Class:IX

Geography
Physical Features of India- Part III
Saudamini Dei

1 THE PENINSULAR PLATEAU

ˆ It is a tableland composed of old crystalline, igneous and metamorphic socks.

ˆ It is created as a consequence of breaking and drifting of Gondwanaland.

ˆ It is the oldest landmass of India with broad, shallow and rounded valleys.

ˆ The Plateau consists of two broad divisions namely-

a) Central Highlands
b) Deccan Plateau

1.1 THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS

ˆ Located to the north of Narmada river and south of Vindhyan range.

ˆ Covers a major part of Malwa Plateau.

ˆ Rivers flowing through this region are-the Chambal. the Sind, the Betwa and the Ken from south-west
to north-east.
ˆ Wider in the west and narrower in the east.

ˆ Eastward extensions-the Bundelkhand, the Bhagelkhand and Chotanagpur Plateau.

1.2 THE DECCAN PLATEAU

ˆ Located to the south of Narmada river.

ˆ A land that is triangular in shape.

ˆ Bounded by Satpura range in the north and the Mahadev hills, the Kaimur hills and the Maikal range
in the east.
ˆ Higher altitude in the west and slopes gently eastwards.

ˆ Segregated from the Chotanagpur Plateau by a fault .

ˆ Three famous mountain ranges from west to east are the Garo, the Khasi and the Jaintia hills.

ˆ Constitute the western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats along the western and eastern boundaries respec-
tively.

1
2 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE WESTERN GHATS AND
THE EASTERN GHATS
The Western Ghats
1. They mark the western boundary of
peninsular Plateau stretching from Gu-
jarat to Kerala
2. It is a regular stretch of high lands.
3. Western Ghats are higher in altitude
than the Eastern Ghats ranging between
900-1600mts.
4. They receive more rainfall due to oro-
graphic rainfall.
5. They are the source of many large
rivers which flow in Peninsulas India.
The Eastern Ghats
1. They mark the eastern boundary
of the Peninsular Plateau-stretching from
Odisha to Kerala.
2. They are dissected and irregular be-
cause of the major rivers flowing through
them.
3. The height of the Eastern Ghats
are comparatively less than the Western
Ghats ranging between 600-900mts.
4. They receive comparatively less rain-
fall because the monsoon winds are un-
able to carry moisture towards the East-
ern Ghats.
5. No major rivers originate from the
Eastern Ghats.