Peninsular India encompasses various topological and climatic features. The Peninsula is shaped like an inverted triangle, with the Arabian Sea on the west, the Bay of Bengal on the east and the Vindhya and Satpura ranges on the north. The majority of the hills in the peninsular area are residual hills. They're the remains of hills and horsts that developed millions of years ago. These Mountain ranges and different river basins divide the Peninsular region's plateaus from one another. This article will explain to you about the Peninsular Mountains which will be helpful in Geography preparation for the UPSC Civil service exam.

Peninsular Mountains

• Peninsular India reflects the geographical and climatic patterns of South India.
• With the Arabian Sea on one side, the Bay of Bengal on the other, and the Vindhya and Satpura ranges to the north, the Arabian Peninsula is shaped like an inverted triangle.
• The bulk of the hills in the peninsular region is residual mountains. They're the remnants of a slew of million-year-old horsts and hills.
• The Peninsular region's plateaus are separated by several Mountain ranges and diverse river basins.
• The Peninsula is shaped like an inverted triangle, with the Arabian Sea on the west, the Bay of Bengal on the east and the Vindhya and Satpura ranges on the north.
• The historic border between northern and southern India is formed by the Narmada and Mahanadi rivers.
• On the north by the Aravallis, on the northeast by the Hazaribagh and Rajmahal Hills, on the west by the Western Ghats (Sahyadri Mountains), and on the east by the Eastern Ghats.
• Anamudi, at 2695 meters above sea level, is Peninsular India's highest peak.

Aravallis Mountains

• They are grouped in a north-east to the south-west pattern.
• They stretch for approximately 800 kilometers between Delhi and Palanpur, Gujarat.
• They are one of the world's oldest folded mountains, as well as the oldest in India.
• Its tops were nurturing glaciers after its development in the Archaean Era (several hundred million years ago), and numerous summits were possibly higher than the present-day Himalayas.
• They are now relics (remnants of extreme weathering and erosion over millions of years) of the world's oldest mountain, produced via folding.
• They continue up to Haridwar, buried beneath the Ganga Plains' alluvium.
• The range is prominent in Rajasthan (continuous range south of Ajmer, rising to 900 m.) but less so in Haryana and Delhi (characterized by a chain of detached and discontinuous ridges beyond Ajmer).
• According to some geographers, one branch of the Aravallis continues across the Gulf of Khambhat to the Lakshadweep Archipelago and the other into Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
• It has a typical height of 400-600 m, with just a few hills rising beyond 1,000 m.
• The range reaches above 1,000 m towards the south-west extremity.
• The valley of the Banas separates Mt. Abu (1,158 m), a tiny mountainous block, from the main range.
• Mt. Abu's highest peak, Guru Sikhar (1,722 m), is located there.
• The Pipli Ghat, Dewair, and Desuri pass enable road and rail travel.

Vindhya Mountains

• The Vindhya Range rises as an escarpment bordering the northern boundary of the Narmada-Son Trough.
• The Vindhya and Satpura mountains are parallel. The Holy Narmada River, also known as Narmada Valley, drains the range's southern slopes.
• It ranges east-west, roughly parallel to the Narmada Valley, from Jobat in Gujarat to Sasaram in Bihar across a distance of nearly 1,200 kilometers.
• The Vindhya mountains range in elevation from 300 to 650 meters.
• The majority of the Vindhya Range is made up of old horizontally bedded sedimentary rocks.
• The Vindhyas extends eastward as far as the Bharner and Kaimur hills.
• This mountain serves as a watershed between the Ganga and south Indian river systems.
• Within 30 kilometers of the Narmada, the rivers Chambal, Betwa, and Ken rise.

Satpura Mountains

• The Satpura range consists of seven mountains ('Sat' means seven and 'pura' means mountains).
• It ranges east-west between the Vindhyas and the Narmada and Tapi rivers, almost parallel to these rivers.
• It runs for around 900 kilometers.
• The Satpuras have been folded and upheaved in places. They are referred to as 'horst' or structural uplift.
• The highest peak is Dhupgarh (1,350 m) in Mahadev Hills near Pachmarhi.
• Another significant peak is Amarkantak (1,127 m).

The Western Ghats

• They comprise the western rim of the Deccan plateau.
• Run 1,600 miles from Tapi valley to a bit north of Kanyakumari.
• The Western Ghats are a tiered topography of steep-sided, terraced, flat-topped hills facing the Arabian Sea coast.
• This is attributable to the horizontally bedded lavas, which have weathered to give the relief of this mountain chain a distinctive 'landing stair appearance.'
• The Western Ghats rise suddenly like a shear wall from the Western Coastal Plain to an average elevation of 1,000 m.
• However, as viewed from the Deccan tableland, they have a gentle slope on their eastern flank and scarcely resemble a mountain.
• The Nilgiris, Anamalai, and other areas south of Malabar have very distinct scenery due to differences in geological structure.
• The Middle Sahyadri ranges in latitude from 16°N to the Nilgiri highlands.
• Granites and gneisses make up this section.
• The surrounding region is densely forested.
• Headward erosion of west-flowing streams has severely fragmented the western scarp.
• The average elevation is 1200 meters, although numerous peaks rise beyond 1500 meters.
• Important peaks are the Vavul Mala (2,339 m), Kudremukh (1,892 m), and Pashpagiri (1,714 m).
• Near the tri-junction of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, the Nilgiri Hills, which connect the Sahyadris, rise suddenly to above 2,000 meters.
• They are the meeting point of the Western and Eastern Ghats.
• Important peaks in this area are Doda Betta (2,637 m) and Makurti (2,554 m).
• Pal ghat Gap separates the southern section of the Western Ghats from the main Sahyadri range.
• On each side of this chasm, the high mountains abruptly end.
• It's a rift valley called Pal ghat Gap. A number of highways and railway lines exploit this gap to connect Tamil Nadu's lowlands with Kerala's coastal plain.
• The moist-bearing clouds of the south-west monsoon can penetrate some distance inland through this gap, delivering rain to the Mysore region.
• On both the eastern and western sides of the Ghats, south of the Pal ghat Gap, there is a complex system of steep and rough slopes.
• The highest mountain in all of southern India is Anamudi (2,695 m).
• Anai Mudi is surrounded by three mountains that radiate in opposite directions.
• To the north, the Anaimalai (1800-2000 m), to the north-east, the Palani (900-1,200 m), and to the south, the Cardamom Hills or Maalaimalar.

Eastern Ghats

• The Eastern Ghats stretch practically parallel to India's east coast, with wide plains between them and the sea.
• From the Mahanadi in Odisha to the Vagai in Tamil Nadu, it is a series of heavily fractured and fragmented hills. Between the Godavari and the Krishna, they nearly vanish.
• They lack both structural and physiographic consistency. As a result, these hill groupings are usually recognized as separate entities.
• The Eastern Ghats only have actual mountain characters in the northern section, between the Mahanadi and the Godavari. The Maliya and Madugula Konda ranges make up this section.
• The Maliya range's peaks and ridges range in elevation from 900 to 1,200 meters, with Mahendra Giri (1,501 meters) being the highest.
• Higher heights in the Madugula Konda vary between 1,100 and 1,400 meters, with numerous summits topping 1,600 meters.
• In Araku Valley, prominent peaks include Jindhagada Peak (1690 m), Arma Konda (1,680 m), Gali Konda (1,643 m), and Sinkram Gutta (1,620 m).
• The Eastern Ghats lose their steep nature between the Godavari and Krishna rivers and are populated by Gondwana formations.
• The Eastern Ghats resurface in Andhra Pradesh's Cuddapah and Kurnool districts as a more or less continuous hill range known as the Nallamala Range with a general elevation of 600-850 m.
• The Palkonda range is the southernmost portion of this range.
• To the south, the hills and plateaus reach very low elevations; the Javadi Hills and the Shevroy-Kalrayan Hills are the only 1,000-metre-high landforms.
• The Biligiri Rangan Hills in Karnataka (near the Tamil Nadu border) reaches a height of 1,279 meters.
• The Eastern Ghats meet the Western Ghats further south.

Significance of Peninsular Mountains

• The majority of the hills in the peninsular area are relicts (residual hills).
• They're the remains of hills and horsts that developed millions of years ago (horst: uplifted block; graben: subsided block).
• These hill ranges and different river basins divide the Peninsular region's plateaus from one another.
• Iron, manganese, copper, bauxite, chromium, mica, gold, and other minerals are abundant.
• Plantation crops such as tea, coffee, and rubber are ideal for production in several mountainous parts of south India.
• The plateau's highlands are covered with several types of forests, which supply a wide range of forest products.
• The rivers that originate in the Western Ghats provide excellent opportunities for creating hydropower and supplying irrigation for agricultural crops.
• Udagamandalam (Ooty), Pachmarhi, Kodaikanal, Mahabaleshwar, Khandala, Matheron, Mount Abu, and other hill resorts are located on the plateau.

Conclusion

The Peninsular Mountains are mostly made up of a large complex of very old gneisses and granites. The Aravali Hills, the Nallamala Hills, the Javadi Hills, the Veliconda Hills, the Palkonda Range, the Mahendragiri Hills, and other relicTs and residual mountains make up the Peninsular Block. In the peninsular region, the bulk of the hills are relicTs (residual hills). They're the ruins of mountains and horsts that formed millions of years ago. The Peninsular region's plateaus are separated by several hill ranges and diverse river basins.

FAQs

Q1: What are Peninsular Mountains?

Q2: How are Peninsular Mountains different from the Himalayas?

Q3: What is the significance of the Western Ghats?

Q4: What are the key features of the Aravalli Range?

Q5: How does the Eastern Ghats differ from the Western Ghats?

MCQs

1. Which of the following mountain ranges is part of the Peninsular Mountains?

a) Aravalli Range

b) Karakoram Range

c) Zanskar Range

d) Pir Panjal Range

2. Which of the following is a major river system that originates from the Western Ghats?

a) Ganga

b) Godavari

c) Yamuna

d) Brahmaputra

3. What type of mountains are the Peninsular Mountains classified as?

a) Fold Mountains

b) Block Mountains

c) Volcanic Mountains

d) Residual Mountains

4. Which of the following ranges forms a boundary between the Malwa Plateau and the Deccan Plateau?

a) Satpura Range

b) Aravalli Range

c) Western Ghats

d) Eastern Ghats

5. The Aravalli Range runs through which of the following states?

a) Maharashtra and Karnataka

b) Gujarat and Rajasthan

c) Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

d) Tamil Nadu and Kerala

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Discuss the geological significance of the Peninsular Mountains in India.

Answer: The Peninsular Mountains of India, such as the Aravallis, Vindhyas, Satpuras, Western Ghats, and Eastern Ghats, represent some of the oldest geological formations on Earth. These mountains are primarily block mountains, formed through ancient tectonic processes and subsequent erosion. The Aravalli Range, for instance, is one of the oldest mountain ranges globally, dating back to the Precambrian era, over 2.5 billion years ago. The Peninsular Mountains play a crucial role in India's geology, separating major landforms like the Malwa Plateau and the Deccan Plateau. They also act as significant water divides, with many important rivers originating from the Western Ghats, including the Godavari, Krishna, and Cauvery. These ranges have also influenced biodiversity and climate patterns, especially the Western Ghats, which are a major factor in the monsoon system of India. Their mineral-rich landscapes have supported human civilization and economic development for centuries.

Q2: Compare and contrast the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats in terms of their geographical and environmental significance.

Answer: The Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats, both part of the Peninsular Mountains, differ significantly in their geographical and environmental characteristics. The Western Ghats are a continuous range running parallel to the western coast of India, from Gujarat to Tamil Nadu. They are steeper, higher (with an average elevation of 900-1600 meters), and more rugged than the Eastern Ghats. The Western Ghats are a UNESCO World Heritage site and a biodiversity hotspot, with rich flora and fauna, including many endemic species. They also influence the southwest monsoon, contributing to heavy rainfall on the western side of India.
In contrast, the Eastern Ghats are a discontinuous and much lower range, stretching from Odisha to Tamil Nadu. The Eastern Ghats are more eroded and fragmented, with an average elevation of 600 meters. While the Western Ghats receive heavy rainfall, the Eastern Ghats experience a drier climate. However, both ranges play crucial roles in water conservation, with rivers like the Godavari, Krishna, and Cauvery flowing through these ranges. The Western Ghats are more ecologically significant, while the Eastern Ghats are known for their mineral resources, especially bauxite and iron ore.

Q3: Analyze the environmental challenges faced by the Western Ghats and suggest measures for their conservation.

Answer: The Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot, face numerous environmental challenges, including deforestation, habitat fragmentation, illegal mining, and the construction of dams and infrastructure projects. These activities have led to the loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, and altered monsoon patterns. Human encroachment into forested areas has also led to conflicts between wildlife and local communities. Additionally, climate change poses a significant threat to the delicate ecosystems of the Western Ghats, with rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns affecting flora and fauna.
To conserve the Western Ghats, several measures can be implemented:

1. Strengthening legal frameworks: Strict enforcement of environmental laws, especially in ecologically sensitive areas, is crucial. The recommendations of the Gadgil and Kasturirangan Committees on the Western Ghats should be implemented effectively.
2. Promoting sustainable tourism: Eco-friendly tourism practices can reduce the impact of tourism on sensitive ecosystems.
3. Community-based conservation: Engaging local communities in conservation efforts and providing them with alternative livelihoods can reduce deforestation and poaching.
4. Reforestation and afforestation: Large-scale reforestation efforts can restore degraded areas, improving soil stability and water conservation.
   Conserving the Western Ghats is essential for maintaining ecological balance and sustaining water resources for millions of people.

Previous Year Questions on  Peninsular Montains

1. UPSC CSE 2018

Question: Explain the significance of the Western Ghats in the Indian monsoon system. 

Answer: The Western Ghats play a crucial role in the Indian monsoon system, particularly in influencing the southwest monsoon. The range runs parallel to the western coast of India, forming a barrier for the moisture-laden winds of the southwest monsoon, which blow from the Arabian Sea. As these winds are forced to rise over the steep slopes of the Western Ghats, they cool and condense, causing heavy rainfall on the windward side, especially in states like Kerala, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. This phenomenon, known as orographic rainfall, contributes significantly to the water resources and agriculture in these regions. The Western Ghats are also crucial for regulating the flow of several major rivers, including the Godavari, Krishna, and Cauvery, which sustain millions of people. On the leeward side of the Ghats, the rain shadow effect results in a much drier climate, affecting regions like the Deccan Plateau. Thus, the Western Ghats are integral to both the Indian monsoon system and the overall climate pattern of the subcontinent.

2. UPSC CSE 2019

Question: Discuss the environmental significance of the Aravalli Range and the challenges it faces. 

Answer: The Aravalli Range, one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world, holds significant environmental importance in North India. It acts as a natural barrier against the spread of the Thar Desert towards the fertile plains of northern India, helping regulate the climate and preventing desertification. The Aravallis are also rich in biodiversity, home to a variety of flora and fauna, and contain valuable mineral resources such as marble, copper, and zinc.
However, the range faces numerous environmental challenges, primarily due to human activities. Extensive mining, deforestation, and urbanization have led to the degradation of the Aravalli ecosystem. Illegal mining activities, particularly in Rajasthan and Haryana, have caused soil erosion and groundwater depletion. Deforestation has also contributed to a loss of biodiversity and increased air pollution, particularly in the National Capital Region (NCR). To address these challenges, strict regulation of mining activities, afforestation efforts, and conservation initiatives are needed to restore and protect the fragile Aravalli ecosystem.