The Himalayan Mountains
Prepared By
LIZA SARMAH
Mission APSC AE/JE
The Himalayan Mountains
• • The Himalayas are young and flexible in
their geological structure unlike the rigid
and stable Peninsular Block.
• • These mountains are tectonic in origin,
dissected by fast-flowing rivers which are
in their youthful stage.
• • Various landforms like gorges, V-shaped
valleys, rapids, waterfalls, etc. are formed.
Syntaxial Bends of the Himalayas
• ● Himalayas extend in the east-west
direction from the Indus gorge in the west
to the Brahmaputra gorge in the east and
take sharp southward bends at these
gorges. These bends are called syntaxial
bends of the Himalayas.
• ● The western syntaxial bend occurs near
the Nanga Parbat.
• ● The eastern syntaxial bend occurs near
the Namcha Barwa
● The Himalaya Mountain Range can also be
classified on the basis of height and they are as
follow
• 1. The Trans-Himalayan range
• 2. The Great Himalayas(Himadri)
• 3.Lesser or Middle Himalayas (The Himanchal Range)
• 4. The Siwalik Range
● The Himalayas are wider in the west than in the east.
The Trans-Himalayan range (Tibetan Himalaya)
• Most of the part of this Himalayan range lies in the Tibet and hence
also called Tibetan Himalaya.
• 1. Zaskar .
• 2. Karakoram range. (K2 / Godwin Austen is the second highest peak
• in the world and highest in the Indian Territory lies here. )
• 3. Ladakh
• 4. Kailash .
•
The Great Himalayas (Himadri)
• ● The highest range of the Himalayas.
• ● The peaks are perennially covered with snow due to the lofty
heights (Hence Himadri ).
• ● Almost all the prominent Himalayan peaks lies in this range like Mt
Everest, Kanchenjunga, etc.
• ● Famous glaciers like the Gangotri and the Yamunotri
• lie here.
LESSER OR MIDDLE HIMALAYAS
(THE HIMANCHAL RANGE)
• ● This range lies between the Shiwalik in the south and the Greater
Himalayas in the north.
• ● Gentle slopes of the eastern part of this range are covered with
dense forests.
• ● Local names = Pir Panjal in Jammu and Kashmir; Dhauladhar in
Himachal Pradesh.
• ● Most of the hill towns or resort towns are located in Himachal
range for example Shimla, Mussoorie, Nainital, Darjeeling etc.
Duns
• They are formed between Lesser Himalayas and Shiwaliks. These
• valleys are deposited with coarse alluvium brought down by
Himalayan rivers. These are known as Dun in the west and Duara in
the East.
• Dehra Dun, Patli Dun are some of the well-known Duns.
• Name of Shiwaliks Region
• Jammu Region - Jammu Hills
• Dafla, Miri, Abor and Mishmi Hills - Arunachal Pradesh
• Dundwa Range - Uttarakhand
• Himalayas can be divided into the following
subdivisions:
• 1. Kashmir or Northwestern Himalayas
• 2. Himachal and Uttaranchal Himalayas (
Kumao H.)
• 3. Darjiling and Sikkim Himalayas
• 4. Arunachal Himalayas
• 5. Eastern Hills and Mountains.
KASHMIR HIMALAYAS
• Major ranges: Karakoram, Ladakh, Pir Panjal, Zaskar and Dhaola Dhar
• • The Kashmir Himalayas are also famous for Karewa formations
which are useful for the cultivation of Zafran , a local variety of
saffron.
2. KUMAON HIMALAYAS
• ● Two distinct features of this region from the point of view of
physiography are the 'shiwalik' and 'Dun‘ formations.
• ● The region is also known to have five famous Prayags (river
confluences).
3. The Darjiling and Sikkim Himalayas
• • Known for its fast-flowing rivers such as Teesta, it is a region of high
mountain peaks like Kanchenjunga and deep valleys.
• the ‘duar formations‘ are important, which have also been used for
the development of tea gardens.
4. The Arunachal Himalayas
•.
• • Some of the important mountain peaks of the region are Kangtu
and Namcha Barwa.
• Brahmaputra flows through a deep gorge after crossing Namcha
Barwa. Some of the important rivers ar Kameng, Subansiri, Dihang,
Dibang and Lohit.
• • An important aspect of the Arunachal Himalayas
is the numerous ethnic tribal community inhabiting
in these areas.
• • Some of the prominent ones from west to east
are the Monpa, Daffla, Abor, Mishmi, Nishi and the
Nagas.
• Most of these communities practise Jhumming. It is
• also known as shifting or slash and burn cultivation.
5. The Eastern Hills and Mountains
• Part of Himalayan mountain system having their general
• alignment from the north to the south direction.
• • They are known by different local names. In the north, they are
known as Patkai Bum, Naga hills, the Manipur hills and in the south
as Mizo or Lushai hills.
• • The physiography of Manipur is unique by the presence of a large
lake known as ‘Loktak‘ lake at the centre, surrounded by mountains
from all sides.
• Mizoram which is also known as the ‘Molassis basin’ which is made
up of soft unconsolidated deposits.
