(i) The Punjab Himalayas: The 560 km long stretch of the Himalayas between the Indus and the Satluj rivers is known as the Punjab Himalayas. Image Courtesy : upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/HaaValley.jpg A large portion of this sector lies in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh as a result of which it is also called the Kashmir and Himachal Himalaya. Karakoram, Ladakh, Pir Panjal, Zaskar and Dhaola Dhar are the main ranges of this section. The 3,444 metre high Zoji La pass provides an easy passage. In between the main ranges, there are valleys, duns, and lakes. The general elevation falls westwards. (ii) The Kumaon Himalayas: Between the Satluj and the Kali rivers is the 320 km long Kumaon Himalaya. Its western part is called Garhwal Himalaya while the eastern part is known as Kumaon Himalaya proper. The general elevation is higher as compared to Panjab Himalayas. Nanda Devi (7,817 m), Kamet (7,756 m), Trisul (7,140 m), Badrinath (7,138 m), Kedamath (6,968 m), Gangotri (6,510 m) are important peaks. The sources of sacred rivers like the Ganga and the Yamuna are located in the Kumaon Himalayas. There are several duns between the Middle Himalayas and the Shiwalik Hills. Nainital and Bhimtal are important lakes. (iii) The Nepal Himalaya: This section of the Himalayas stretches for a distance of 800 km between the Kali and the Tista nvers. Most of it lies in Nepal as a result of which it is called the Nepal Himalayas. This is the tallest section of the Himalayas and is crowned by several peaks of perpetual snow. The Mount Everest (8,850 m) is the tallest peak of the world. The other major peaks are Kanchenjunga (8,598 m), Lhotse I (8,501 m), Makalu (8,481 m), Dhaula Giri (8,172 m), Cho Oyu (8,153 m) and Annapurna (8,078 m). Kathmandu is a famous valley in this region. (iv) The Assam Himalayas: The Himalayan ranges from Tista to Brahmaputra Rivers covering a distance of 750 km are called the Assam Himalayas. This part of the Himalayas spreads over large parts of Sikkim, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and has elevation much lesser than that of the Nepal Himalayas. The southern slopes are very steep but the northern slopes are gentle. The lesser Himalayas are very narrow and are very close to the great Himalayas. The important peaks of this region are Namcha Barwa (7 756 m) Kula Kangri (7,554 m) and Chomo Lhari (7,327 m). Apart from Sir Sydney Burrard, some other scholars have also divided the Himalayas in their own way. For example, Prof. S.P. Chatterjee (1,964) divided the Himalayan region into three meso physiographic regions. Their names are (1) Western Himalayas (Kashmir, Punjab and Kumaon Himalayas), (2) Central Himalayas (Nepal Himalayas) and (3) Eastern Himalaya—besides the Purvanchal consisting of the north-eastern ranges. R.L. Singh (1971) also made three fold subdivisions of the Himalayas. His division was slightly different from that made by S.P. Chatterjee. Prof. R.L. Singh’s division comprises (i) Western Himalaya (1. Kashmir Himalaya and 2. Himachal Himalaya), (ii) Central Himalaya (3. U.P. Himalaya—now Uttaranchal Himalaya, 4. Nepal Himalaya), and (iii) Eastern Himalaya (5. Darjeeling—Bhutan—Assam Himalaya and 6. Purvanchal