Peninsular Plateau
Notes
The Peninsular Plateau is the oldest and most stable landmass, a remnant of Gondwanaland, made of crystalline igneous and metamorphic rocks. It is triangular, bounded by the Aravallis (north-west), the Vindhya and Satpura ranges, and the Western and Eastern Ghats.
Divisions
- Central Highlands: the Marwar upland, Malwa plateau, Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand; and the Chotanagpur Plateau (Jharkhand; the "Ruhr of India" for its coal, iron and mica; Parasnath is the highest point; the Damodar flows through a rift valley).
- Meghalaya (Shillong) Plateau: the Garo, Khasi and Jaintia hills, detached from the main block by the Garo-Rajmahal gap.
- Deccan Plateau: the Maharashtra plateau (Deccan Trap, black soil), the Karnataka plateau (Malnad and Maidan) and the Telangana plateau.
Western Ghats (Sahyadri) vs Eastern Ghats
Basis | Western Ghats | Eastern Ghats |
|---|---|---|
Continuity | Continuous, broken only by the Thal, Bhor and Palghat gaps | Discontinuous, cut by the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri |
Height | Higher (900-1,600 m); Anai Mudi (2,695 m) is the highest in peninsular India | Lower (average about 600 m); Mahendragiri (1,501 m) |
Rainfall | Heavy windward rainfall | Less rain |
Features | Source of the Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri; hill stations (Ooty, Mahabaleshwar); UNESCO World Heritage biodiversity region | Nallamala, Javadi, Shevaroy and Palkonda hills |
- Nilgiri hills: the meeting point of the Western and Eastern Ghats; Doddabetta (2,637 m).
- Satpura range: Dhupgarh (1,350 m, Pachmarhi) is the highest peak. Vindhya range: the watershed between the Ganga and the Deccan systems. Aravalli: the oldest fold mountains; Guru Shikhar (1,722 m) on Mount Abu.
- The Narmada and Tapi flow west through rift valleys.
Significance: minerals (coal, iron, manganese, bauxite, mica), black soil and cotton, hydropower, forests and plantations.
Key Points
- Oldest landmass, from Gondwanaland; triangular.
- Central Highlands, Meghalaya Plateau, Deccan Plateau.
- Western Ghats: continuous and higher; Eastern Ghats: discontinuous.
- Anai Mudi is the highest peak in peninsular India.
- Chotanagpur is rich in minerals.
MCQs
Q1. The highest peak of peninsular India is:
(a) Doddabetta
(b) Anai Mudi
(c) Mahendragiri
(d) Dhupgarh Ans:
(b).
Q2. Which pass connects Mumbai and Pune across the Western Ghats?
(a) Palghat
(b) Bhor Ghat
(c) Thal Ghat
(d) Shencottah Ans:
(b). Thal Ghat connects Mumbai and Nashik.
Q3. The Eastern Ghats are:
(a) Continuous and higher than the Western Ghats
(b) Discontinuous and cut by rivers
(c) Entirely volcanic
(d) Part of the Himalaya Ans:
(b).