Overview of India’s Geography
The Republic of India, the largest country in the Indian subcontinent, is located in South Asia. Entirely situated in the Northern Hemisphere, India’s geography spans 3,214 kilometers from north to south and 2,933 kilometers from east to west. It ranks as the seventh largest country by area and the most populous globally. India’s borders are a mix of natural and man-made features, shaping its unique geographical identity.
- Northern Borders: Meet Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, and Nepal at the Indira Mountain in the northwest.
- Northeastern Corner (Trishul): Converges with China and Myanmar.
- Western and Eastern Borders: Artificial boundaries with Pakistan and Bangladesh; natural borders with Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar.
- McMahon Line: Defines the international border between India and China.
- Maritime Boundaries: Adjoin the Maldives in the southwest, Sri Lanka in the south, and Thailand and Indonesia in the southeast via the Indian Ocean.
- Southernmost Point: Indira Point in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Island Territories: Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea.
Nomenclature of Bharat
India, a cradle of ancient human civilization, is known as Bharat in Hindi and India in English. This ancient nation, the largest in the Indian subcontinent, has a rich etymological history.
- Puranic Reference: The Puranas state, “That which lies north of the ocean and south of the Himalayas is called Bharat, and its people are known as Bharati.”
- Historical Origins:
- Named after Bharata, son of King Dushyanta, per the Vayu Purana.
- Likely derived from the Bharata tribe in the Rigveda, with the Sindhu River in the northwest.
- Jain tradition attributes the name to Bharata, eldest son of Tirthankara Rishabhdeva.
- Foreign Influence:
- Greeks named the Sindhu River “Indus” and the land “India.”
- Persians called the river “Hindu” and the country “Hindustan,” meaning “land of the Hindus.”
- Other Names: Bharatvarsha, Ajanabhavarsha, Aryavarta, and Jambudvipa.
The Shrimad Bhagavat Purana describes Bharat’s establishment. Indian philosophy credits Swayambhu Manu, Brahma’s mind-born son, with governance. The Matsya Purana names the land Bharat after Manu, who sustained its people. The Atharvaveda’s Prithvisukta calls it the motherland of Manu’s descendants.
Manu’s sons, Priyavrata and Uttanapada (father of Dhruva), played key roles. Priyavrata divided the earth into seven continents for his seven sons, with Agnidhra receiving Jambudvipa. Agnidhra’s son Nabhi named Himvarsha “Ajanabhavarsha.” Nabhi’s son Rishabha passed the kingdom to his eldest son, Bharata, naming the region Bharatvarsha.
Ancient texts divide Bharatakhanda into five parts:
- Madhyadesha: Between the Sindhu and Ganga rivers, extending to Prayag, Kashi, or Rajmahal.
- Brahmarshi Desha: Western part of Madhyadesha.
- Aryavarta: Encompasses the region between the eastern and western seas, Himalayas, and Vindhyas.
- Other Regions: Uttarapatha (north), Aparanta (west), Dakshinapatha (south), Prachyadesha (east), and Tamilakam (far south).
Geological Structure of India
Geologically, India’s geography rests on the Indian Plate, a subdivision of the Indo-Australian Plate. Once part of Gondwanaland, it was connected to Africa and Antarctica. About 90 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period, it moved northward at 10-15 centimeters per year, colliding with the Eurasian Plate in the Eocene period. This formed the Tibetan Plateau and Himalayas. The Indo-Gangetic Plain emerged from sediment deposition. The Indian Plate still moves northward at 4-5 centimeters annually, raising the Himalayas by 2 millimeters yearly.
Geographical Features of India
India’s vast terrain is remarkably diverse, encompassing nearly all landforms. The geography of India includes:
- Himalayas: Lofty northern ranges.
- Indian Ocean: Vast southern expanse.
- Deccan Plateau: Rugged and uneven.
- Indo-Gangetic-Brahmaputra Plain: Vast and flat.
The Thar Desert features unique desert landforms, while coastal regions add variety. Major rivers like the Indus, Narmada, Brahmaputra, Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Kaveri, Krishna, Chambal, Sutlej, and Beas flow through the peninsula. The Tropic of Cancer bisects India, hosting diverse climates, soils, vegetation, and resources.
Five Natural Divisions
- Himalayan Mountain Region
- Great Northern Plain
- Peninsular Plateau
- Coastal Plains
- Island Territories
Himalayan Mountain Region
The Himalayas, or Himalayan Mountain Region, are young fold mountains stretching in an arc from Kashmir to Arunachal. They consist of four parallel ranges:
- Trans/Tibetan Himalayas: Northernmost, vegetation-free, discovered in 1906.
- Greater/Inner Himalayas: World’s highest range, with peaks like Mount Everest (8,848 meters) and Kanchenjunga (8,586 meters).
- Lesser/Middle Himalayas: South of the Greater Himalayas, with fertile valleys like Kashmir and Kathmandu.
- Outer/Shivalik Range: Extends from Pakistan’s Potwar Plateau to the Kosi River.
Famous hill stations like Shimla, Mussoorie, and Nainital lie in the Middle Himalayas. Valleys between the Lesser and Outer Himalayas, called duns (west) and dwars (east), include Dehradun and Haridwar. Key passes like Khyber, Bolan, Banihal, and Zoji La facilitate crossings.
Great Northern Plain
This vast, flat plain, formed by alluvial deposits from the Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra, and their tributaries, spans northern India. Known as the Indo-Gangetic-Brahmaputra Plain, it covers Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, and Assam. The plain is hill-free, gradually rising westward.
- Bhabar: Gravelly strip at the Himalayan foothills where rivers disappear.
- Terai: South of bhabar, with re-emerging rivers, swamps, and forests.
- Alluvial Plain: Comprises old alluvium (bangar, less fertile) and new alluvium (khadar, highly fertile).
- Southern Hills: Small hills like those in Gaya and Rajgir.
Peninsular Plateau
South of the northern plain, this ancient plateau, made of hard metamorphic rocks, is separated by mountain ranges (460-1,220 meters). Rivers like the Narmada, Tapi, Mahanadi, and Godavari divide it into smaller plateaus.
- Malwa Plateau: Between Vindhya and Aravali ranges, formed by lava.
- Chota Nagpur Plateau: Northeastern, with Rajmahal Hills.
- Shillong Plateau: Part of the plateau, separated by the Ganga Plain.
- Ghats: Western Ghats (higher) and Eastern Ghats (lower, cut by rivers). They converge at the Nilgiri Hills, with passes like Palghat, Thalghat, and Bhorghat.
Coastal Plains
Flanking the Peninsular Plateau, these plains lie between the Ghats and the sea:
- Western Coastal Plain: Narrow, from Kutch to Kanyakumari, with Konkan (north) and Malabar (south) coasts.
- Eastern Coastal Plain: Wider, from West Bengal to Kanyakumari, with deltas from rivers like Mahanadi and Kaveri. Features lakes like Chilika and Pulicat.
Island Territories
- Lakshadweep: Coral atolls in the Arabian Sea.
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Submerged Arakan Yoma mountains in the Bay of Bengal, with Barren Island’s active volcano.
Impact of India’s Geography on History
India’s geography has shaped its history profoundly. Natural boundaries like the Himalayas, Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal, and Arabian Sea have acted as a fortress, preserving India’s culture. India’s geography has fostered diversity in physical features, climates, vegetation, wildlife, customs, and cultures, influencing occupations.
India hosts hundreds of languages, with 22 recognized by the Constitution, including Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, and others. Diverse religions—Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, and Jainism—coexist, with internal variations. These differences delayed national unity, and India still faces social challenges related to culture, language, and religion.
India’s geographical isolation prevented complete political unity, except under rulers like the Cholas, who ventured beyond the peninsula. Culturally, India has remained a unified entity, with shared rituals, music, dance, and spiritual traditions. The Himalayas, Ganga, Yamuna, and deities like Rama and Krishna are revered nationwide.
Indian culture, one of the world’s oldest, developed a sophisticated urban civilization in the Indus Valley 5,000 years ago. Buddhist-era mahajanapadas and South Indian cities were cultural and trade hubs. Indians established colonies abroad, spreading their culture. Unlike other cultures, Indian culture has endured, blending scientific and spiritual elements.
Its liberalism absorbed foreign groups like Aryans and Huns, enriching its diversity. However, social issues like caste hierarchy and superstitions have obscured its essence.
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