west, slopes gently eastwards.
🔹 Northeastern extension includes Meghalaya Plateau (मेघालय का पठार), Karbi-Anglong Plateau (कार्बी-आंगलोंग पठार) and North Cachar Hills (उत्तर कछार पहाड़ियाँ).
❇️ Deccan Trap (दक्कन ट्रैप)
🔹 Black soil area (काली मिट्टी का क्षेत्र) of volcanic origin (ज्वालामुखीय उत्पत्ति).
🔹 Rocks are igneous (आग्नेय) in nature.
❇️ The Indian Desert (भारतीय मरुस्थल)
🔹 Undulating sandy plain (लहरदार रेतीला मैदान) with sand dunes (रेतीले टीले).
🔹 Receives very low rainfall (बहुत कम वर्षा) – less than 150 mm/year.
🔹 Arid climate (शुष्क जलवायु) with sparse vegetation.
🔹 Luni River (लूणी नदी) is the only large river.
🔹 Barchans (बरचान्स) – crescent-shaped sand dunes – cover large areas.
❇️ The Coastal Plains (तटीय मैदान)
🔹 Narrow coastal strips along the Arabian Sea (अरब सागर) in the west and the Bay of Bengal (बंगाल की खाड़ी) in the east.
🔶 The Western Coast (पश्चिमी तट)
📍 Between Western Ghats (पश्चिमी घाट) and the Arabian Sea.
📍 Narrow and divided into three parts:
- Konkan (कोंकण) – Northern part
- Kannad Plain (कन्नड़ मैदान) – Central part
- Malabar Coast (मालाबार तट) – Southern part
🔶 The Eastern Coast (पूर्वी तट)
📍 Between Eastern Ghats (पूर्वी घाट) and the Bay of Bengal.
📍 Wide and level plain, divided into:
- Northern Circar (उत्तरी सिरकार) – Northern part
- Coromandel Coast (कोरोमंडल तट) – Southern part📍 Large rivers – Mahanadi (महानदी), Godavari (गोदावरी), Krishna (कृष्णा) and Kaveri (कावेरी) – form fertile deltas.
❇️ Largest Saltwater Lake in India (भारत की सबसे बड़ी खारे पानी की झील)
🔹 Chilika Lake (चिल्का झील) – Located in Odisha (ओडिशा).
🌏 Difference between Western Ghats & Eastern Ghats (पश्चिमी घाट और पूर्वी घाट का अंतर)
🏝 The Islands of India (भारत के द्वीप समूह)
🪸 Lakshadweep Islands (लक्षद्वीप द्वीप)
- 🏝 Composed of small coral islands (छोटे प्रवाल द्वीप)
- 📏 Covers 32 sq. km area
- 🏛 Kavaratti is the administrative headquarters (मुख्यालय)
- 🌿 Rich flora (वनस्पति) & fauna (जीव-जंतु) diversity
🌴 Andaman & Nicobar Islands (अंडमान और निकोबार द्वीप)
- 📍 Located in Bay of Bengal (बंगाल की खाड़ी), stretching north to south
- 🗺 Divided into:
- Andaman (North)
- Nicobar (South)
- 🌊 Believed to be an elevated portion (ऊँचा भाग) of submarine mountains (जलमग्न पर्वत)
- 🌴 Lies close to equator (भूमध्य रेखा) → experiences equatorial climate (भूमध्यवर्ती जलवायु)
🌳 Covered with thick forests (घने जंगल)
