Himalayan Ranges - Part 1 PDF

3. The Himalayan Ranges – Part I The Himalayan Ranges (Himalayas) are a series of parallel or converging mountain ranges of tectonic origin (continent-continent convergence). Theoretically, they include the Himalayas, Purvanchal and their extensions, Arakan Yoma (Myanmar...

3. The Himalayan Ranges – Part I The Himalayan Ranges (Himalayas) are a series of parallel or converging mountain ranges of tectonic origin (continent-continent convergence). Theoretically, they include the Himalayas, Purvanchal and their extensions, Arakan Yoma (Myanmar) and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Most of the Himalayan Ranges fall in India, Nepal, and Bhutan, with parts of the northern slopes extending into Tibet (Trans-Himalayas) and the western extremity reaching Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia. The Himalayas are characterised by a young, weak, and flexible geological structure, making them the most unstable landmass in India. As a result, they're still influenced by both external and internal forces, leading to widespread tectonic movements such as faulting, folding, and thrusting. They are intricately dissected by fast-flowing rivers, which are currently in their youthful stage of development. The presence of highly dissected topography and landforms such as gorges, V- shaped valleys, rapids, and waterfalls indicate this stage. [UPSC 2012] When you travel in Himalayas, you will see the following: 1. Deep gorges 2. U-turn river courses 3. Parallel mountain ranges 4. Steep gradients causing land-sliding. Which of the above can be said to be the evidence for Himalayas being young fold mountains? a) 1 and 2 only b) 1, 2 and 4 only c) 3 and 4 only d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 Explanation Deep Gorges Young fold mountains are constantly being uplifted due to ongoing tectonic forces. This rapid upliftment doesn't allow rivers enough time to widen their valleys through erosion. As a result, they carve deep, narrow gorges like the ones seen in the Himalayas. The gorges are characterised by steep, rocky cliffs and narrow channels. During their early stages, glaciers flow down gorges and valleys and reshape them into U-shaped valleys. 23 U-Turn Rivers PMF IAS IPG Young fold mountains, like the Himalayas, often show evidence of past glaciation in the form of these U-shaped valleys and the U-turn River courses. Parallel Ranges  The parallel ranges we see in the Himalayas are formed by the folding and compression of rock layers due to tectonic plate movement. This is a characteristic feature of young fold mountains, where the parallel ridges and valleys haven't had enough time to be eroded. Landslides As young fold mountains are still rising, they tend to have steep slopes and unstable terrain. This makes them prone to landslides, which further contribute to their rugged and young appearance. Answer: d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 The Formation of The Himalayas and The Indo-Gangetic-Brahmaputra Plain Around 250 million years ago, there was a supercontinent called Pangea surrounded by a super ocean called Panthalassa. Around 150 million years ago, the Pangea broke into: 1. Laurasia or Angaraland (present-day North America, Europe, and Asia) 2. Gondwanaland (present-day South America, Africa, South India, Australia, and Antarctica) Due to the breaking of Pangea, a long, narrow sea, called Tethys Sea, was created between Angara- land and Gondwanaland. Huge amounts of sediments were deposited in the Tethys Sea by the rivers flowing into it. 24 PMF IAS IPG PMF IAS IPG 25  26 PMF IAS IPG The Formation of The Himalayas  The Indian Plate, which was once a part of the Gondwanaland, separated from it and began its northward movement around 150 million years ago, eventually colliding with the Eurasian Plate. Due to the northward movement of the Indian Plate, the sediments deposited in the Tethys Geo- syncline were subjected to compression. This resulted in the formation of the Himalayas and the Indo-Gangetic-Brahmaputra trough to the south of the mountain range. The Indian Plate's subduction beneath the Eurasian Plate has also led to the formation of several geological features, such as the Indus-Tsangpo Suture Zone and the Main Central Thrust. The Formation of Indo-Gangetic-Brahmaputra Plain The rise of the Himalayas and the subsequent formation of glaciers gave rise to many new rivers. These rivers supplied huge amounts of alluvium and started filling the depression. With time, the depression was filled with alluvium, and the Tethys completely disappeared, leaving behind a monotonous aggradational plain (plain formed due to depositional activity). Upper Peninsular rivers have also contributed to the formation of plains, but to a minimal extent. In recent times (since a few million years ago), depositional work of three major river systems, viz., the Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra, have become predominant. Hence, this arcuate (curved) plain is also known as the Indo-Gangetic-Brahmaputra Plain. Classification of The Himalayan Ranges The Himalayan Ranges can be broadly classified into: 1. The Trans-Himalayas or Tibetan Himalayas 2. The Greater Himalayas or The Himadri 3. The Lesser Himalayas or The Middle Himalayas or The Himachal 4. The Shiwaliks or The Outer Himalayas 27 5. The Eastern Hills or Purvanchal — A chain of hills in North-East India PMF IAS IPG PMF IAS IPG 28 The Three Parallel Rangs Between Tibet and the Ganga Plain, the Himalayas form three parallel ranges — Greater Himalayas, Lesser Himalayas and Shivaliks. They form an arc and cover a distance of about 2400 km. The width varies from 400 km in Kashmir to 150 km in Arunachal Pradesh. General Orientation All three ranges curve convexly to the south. The attitudinal variations are greater in the eastern half than in the western half. Parts of Himalayas Orientation North-western part of India Northwest to Southeast direction Darjeeling and Sikkim regions East-West direction Arunachal Pradesh Southwest to the Northeast Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram North-South direction Slope The folds in these ranges are asymmetrical, with valleys being a part of synclines, and the hills are part of anticlines or anti-synclines. This creates a topography with steep south slopes and gentle 29 north slopes, giving hogback (a long, steep hill or mountain ridge) topography. PMF IAS IPG   Scaling Mount Everest is less challenging from the northern side. However, China imposes re- strictions, so climbers often choose the steeper southern slopes from Nepal. Syntaxial Bends The Himalayas stretch in an east-west direction from the Indus Gorge in the west to the Brahma- putra Gorge in the east. At these gorges, the Himalayan ranges sharply bend southward. These bends are referred to as the syntaxial bends of the Himalayas. The western syntaxial bend is situated near Nanga Parbat, the western tip of the Zanskar Range (where the Indus River has carved a deep gorge). The eastern syntaxial bend is located near Namche Barwa. The Trans Himalayas The Trans-Himalayas are the mountain ranges situated immediately north of the Great Himala- yan range. This range is predominantly located in Tibet and is commonly called the Tibetan Him- alayas. The average elevation is around 3000 meters above mean sea level, and it spans approximately 1,000 km in the east-west direction, occurring only in the western part of the Himalayas (Ladakh, J&K and Himachal Pradesh). The average width is about 40 km at its extremities and widens to around 225 km in the central part. Ranges in The Trans Himalayas 30 The Trans-Himalayas have several main ranges — Karakoram, Ladakh, Zanskar, and Kailas. PMF IAS IPG Karakoram Range The Karakoram Range, also known as Krishnagiri, is the northernmost Trans-Himalayan range in India. It extends 800 km eastwards from the Pamirs of Pakistan.  It has lofty peaks, including K2 (8611 m), also known as Godwin Austen or Qogir, the second highest globally and the highest in the Indian Union. The Ladakh Plateau lies northeast of the Karakoram Range, divided into various plains and moun- tains, such as Soda Plains, Aksai Chin, Lingzi Tang, Depsang Plains, and Chang Chenmo. Ladakh Range It is situated south of the Karakoram Range and north of the Zanskar Range and runs parallel to the Zanskar Range. Only a few peaks of this range exceed a height of 6000 meters. Zanskar Range The Zanskar Range is situated south of the Ladakh Range. The average height of the Zanskar Range is about 6,000 m. It houses Nanga Parbat, standing at 8126 m. Kailas Range The Kailas Range (Gangdise in Chinese) in western Tibet is an offshoot of the Ladakh Range. Mount Kailas, with an elevation of 6714 meters, is the highest peak in this range. The Indus River originates from the southern slopes of the Kailas Range near Lake Manasarovar (Mapang Yongcuo). The Greater Himalaya The Greater Himalaya, also known as Inner Himalaya, Central Himalaya, or Himadri, extends over 2500 km from Nanga Parbat to Namcha Barwa. Its width varies between 160-400 km. It has an average elevation of 6000 meters above sea level. This mountain range has the tallest peaks in the world, such as Kamet and Nanda Devi in Uttarak- hand, Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and Mt. Everest in Nepal and Kanchenjunga in Sikkim. The Himadri abruptly terminates at the syntaxial bends, one near Nanga Parbat in the northwest and the other near Namcha Barwa in the northeast. Composition: The Himadri is primarily composed of central crystallines, including granites and gneisses, overlain by metamorphosed sediments such as limestone. Folds: The folds in this range are asymmetrical, creating a topography with steep south slopes and gentle north slopes, giving hogback (a long, steep hill or mountain ridge) topography.  Karakoram Range and The Greater Himalayas boast of the tallest peaks of the world, most of which remain under perpetual snow.  Nanga Parbat means Naked Mountain. It is called so due to its isolation from the Karakoram Range, which has many similar high peaks (eight thousanders) 31  Mount Everest was first located by George Everest, the then Surveyor General of India, in 1841. It PMF IAS IPG was established as the highest peak in the world by the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India. Regional name of Mount Everest Region Sagarmatha (The Goddess of the Sky) Nepal  Qomolangma (Mother of the World) China (Tibet) The Lesser Himalayas or The Middle Himalayas or The Himachal The Middle Himalayas, also known as the Lower Himalayas, lie between the Greater Himalayas in 32 the north and the Shiwaliks in the south, running almost parallel to both ranges. PMF IAS IPG These ranges are 50 km wide and about 2400 km long. They have elevations ranging from 3,500 to 4,500 meters above sea level. Many peaks within this range surpass 5,050 meters and remain snow-covered throughout the year. PMF IAS IPG 33  The Lower Himalayas have steep, barren southern slopes (steep slopes prevent soil formation) and gentler, forest-covered northern slopes. In Uttarakhand, the Middle Himalayas are represented by the Mussoorie and Nag Tibba ranges. The Mahabharat Lekh in southern Nepal is a continuation of the Mussoorie Range. To the east of the Kosi River, areas such as Sapta Kosi, Sikkim, Bhutan, Miri, Abor, and Mishmi hills represent the lower Himalayas. The Middle Himalayan ranges are more accessible for human interaction. Most Himalayan hill re- sorts, such as Shimla, Mussoorie, Ranikhet, Nainital, Almora, and Darjeeling, are situated in the Middle Himalayas. This region consists of the famous valleys of Kashmir, the Kangra, the Kullu, the Katmandu and Pokhara. Important Ranges in the Lesser Himalayas Region Ranges Jammu and Kashmir and HP The Pir Panjal Range Himachal Pradesh The Dhauladhar Range Uttarakhand The Mussoorie Range and The Nag Tibba Range Nepal Mahabharat Lekh Arunachal Pradesh Dafla, Miri, Abor and Mishmi The Pir Panjal Range The Pir Panjal Range in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh is the most significant range of the Lesser Himalayas, stretching over 300 km from the Jhelum River to the upper Beas River (near Manali). The Kishanganga, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers cut through this range. It reaches heights of 5,000 meters and is primarily composed of volcanic rocks. Dhauladhar Range To the southeast of the Ravi River, the Pir Panjal continues as the Dhauladhar Range, traversing through Dalhousie and Dharamshala and ends at Hanuman Tibba (near Manali). Shiwalik Range (Shiwaliks) The Shiwalik Range, also known as the Outer Himalayas, is situated between the Great Plains and Lesser Himalayas. The width varies from 50 km in HP to less than 15 km in Arunachal Pradesh. With altitudes ranging from 900 to 1100 meters, it spans 2,400 km from the Potwar Plateau (Paki- 34 stan) in the west to the Brahmaputra Valley in the east. It runs mostly as a continuous chain of low hills for over 1200 km from northwestern India to the PMF IAS IPG Gandak River. Between the Gandak and the Teesta Rivers, it becomes discontinuous, with many streams and rivers highly dissecting the hills.  Beyond Teesta, the valleys of the Teesta River and Raidak River create a gap of 80-90 km. From here on, the Shivalik hills have been either highly discontinuous or even non-existent in most locations due to the numerous streams and rivers and high annual rainfall in the region. The Shiwalik Range, extending from North-East India to Nepal, is covered with thick forests. However, the forest cover decreases towards the west of Nepal due to a decrease in rainfall from east to west. The southern slopes are steep, while the northern slopes are gentle. The southern slopes in Punjab and HP lack significant forest cover and are highly dissected by seasonal streams known as Chos. Chos in Punjab The Shiwaliks are known by different names Name of Shivaliks Region Jammu Hills Jammu Region Shivalik Hills Himachal Pradesh The Dhang Range and Dundwa Range Uttarakhand Churia Ghat Hills Nepal Duns 35 The longitudinal valleys lying between the Lesser Himalayas and Shivaliks are known as Duns. Duns were once part of the floodplains of the rivers flowing in the region. PMF IAS IPG Dehra Dun is the largest dun, with an approximate length of 35-45 km and a width of 22-25 km. Formation of Duns (Duars/Dooars) Shiwalik Hills were formed by the accumulation and deposition of conglomerates (such as sand, stone, silt, gravel, and debris) brought down by the fast-flowing Himalayan Rivers. During the initial deposition, the conglomerate depositions constantly obstructed and changed the courses of rivers draining from the higher Himalayan reaches, forming temporary lakes. Over time, these lakes gathered more conglomerates, which kept settling and filling the lake bottoms. As rivers gradually cut through the lakes filled with conglomerate deposits, the lakes were drained away, leaving behind plains known as duns or doons in the west and duars in the east. Duars The duars are at the foothills of the eastern Himalayas in North-East India around Bhutan. Duar, which means 'door', are like passes in the Eastern Himalayas near Bhutan. The Western duars lies in northern West Bengal and is a portion of the Terai. Purvanchal or Eastern Hills At the Dihang Gorge, the Himalayas abruptly take a southward bend, giving rise to a series of relatively low hills collectively known as the Purvanchal — the southward extensions of the Hima- layas that run along the north-eastern edge of India. These hills exhibit a convex shape to the west and stretch along the India-Myanmar Border, ex- tending from Arunachal Pradesh in the north to Mizoram in the south. Most of the rivers in Nagaland form the tributary of the Brahmaputra. Some rivers of Mizoram and 36 Manipur are the tributaries of the Barak River (Manipur and Mizoram), which in turn is the tributary of Meghna. PMF IAS IPG The rivers in the eastern part of Manipur are the tributaries of Chindwin, which in turn is a tributary of the Irrawaddy of Myanmar.  The physiography of Manipur is unique due to the presence of a large lake known as Loktak Lake at the centre, surrounded by mountains from all sides.  The Meghalaya (Shillong) plateau is technically a part of the Deccan Peninsula. It was separated from the peninsular rock base (at the Rajmahal Hills) by the Garo-Rajmahal gap created by the Ganga-Brahmaputra River system. The region has the Garo, Khasi, Jaintia and Mikir (Rengma) hills. 37 Regional Hills of The Purvanchal The regional hills in the Purvanchal are low hills separated from each other by numerous small rivers. PMF IAS IPG The hills are inhabited by numerous tribal groups practising Jhum cultivation. Patkai Bum and Naga Hills  The Patkai Bum hills, composed of strong sandstone, have elevations ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 meters. These hills merge into the Naga Hills, where Saramati (3,826 m) is the highest peak. The Patkai Bum and Naga Hills form the watershed between India and Myanmar. Manipur hills South of the Naga Hills lies the Manipur hills, generally below 2,500 meters in elevation. The Barail Range serves as the separation between the Naga Hills and Manipur Hills. Mizo (Lushai) Hills To the south of the Manipur Hills are the Mizo Hills, formerly known as the Lushai Hills, with eleva- tions of less than 1,500 meters. The highest point is the Blue Mountain (2,157 m) in the south. States Highest Peaks Arunachal Pradesh Kangto Nagaland Saramati (3,841 m) Manipur Mt. Tempu (Esii/ISO) Mizoram Blue Mountain (2,157 m) Tripura Betling Sib (Betlingchip) Regional Division of Himalayas Western Himalayas The Western Himalayas include the Himalayan region from the Indus in the west to the Kali River (Sharda River — flows along the Nepal-Uttarakhand border; right-bank tributary of Ghaghara River) in the east, covering a distance of 880 km. This region is distributed across three states: 1. Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh (Punjab Himalayas) 2. Himachal Pradesh (Himachal Himalayas) 3. Uttarakhand (Kumaon/Uttarakhand Himalayas) All three ranges of the Himalayas are prominent in this section. Punjab Himalayas The Punjab Himalayas include the Himalayan region situated between the Indus and Sutlej rivers, spanning a length of 560 km. It is predominantly located in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pra- desh and is commonly known as the Kashmir and Himachal Himalayas. The major ranges in this section include the Karakoram, Ladakh, Pir Panjal (J&K and HP), Zaskar, and Dhauladhar (HP). 38 The general elevation falls westwards, and all the major rivers of the Indus River system flow westwards through the Punjab Himalayas. PMF IAS IPG Kashmir Himalayas Kashmir Himalayas comprise a series of ranges such as the Karakoram, Ladakh, Zanskar and Pir Panjal. Important glaciers of South Asia, such as the Baltoro and Siachen, are found in this region. The northeastern part (Aksai Chin) is a cold desert. Between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal range lies the valley of Kashmir and the Dal Lake. Some of the important passes of the region are Zoji La on the Zanskar Range, Banihal on the Pir Panjal, Photu (Fotu) La on the Zaskar and Khardung La on the Ladakh Range. Some of the important fresh lakes, such as Dal and Wular, and saltwater lakes, such as Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri, are also in this region. This region is drained by the river Indus and its tributaries, such as the Jhelum and the Chenab. Srinagar is located on the banks of the Jhelum River. Some famous places of pilgrimage, such as Vaishno Devi, Amamath Cave, Charar-e-Sharif, etc., are also located in the Kashmir Himalayas. Himachal Himalayas This part lies approximately between the Ravi in the west and the Kali (Sharda River) in the east. It is drained by two major river systems of India, i.e. the Indus and the Ganga. 39 Tributaries of the Indus include the river Ravi, the Beas and the Sutlej, and the tributaries of Ganga flowing through this region include the Yamuna and the Ghaghara. PMF IAS IPG All three ranges of the Himalayas are prominent in this section. The Lesser Himalaya is represented by the Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar (HP) ranges, and the Outer Himalaya by the Shiwalik range.  The southern slopes are rugged, steep, and forested, while the northern slopes are bare and gen- tle. The northernmost part of the Himachal Himalayas is an extension of the Ladakh cold desert, which lies in the Spiti subdivision of district Lahul and Spiti. In the Himachal Himalayas, in areas with altitude between 1,000-2,000 m, the British colonial admin- istration established and developed important hill stations such as Dharamshala, Mussoorie, Shimla, Kaosani and the cantonment towns and health resorts such as Shimla, Mussoorie, Kasauli, Almora, Lansdowne and Ranikhet, etc. Kumaon Himalayas The Kumaon Himalayas is situated in Uttarakhand and extends from the Sutlej to the Kali River. In the Greater Himalayan range, the valleys are mostly inhabited by the Bhotias (nomadic groups), who migrate to 'Bugyals' (the summer grasslands in the higher reaches) during the summer months and return to the valleys during winter. In this region, the Lesser Himalayas are represented by the Mussoorie and Nag Tibba ranges. The Shiwalik range in this region runs south of the Mussoorie range, situated between the Ganga and Yamuna rivers. The two distinguishing features of the Himachal and Kumaon Himalayas from the point of view of physiography are the ‘Shiwalik’ and ‘Dun formations’ — flat valleys between the Lesser Himalaya and the Shiwalik range. E.g. Dehra Dun. Central Himalayas The Central Himalayas cover an 800 km region between the Kali River in the west and the Teesta River in the east. In this section, the Great Himalaya range reaches its maximum height, featuring some of the world- famous peaks such as Mt. Everest, Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Annapurna, Gosainthan, and Dhau- lagiri. The Lesser Himalaya is referred to as Mahabharat Lekh in this region. Rivers like Ghaghara, Gan- dak, Kosi, etc, traverse the range. Between the Great and Lesser Himalayas lie the Kathmandu and Pokhara valleys, which were once lakes. Towards the east, the Shiwalik range comes close to the Lesser Himalaya and becomes discontinuous beyond Narayani (Gandak). Eastern Himalayas 40 The Eastern Himalayas, also called the Assam Himalayas, are situated between the Teesta River in PMF IAS IPG the west and the Brahmaputra River in the east, covering a distance of about 720 km. In this region:  The mountains exhibit a marked dominance of fluvial erosion due to heavy rainfall.   The elevation is notably lower compared to the Nepal Himalayas.  The southern slopes are steep, while the northern slopes are more gentle.  The Lesser Himalayas are narrow and closely situated to the Greater Himalayas.  The Shiwalik range becomes almost non-existent.  After the Dihang Gorge, the Himalayas abruptly turn southward as the Purvanchal. Sikkim Himalayas This region is known for its fast-flowing rivers, such as Teesta. It is a region of high mountain peaks like Kanchenjunga and deep valleys. Lepcha tribes inhabit the higher reaches of this region, while the southern part, particularly the Darjeeling Himalayas, has a mixed population of Nepalis, Bengalis and tribals from Central India. As compared to the other sections of the Himalayas, these, along with the Arunachal Himalayas, are conspicuous by the absence of the Shiwalik formations. In place of the Shiwaliks here, the ‘duar formations’ are important, which have also been used for the development of tea gardens. Sikkim and Darjeeling Himalayas are also known for their scenic beauty and rich flora and fauna, particularly various types of orchids. The Arunachal Himalayas These extend from the east of the Bhutan Himalayas up to the Diphu (Dipher) Pass in the east. Some of the important mountain peaks of the region are Kangtu and Namcha Barwa. These ranges are dissected by fast-flowing rivers from the north to the south, forming deep gorges. The Brahmaputra flows through a deep gorge after crossing Namcha Barwa. Due to rugged topography, the inter-valley transportation linkages are nominal. Hence, most of the interactions are carried through the duar region along the Arunachal-Assam border. Hydroelectricity Some of the important rivers are the Kameng, the Subansiri, the Dihang, the Dibang and the Lohit. These are perennial with a high rate of fall, thus having the highest hydroelectric power poten- tial in the country. Tribal Inhabitants An important aspect of the Arunachal Himalayas is the numerous ethnic tribal communities inhabit- ing in these areas. Some of the prominent ones from west to east are the Monpa, Daffla, Abor, Mishmi, Nishi and the Nagas. 41 Most of these communities practise Jhumming. It is also known as shifting or slash-and-burn cultivation. This region is rich in biodiversity, which has been preserved by the indigenous commu- PMF IAS IPG nities. Tea Plantation  The British, taking advantage of the physical conditions such as moderate slopes, thick soil cover with high organic content, well-distributed rainfall throughout the year, and mild winters, in- troduced tea plantations in this region. Eastern Section vs Western Section of The Himalayas In the eastern section, the Himalayas rise abruptly from the plains of Bengal and Oudh and sud- denly attain great elevations within a short distance. Thus, the peaks of Kanchenjunga and Ev- erest are only a few kilometres from the plains. In contrast, the western Himalayas rise gradually from the plains through a series of ranges. Their peaks of perpetual snow are 150 to 200 km away from the plain areas. [UPSC 2022] Consider the following pairs: Peak Mountains 1. Namcha Barwa — Garhwal Himalaya 2. Nanda Devi — Kumaon Himalaya 3. Nokrek — Sikkim Himalaya Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched? a) 1 and 2 b) 2 only c) 1 and 3 d) 3 only Explanation Pair 1 is incorrect Namcha Barwa is situated at the easternmost edge of the Himalayas in Arunachal Pradesh. It holds significance as the Brahmaputra River bends sharply near its base, forming a notable U-turn. Garhwal Himalayas and Kumaon Himalayas are a part of Uttarakhand. Pair 2 is correct Nanda Devi, the second-highest peak in India after Kangchenjunga, is situated within the Ku- maon Himalayas. Located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, Nanda Devi stands prominently between the Rish- iganga Valley to the west and the Goriganga Valley to the east. The encompassing Nanda Devi National Park, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, adds to the significance of this majestic mountain region. 42 Pair 3 is incorrect PMF IAS IPG The Nokrek Peak, situated in the Tura Range of the West Garo Hills of the Meghalaya Plateau. It stands as the highest point in the Garo Hills, rising to an elevation of 1,412 meters. Answer: b) 2 only [UPSC 2003] Nanda Devi Peak forms a part of a) Assam Himalayas b) Kumaon Himalayas c) Nepal Himalayas d) Punjab Himalayas Explanation Situated in the Indian state of Uttarakhand (Chamoli district) in the Kumaon Himalayas, Nanda Devi is the second-highest mountain peak in India after Kangchenjunga. The surrounding area, including Nanda Devi National Park, has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its outstanding natural beauty and ecological importance. Answer: b) Kumaon Himalayas Summary AP/ Range J&K HP Uttarakhand Nepal Assam Karakoram Trans Himalayas Zanskar — Ladakh & Zanskar Greater Himalayas  Average Height: 6000 m Greater Himalayas  Width: 160-400 km Miri Lesser Himalayas Mussoorie Abor  Average Height: 4000 m Pir Panjal Dhauladhar Mahabharat Lek Nag Tibba Mishmi  Width: 50 km Dafla Shivaliks Dhang  Average Height: 1000 m Jammu Hills Shivalik Churia Ghat — Dundwa  Width: 10-50 km -------------- End of Chapter -------------- 43 PMF IAS IPG