India: Geological Structure

Sheelu
Assistant Professor
Department of Geography
Kanoria College Mahila Mahavidhalya,Jaipur
The history of Earth’s geological structure can be divided into five eras- Azoic
(Non-living era), Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic and Neozoic era. The Azoic era is
the era of the origin of the continental shelf. At that time the origin of the
continental shelf (Pangaea) was formed by the silica rich granite rocks of less
density. The divided geological era can be easily understood through the given
chart.
• Pangaea was formed in the Azoic era. There is no evidence of the origin of organisms in
this era.
• The Silurian period is known as the period of vertebrates. Molluscs, corals and sharks
originated in this period. The breaking up of Pangaea began in the Carboniferous
period.
• It was divided into two parts because of the forces of gravity and buoyancy. The
northern part was called Laurasia and the southern part, Gondwanaland. The middle
part between these two changed into the Tethys Sea.
• In the Jurassic period, Gondwanaland was broken up into the peninsular India,
Madagascar, and Australia, Antarctica etc.
• The knowledge of the form and nature of rocks found in different parts of a country can
be had by studying the geological structure of that country. Sedimentary rocks are
found in the land formed by deposition of sediments from which fertile soil is made
e.g., the Gangetic plain. Inversely, the soil made of old crystalline rocks is infertile;
however, these rocks are important because of the presence of metallic minerals (iron,
gold, manganese etc). There is the possibility of petroleum deposits in these areas
because of the continuous deposition of the animal remains between the deposited
sedimentary rocks in the oceans, e.g., the Gulf of Khambhat, the Bombay High etc.
• Both the oldest and the latest rocks are found in the geological structure of India. The oldest
rocks of the Archaean period are found in the peninsular India which is a part of the oldest
landmass Pangaea on one hand, while there is an abundance of the latest sedimentary rocks of
the Quaternary epoch in its plains on the other.
• The geology of India is very diverse because an Indian rock belongs to different
geologic periods, dating as far back as the Eoarchean Era. Some of the rocks are very
deformed and altered. Other deposits include recently deposited alluvium that has yet
to undergo digenesis. Mineral deposits of great variety are found in the Indian
subcontinent in huge quantity. Even India's fossil record is impressive in which
stromatolites, invertebrates, vertebrates and plant fossils are included. India's
geographical land area can be classified into Archaean System; Dharwar System,
Cuddapah System; Vindhyan System; Gondwana System, Deccan Trap; Tertiary
System; Quarternary System.
 Classification of the Indian Rocks
1.Rocks of the Archaean System

• These rocks have been termed as a result of the hot-molten earth becoming
cold. These are the oldest and primary rocks.
• Their original form has been destroyed because of too much metamorphosis.
• There are no fossils found in them.
• Gneiss is formed because of the metamorphosis of the igneous rocks. The Bundelkhand
gneiss is the oldest one.
• The rocks of the Archaean system are found mainly in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra
Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Chotanagpur plateau in Jharkhand and the
southern-eastern part of Rajasthan.
2.Rocks of Dharwar System

• These rocks have been formed as a result of the erosion and sedimentation of
the rocks of the Archaean system.
• These are the oldest sedimentary rocks.
• No fossil is found here. It is so because either there was no origin of species
during their formation or the forms of the fossils got destroyed with the passage
of time.
• The Aravali mountain range which is the oldest fold mountain of the world has
been made with these rocks.
• The rocks of this system are found in the districts of Dharwar and Shimoga in
Karnataka.
• The rocks of this system are found in the southern Deccan region from
Karnataka to the Kaveri valley, districts of Bellary, Shimoga, Sasar mountain
range in Jabalpur and Nagpur and the Champaner mountain range in Gujarat.
• In north India the rocks of this system are found in the Himalayan ranges of
Ladakh, Zaskar, Garhwal and Kumaon, and the long range of Assam plateau.
• The rocks of this system are economically very important.  All prominent metallic
minerals (iron, gold, manganese etc) are found in these rocks.
3.Rocks of Cuddapah System

• These rocks have been formed as a result of erosion and sedimentation of

the rocks of Dharwar system. These are also sedimentary rocks.
• The rocks have been named after the district of Cuddapah in Andhra
Pradesh where these are semi-circular in expansion.
• These are famous for sandstone, limestone, and marble, asbestos.
• The Cuddapah rocks are also found in Rajasthan.
4.Rocks of the Vindhyan System

• These have been formed after the Cuddapah rocks by the deposition of silt of
river valleys and shallow oceans. Thus, these rocks are also sedimentary rocks.
• The evidences of fossils of micro-organisms are found in this structure.
• These rocks are found in the Vindhayas, e.g. the Malwa plateau, the Semari range
in the Son valley, Bundelkhand etc.
• This structure is famous for house-building rocks. The Sanchi Stupa, the Red Fort,
the Jama Masjid etc are built with the red sandstone of this structure. Besides,
limestone, china clay, dolomite etc are also found in this structure.
• The diamond mines of Golconda in Karnataka and Panna in Madhya Pradesh are
found in this structure.
5.Rocks of Gondwana System

• The word Gondwana has originated from the Gond region of Madhya
Pradesh.
• 98% of coal in India is found in this structure.
• These rocks have been formed between the Carboniferous and Jurassic
periods.
• Several cracks were formed in the peninsular India during the
Carboniferous period. Basin-like depressions were made because of the
sinking of land among these cracks. Coal was formed by the burying down
of the vegetation of that period. This coal is now found mainly in the river
valleys of the Damodar, the Son, the Mahanadi, the Godavari, and the
Wardha etc.
6.The Deccan Trap

• The volcanic action in the peninsular India began in the last period (Cretaceous
period) of the Mesozoic era. Thus, the Deccan trap has been formed as a result of
fissure eruption.
• This structure is made up of basalt and dolorite rocks.
• These rocks are very hard and their weathering has resulted in the formation of
the black soil.
• This structure is found in the most parts of Maharashtra and some parts of
Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
7.Rocks of the Tertiary System

• These rocks have been formed between the Eocene and Pliocene periods.
• The Himalayan mountain range has developed as discussed below:
• I. The Great Himalayas were formed during the Oligocene period.
• II. The Lesser Himalayas were formed during the Miocene period.
• III. Shiwaliks were formed during the Pliocene and Upper Pliocene periods.
• Mineral oil in Assam, Rajasthan and Gujarat is found in the structures of
the Eocene and Oligocene period.
• The Tertiary epoch has been divided chronologically into four parts-   (a)
Eocene  (b) Oligocene  (c) Miocene  (d) Pliocene
8.Rocks of the Quarternary System
• These rocks are found in the plains of the Indus and the Ganga.
• The Quarternary epoch is divided chronologically into two parts- Pleistocene and
Holocene periods.
• During the Upper and Middle Pleistocene periods, old alluvial soil was formed
which is known as 'bangar'.
• The formation of the alluvial soil began at the end of the Pleistocene period and
it is still going on in the present Holocene period. It is known as 'khadar'.
• The Kashmir valley was formed during the Pleistocene period.
• This valley was a lake in the beginning. The continuous deposition of soil gave rise
to the present form (valley) which is known as 'kareva'.
• Deposition of the Pleistocene period is found in the Thar Desert. The 'Rann of
Kachchh' was previously a part of the ocean. It was filled by the sedimentary
deposits during the Pleistocene and Holocene period.
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