Physiography and Relief Features of Peninsular India

Covering an area of about 16 lakh sq km, the peninsular upland forms the largest physiographic division of India. With a general elevation between 600—900 metres, the region constitutes an irregular triangle with its base lying between the Delhi Ridge and the Rajmahal Hills and the apex formed by Kanyakumari. It is bounded by the Aravallis in the north west, Maikal Range in the north, Hazaribagh and Rajmahal Hills in the northeast, the Western Ghats (Sahayadri Mountains.) in the west and the Eastern Ghats in the east (Fig. 2.1). The highest peak of Peninsular India-Anai-Mudi (Nilgiris), is 2695 metres above sea level. According to Prof. S. P Chatterji (1964), the Peninsular Uplands can be divided into the following eight macro-physiographic units (Table 2.1 ).

Table 2.1 The Physiographic Regions of Peninsular India

Meso-Regions

1. The North Central Highlands

2. The South Central Highlands

3. The Eastern Plateau

4. The Meghalaya-Mikir Uplands

5. The North Deccan

6. The South Deccan

7. The Western Ghats or Sahayadri

8. The Eastern Ghats

Source: S.P. Chatterji, 1964, National Atlas Organisation, Kolkata.