Mountain Ranges in India - UPSC PDF Download

Mountain Ranges in North India – North to South

Mountain Ranges in Central India – West to East

Chota Nagpur Plateau – North to South

Mountain Ranges in North East India

Western Ghats Mountains  – North to South

Eastern Ghats Mountains – North to South

Mountain Ranges in India (with few Details)

Cardamom Hills:

• Southernmost part of the Western Ghats, in Kerala and Tamil Nadu
• Named after the cardamoms which are grown here, beside pepper and coffee
• Has the Shencottah Gap
• Climatic barrier, source of many rivers
• So many forest reserves for ecological conservation, source of HEPs

Palani Hills:

• Mountains of Tamil Nadu east of the Anaimudi Peak
• North of Vaigai River
• Mostly within Dindigul district
• Hill station of Kodaikanal
• Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park

Anaimalai Hills:

• Anaimalai means ‘Elephant Hills’
• Located between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, south of the Palghat Gap
• Highest peak -Anaimudi (Idukki district, Kerala )
• Many sanctuaries and parks
• Trekking destination
• Tea, coffee, rubber and teak forests

Nilgiri Hills:

• Trijunction of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, north of the Palghat
• Meeting point of the Eastern and Western ghats
• Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and other conservation areas
• Highest peak – Doddabetta, 4 km from Otty
• So many falls Pykara, Catherine, Kotagiri

Baba Budan Hills:

• Part of the Western Ghats in the Chikamangaluru District of Karnataka
• Highest peak- Mullayangiri
• Baba Budan was a 17th century sufi, who is believed to have introduced coffee in India
• Known for coffee cultivation

Varushnad Hills:

• South of the Vaigai River and southwest of Madurai, up to the Cardamom Hills
• Eastern offshoot of the Western Ghats
• Cumbum Valley (Vaigai) divides it from the Western Ghats
• Source of Arjuna and Gunnar rivers

Sirumalai Hills:

• Between Vaigai (S) and Kaveri in Tamil Nadu
• Source of Valiyar and Manimuttar rivers
• Dindigul is the main city nearby it
• Hill station: Sirumalai

Panchaimalai Hills:

• Panchai mean ‘green’ and malai means ‘hills’
• Between Kaveri and Vellar rivers in Tamil Nadu
• Haven of tribals
• Average elevation : 500m to 1000m
• Good for trekking and enjoying nature
• Namakkal is the main city

Shevroy Hills:

• Between Vellar and Ponnaiyar rivers in Tamil Nadu
• Around Salem city
• Sanatorium and several old coffee plantations
• Tourist attraction
• Source of Turunanimuttai, Vellar, Gomukha and Manimukta rivers

Javadi Hills:

• Northern Tamil Nadu in Vellar district
• Between Ponnaiyar and Palar rivers
• Bisected into eastern and western sections by Cheyyar and Agaram, tributaries of the Palar
• Sparsely populated
• Grains, legumes, oilseeds are chief crops

Nagari Hills:

• Southernmost part of Andhra Pradesh, west of the Pulicat Lake in Chittur District
• Main city – Nagari
• ‘Nag’ means nose in Telugu
• Beautiful picnic spot
• Highest cliff: Nagari Nose

Palkonda Range:

• Arc-shaped mountain between Penneru and Palar rivers
• Relict of mountains formed during the Cambrian Period
• Main crops- Jowar,peanuts
• Formed of quartzites, slates and lavas
• Source of rivers
• Densely forested

Velikonda Range:

• Part of the Eastern Ghats
• Southeast of Andhra Pradesh, east of the Nallmalla Hills
• Strongly folded and faulted
• Assumed to be elevated during the Cambrian Period, now a relict range
• Sparsely wooded
• Chenchu tribal people live here

Melagiri Range:

• Smaller hill located south of Bangalore in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
• Range of hills, part of the Eastern Ghats
• Melagiri Sanctuary is located here
• Arkaveti River flows through the range
• Hosur city, Bennerghatta NP and Kolar gold fields are near to it

Velikonda:

• Located in the southeastern part of Andhra Pradesh
• Forms part of the Eastern Ghats
• Parallel to the Coromandel Coast
• Crossed by the Penneru River

Nallamalla Range:

• Between Penneru and Krishna
• Parallel to the Coromandel Coast
• Part of the Eastern Ghats
• Old mountain extensively weathered and eroded
• Largest stretch of undisturbed forests in SouthernIndia excluding the Western Ghats
• Srisailam Tiger Reserve

Erramala Range:

• A range of low hills in southern India, in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh
• Between Krishna and Penneru rivers
• West of Nallamalla Range

Harishchandra Range:

• Eastward spur of the Western Ghats, in Maharashtra
• Average elevation -600m.
• Elevation gradually decreases towards the southeast
• Flat topped, consisting of basaltic lava
• Slops are eroded into terraces
• Named after Harishchandragarh, its highest peak
• Ahmednagar is the chief city in the region

Balaghat Range:

• Series of hills in western Maharashtra originates from the Western Ghats
• Extends for 200 miles to form border between Maharashtra and Karnataka
• Flat topped hills with lava covers
• Source of Manjra River
• Rainier west has dense vegetation but the eastern part is barren and stony

Ajanta Range:

• A mountain of Maharashtra entirely within the state
• Forms the watershed between the Godavari and the Tapi river systems
• Source of Purna and Penganga
• Ajanta Caves are located

Satmala Range:

• Branch the northern Western Ghats in the northwest Maharashtra

Nirmal Range:

• A low hill of Maharashtra located between Penganga and Godavari rivers
• Nanded city is located on it

Garhjat Hills:

• Hill on the northern Orissa and adjoining Jharkhand
• Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar come under it
• Famous for iron ores
• Several Gond tribes live here
• Highest peak-Malaygiri (1187m)

Ramgarh Hills:

• Hills of the northeastern Chhattisgarh, adjoining Jharkhand
• Source of Rihand, Sankh and Mand and Ib rivers
• Main city is Ambikapur

Rajpipla Hills:

• The westernmost part of the Satpura Range, mainly in eastern Gujarat, around the city of Rajpipla
• Separated from the Gawilgarh Hills by the Khandwa Gap

Gawilgarh Hills:

• Part of the Satpura Range located between the Rajpipla Hills (West) and the Mahadeo Hills(East)
• Spreaded over Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh
• Located between Tapi and Purna rivers
• Main city- Burhanpur

Mahadeo Hills:

• Central part of the Satpura Range in southern Madhya Pradesh
• Watershed between Narmada and Godavari
• Highest Peak – Dhupgarh
• Origin of the Tapi River

Maikal Hills:

• Eastern part of the Satpura Range, located between Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh
• Source of many tributaries of Narmada, Mahanadi and Godavari
• Inhabited by the tribal peoples like Baiga and Gond
• Kanha National Park, Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve.

Kaimur Range:

• Eastern range of the Vindhyas located between the Son and the Tons rivers in northeastern Madhya Pradesh
• Its northern edge forms escarpments
• Prehistoric rock paintings have been discovered

Gir Hills:

• Low hills of the Kathiawar Peninsula to the southeast of the Girnar Hills
• Highest Peak – Sarkala (643m)
• The Gir National Park is located in the region

Girnar Hills:

• A collection of mountains in the Junagarh district, in the Kathiawad
• Girnar Peak (945m) is highest peak of Gujarat
• The Gir National Park is located in the region
• Holy place for both Hindus and Jains

Mandav Hills:

• Hills of the central Kathiawar
• Forms a radial drainage pattern
• Main city-Rajkot
• Covered with the basaltic lava

Abu Hills:

• The southwestern part of the Aravalli Range, between the Sabarmati and the Banas Rivers
• Mount Abu is located on it

Aravalli Range:

• Old dissected mountains of northwestern India, from Gujarat to Haryana
• Source of Banas, Luni and Sabarmati rivers
• Rich in non- ferrous minerals
• Highest peak – Guru Shikhar

Karakoram Range:

• A Trans- Himalayan mountain starts from the Pamir Knot
• Heavily glaciated part of the world outside the polar regions
• K2-Second highest peak of the world
• Glaciers – Siachen, Biafo, Batloro, Batura

Ladakh Range:

• Trans-Himalayan mountain located between Shyok and Indus rivers
• Leh is located at its southern edge
• Runs parallel to the Indus River from the Shyok River in the west to the Tibet border in the east
• Khardung La Pass is located on it

Zaskar Range:

• Trans-Himalayan or Tibetan Himalayan range located between the Great Himalayas and the Ladakh Range
• Branches off from the Great Himalayas near 80º E longitude runs parallel to the latter
• Nanga Parbat forms its culmination in the northwest
• Coldest place of India, Dras is located here

Pir Panjal:

• Westernmost range of the Lesser Himalayas which separates Jammu from Kashmir
• Extends from the Jhelam River to the upper Beas River for 300-400km.
• Pir Panjal and Banihal passes are located in it
• Jawahar Tunnel passes through the Banihal Pass.

Dhauladhar Range:

• Range of the Lesser Himalayas in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh
• Hill Stations -Dalhousie,Chamba, Kullu, Manali, Botata, Dharmshala, Shimla
• Southern slope is steeper than the northern slope
• The southernmost range of the Lessar Himalayas

Nag Tibba:

• Part of the Lesser Himalaya in the southwestern Uttarakhand
• Nag Tibba (3022m) is its highest peak
• Most easterly of the ranges of the Lesser Himalayas in India
• Hill Station– Mussoorie

Kumaon Range:

• Part of the Lesser Himalayas in the south-eastern part of Uttrakhand

Garo:

• Westernmost part of the Meghalaya Plateau
• Inhabited by the Garo tribes
• Nokrek Biosphere Reserve
• Tura is the main city in the region
• Highest peak- Nokrek

Khasi:

• Middle part of the Meghalaya Plateau
• Highest point of the Meghalaya Plateau
• Cherrapunjee and Mawsynram are located in it
• Shillong is located in the hill
• Inhabited by the matrilineal Khasi tribes

Jayantiya:

• Eastern part of the Meghalaya Plateau
• Inhabited by the Jatantiya tribes
• Jhuming cultivation is practised
• High rainfall region
• Presence of the laterite soils

Barail Range:

• Lies along the border of Assam and Manipur
• Links the Meghalaya Plateau with the Purvanchal Hills
• Covered with bamboo and pine trees
• Degraded due to the Jhuming
• Water divide between the Brahmaputra and the Barak rivers
• The Barak rises in its southern slopes

Koubru Hill Range:

• Koubru Hill also known as Mount Koupalu is one of the highest mountains in Manipur, and the abode of the god Lainingthou Koubru and the goddess Kounu in Manipuri mythology.
  

Mizo Hills:

• Southernmost part of the Purvanchal, also known as the Lusai Hills
• Lies in Mizoram
• Highest peak – Blue Mountain
• Crossed by the Tropic of Cancer

Manipur Hills:

• Part of the Purvanchal in Manipur
• Loktak Lake is located in it
• Manipur River originates here
• Forms boundary between India and Myanmar

Naga Hills:

• Part of the Purvanchal, located between the Patkai Bum and the Manipur Hills in Nagaland
• Highest peak- Saramati (3826m)
• Forms boundary between India and Myanmar

Patkai Bum:

• Northernmost range of the Purvanchal, located in Arunachal Pradesh
• Forms boundary between India and Myanmar
• Source of Burhi Dihing and Disang rivers

Mikir:

• Part of the Meghalaya Plateau located in Assam, just south of the Brahmaputra River
• Mikir tribes live here who practise Jhuming cultivation
• Hills consist of the Archaean rocks

Rengma:

• Part of the Meghalaya Plateau in Assam located to the east of the Mikir Hills
• Full of bamboos and Rengma tribes live here.

Dafla:

• Part of the Siwalik located in Arunachal Pradesh between the Subansiri River and the Kameng River, that to the south of the Kamla River
• Tribes living here practice Jhuming
• Covered with dense bamboo, pine and deodar trees.

Miri:

• Part of the Outer Himalayas (Siwalik) in Arunachal Pradesh located between the Subansiri River and the Kameng River that to the north of the Kamla River which separates it forms the Dafla Hills.
• Inhabited by tribes.
• Terraces are built for the cultivation.

Abor:

• Part of the Siwalik,located in Arunachal Pradesh between the Dibang and the Subansiri river
• Covered with deciduous and evergreen forests
• Inhabited by the tribal peoples
• Highest peak is 3992 m above sea leve

Mishmi:

• Easternmost part of the Siwalik in northeast Arunachal Pradesh from the Dibang River (West) to the Myanmar border in the east
• Dibang River flows through it

Nag Pahar:

• Located between Pushkar Lake and the city of Ajmer.
• Famous for Panchkund and saint Agastaya’s Cave, and it is believed that Kalidas, the 4th century poet and playright composed Abhigyanam Shakuntalam here itself