LANDFORMS OF THE VARIOUS STATES
From the sands of the Thar Desert, where temperatures regularly soar to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, to the snow-covered peaks of the Himalayas, India's geography is marked by intense contrast. While best known for the record-breaking peaks of its mountain range and its celebrated river, the Ganges, India is also home to a historically active volcano, just off its shores.
Himalayas
The Himalaya Mountains serve as the northern boundary of India; some of the mountains and many of the surrounding foothills are within the country. You can divide the Indian Himalayas into five different regions. The region of Jammu and Kashmir has foothill plains and lakes as well as some higher peaks. The Himachal Pradesh region is generally snow-capped and forested with conifers; Dharamshala, home to the Dalai Lama, is within this region. The Uttaranchal region attracts many adventure sports enthusiasts. Sikkim is home to some of the tallest peaks; once an independent kingdom, it is now an Indian state, bounded by Nepal on the west and Bhutan to the east. The North Eastern states comprise a fifth region, which includes the "seven sisters" of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram.
Ganges River
The Ganges River runs 1,560 miles, beginning in the Himalayas and flowing into the Bay of Bengal. The river flows through Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. Upon merging with the Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers, it forms a river delta that is 200 miles across. Hindus attribute holy significance to the river's water, going to designated bathing places along the river's course, known as tirthas. It is also a common tradition to cast the ashes of the deceased into the river.
Thar Desert
In western India, the Thar Desert is the seventh-largest desert in the world, covering about 92,200 square miles. With extremely severe temperatures, the Thar is one of the most inhospitable parts of the country. Winter temperatures are regularly around freezing, and summer temperatures can surge to more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Annual rainfall is condensed into a few months of monsoons in late summer. The Thar Desert spans the Indian states of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Punjab and extends into Pakistan to the west. Given the extreme climate, the Thar has plentiful fauna and flora, with around 141 known species of native birds.
Andaman Islands
The Andaman Islands form an archipelago in the Bay of Bengal, just south of Burma. Altogether, the archipelago numbers about 300 islands, most of which comprise a territory of India. The islands are mountainous with dense rain forests. The islands also feature two volcanoes, the Narcondam and the Barren Island volcano. The Barren Island is the only historically active volcano in India.
LANDFORMS IN VARIOUS STATES:-
The northern states of India lie between the Himalayas and the fertile plains formed by the rivers that flow from the Himalayas. Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Utter Pradesh and Uttarakhand constitute the northern states.
These states have a variety of physical features ranging from the very high and rugged snow -capped mountains to beautiful green valleys and vast green plains. The region has many rivers that are fed by the snowy mountains of the Himalayas.
These states have climate ranging from very cold winters to hot and warm summers.
It is pine forests and fruit orchards. This state has great scenic beauty and s also a big tourist attraction. Shimla is the capital of Himachal Pradesh.
The hill state of Uttarakhand is famous for its shrines ad wildlife parks. It was earlier a part of Uttar Pradesh. The capital of Uttarakhand is Dehradun.
Punjab and Haryana states
The state of Punjab and Haryana are prosperous states of north India. Punjab is famous for the golden temple in Amritsar. Kurukshetra, the famous battlefield of the epic Mahabharata is in Haryana. Bhangra is a typical folk dance of this region. The city of Chandigrah serves as the capital of both the states. Both the states are rich in agriculture with wheat, oil seeds, Jowar and rice being important crops. They also have many important industrial like dairy products, sports goods and vehicles. Punjab is called the `Granary of India'.
The capital of India, the historic city of Delhi also lies in the northern region. The seat of the Mughal Empire, the city has many ancient monuments of great historical importance.
The western states
The western states of India have varied landforms-deserts, coasts, hills and mountain ranges. Examples are the Vindhya and Satpura hill ranges, the Western Ghats and the Narmada and Tapti rivers.
The climate in Rajasthan and parts of Gujarat is extreme, with very hot summers and cold winters. The other parts of the region have a moderate climate with good rainfall.
Rajasthan, also called the land of palaces, lies in the Thar Desert. Jaipur, the capital, is called the `pink city' as most o the buildings here are built of pink-colored sandstone.
Gujarat is famous for its food, textiles, mirror work and embroidered handicrafts. The capital is Gandhinagar. This state is the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. Gir forest, the only sanctuary for Asiatic lions in India, is situated in Gujarat.
Maharashtra is on the western coast and is famous for its cave paintings and sculptures at Ajanta and Ellora. Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra is a very busy port. Cotton, wheat, sugarcane, oranges, and mangoes are important agricultural products while textile, chemicals and automobile are the chief industries found in the state.
Goa is a land of beaches. The capital city is Panaji. Goa was Portuguese territory and has Portuguese in flounce on its culture. The state grows rice, cashew and coconuts. Shipping and mining are important industries. Goa is famous and carnivals.
No comments:
Post a Comment