Indian Geography Part 4 – Himachal and Uttaranchal Himalayas

(ii) Himachal and Uttaranchal Himalayas

Figure Himalayan Mountain Complex: Cross-Sectional View from South to North

Great Himalaya or Himadri

• Northernmost range is known as the Great or Inner Himalayas or the ‘Himadri’.
• ‘Himadri’. It is the most continuous range consisting of the loftiest peaks with an average height of 6,000 meters.
• The folds of Great Himalayas are asymmetrical in nature.
• The core of this part of Himalayas is composed of granite.
• It is perennially snowing bound, and a number of glaciers descend from this range. The Himalayan Mountains are divided into three main parallel ranges.

Bhotia’s

• In the Great Himalayan range, the valleys are mostly inhabited by the Bhotia’s.
• These are nomadic groups who migrate to ‘Bugyals’ (the summer grasslands in the higher reaches) during summer months and return to the valleys during winters.

Himachal or lesser Himalaya

• The range lying to the south of the Himadri forms the most rugged mountain system and is known as Himachal or lesser Himalaya.
• The altitude varies between 3,700 and 4,500 meters and the average width is 50 Km.
• The Pir Panjal range forms the longest and the most important range
• The Dhaula Dhar and the Mahabharat ranges are also prominent ones.
• This range consists of the famous valley of Kashmir, the Kangra and Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh.
• This region is well known for its hill stations

Shiwaliks

• The outer most range of the Himalayas is called the Shiwaliks.
• They extend over a width of 10-50 Km and have an altitude varying between 900 and 1100 meters.
• These ranges are composed of unconsolidated sediments brought down by rivers from the main Himalayan ranges located farther north.
• Covered with thick gravel called Alluvium.
• The longitudinal valley lying between lesser Himalaya and the Shiwaliks are known as Duns.
• Dehra Dun, Kotli Dun, and Patli Dun are some of the well-known Duns.
• The word shiwalik has its origin in the geological formation found in and around a place called Sivawala near Dehra Dun
• Which was once a headquarter of the Imperial Survey and which subsequently established its permanent headquarters at Dehra Dun.
• Dehra Dun is the largest of all the duns with an approximate length of 35-45 km and a width of 22-25 km.

Some of the important hill stations

• Dharamshala
• Mussoorie
• Shimla
• Kaosani

The cantonment towns and health resorts

• Shimla
• Mussoorie
• Kasauli
• Almora
• Lansdowne
• Ranikhet

The two distinguishing features of this region

• The ‘Shiwalik
• ‘Dun formations’

Some important duns

• Chandigarh-Kalka dun
• Nalagarh dun
• Dehra Dun
• Harike dun
• The Kota dun

(iii)The Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas

1. • They are flanked by Nepal Himalayas in the west and Bhutan Himalayas in the east.
   • It is relatively small but is a most significant part
   • Known for its fast-flowing Rivers such as Tista
   • It is a region of high mountain peaks like Kanchenjunga (Kanchengiri), and deep valleys.
   • The higher reaches of this region are inhabited by Lepcha tribes while the southern part, particularly the Darjiling Himalayas, has a mixed population of Nepalis, Bengalis, and tribals from Central India.
   • The British, taking advantage of the physical conditions such as
     • Moderate slope
     • Thick soil cover
     • High organic content
     • Well distributed rainfall throughout the year
     • And mild winters,
   • Introduced tea plantations
   • In place of the Shiwaliks here, the‘duar formations’ are important
   • Which has also been used for the development of tea gardens