Class 9 Geography Chapter 1 PHYSICAL FEATURES OF INDIA
Physical Features of India – Overview in Hinglish
📌 India में बहुत diverse landforms पाए जाते हैं:
- ⛰️ Mountains – ऊँचे और rugged
- 🏞️ Plains – fertile aur flat
- 🏜️ Desert – dry aur sandy
- 🪨 Plateau – high, rocky zameen
- 🏝️ Islands – पानी से घिरे छोटे भू-भाग
🔍 Geologically dekha जाए तो:
- Peninsular Plateau – सबसे पुराना हिस्सा (ancient and stable landmass)
- Himalayas & Northern Plains – relatively naye aur abhi bhi active zones hain
📌 Himalayas: high peaks, deep valleys, fast-flowing rivers
📌 Northern Plains: alluvial deposits se बने fertile area
📌 Peninsular Plateau: igneous/metamorphic rocks, gently rising hills
🗺️ Major Physiographic Divisions – एक नज़र में
| Division | Main Features (मुख्य विशेषताएं) |
|---|---|
| ⛰️ Himalayan Mountains | Youngest, highest, 3 parallel ranges – Himadri, Himachal, Shiwalik |
| 🏞️ Northern Plains | Fertile alluvial soil, Ganga-Brahmaputra system, high agriculture |
| 🪨 Peninsular Plateau | Ancient rocks, Central Highlands & Deccan Plateau |
| 🏜️ Indian Desert | Rajasthan ka Thar, sandy soil, low rainfall, Luni river |
| 🏖️ Coastal Plains | Narrow strip along sea, ports, fertile delta (East Coast) |
| 🏝️ Islands | Andaman-Nicobar (volcanic), Lakshadweep (coral) |
📉 Physical Diversity = Cultural & Economic Diversity
📚 Har region ki apni importance hai – security, agriculture, minerals, trade, tourism
⛰️ The Himalayan Mountains
🗺️ Overview – भारत की उत्तरी पर्वतमाला
📌 Himalayas are the youngest & tallest fold mountains in the world.
📌 Ye India ke northern border par west (Indus) se east (Brahmaputra) tak फैले हुए हैं.
- Total length: ~2,400 km
- Width: Kashmir mein 400 km aur Arunachal Pradesh mein 150 km
- Shape: Arc (धनुषाकार)
📍 Himalayas form a natural boundary between India and Central Asia.
📍 Himalayas ki wajah se monsoon winds India mein रुकती हैं, जिससे अच्छी बारिश होती है.
🔬 Geological Facts – भौगोलिक दृष्टि से
- Himalayas are geologically young mountains.
- Ye tectonic plates ke टकराव se बने हैं — Eurasian plate aur Indo-Australian plate.
- Himalayas abhi bhi seismically active zone hain – इसलिए yahaan earthquakes आते रहते हैं.
🏔️ 3 Major Ranges of Himalayas – तीन प्रमुख श्रंखलाएं
Himalayas ko longitudinally 3 major parallel ranges mein divide kiya gaya hai:
1️⃣ Himadri – The Great Himalayas
| 🔍 Features | Description |
|---|---|
| 🏞️ Name | Himadri / Great Himalayas / Inner Himalayas |
| ⛰️ Average Height | ~6,000 metres |
| 🧊 Characteristics | Most continuous, snow-covered peaks, many glaciers |
| 🪨 Composition | Granite rocks |
| ❄️ Glaciers | Gangotri (Uttarakhand), Yamunotri (Uttarakhand), Siachen (Ladakh) |
🗻 Major Peaks:
| ⛰️ Peak Name | Location | Height (metres) |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Everest | Nepal | 8848 |
| Kanchenjunga | India (Sikkim) | 8598 |
| Nanda Devi | India (Uttarakhand) | 7817 |
| Nanga Parbat | India (J&K) | 8126 |
| Kamet | India (Uttarakhand) | 7756 |
2️⃣ Himachal – The Lesser Himalayas
| 🔍 Features | Description |
|---|---|
| 🏞️ Name | Himachal / Lesser Himalayas |
| 🏔️ Height Range | 3,700 – 4,500 metres |
| 🪨 Rocks | Highly compressed and altered rocks |
| 📍 Valleys | Kashmir, Kullu, Kangra |
| 🌄 Hill Stations | Shimla, Mussoorie, Nainital, Ranikhet |
| 📈 Main Ranges | Pir Panjal (longest), Dhauladhar, Mahabharat |
📝 Famous for: Tourism, Apple orchards, Pleasant climate
3️⃣ Shiwalik – The Outer Himalayas
| 🔍 Features | Description |
|---|---|
| 🏞️ Name | Shiwalik / Outer Himalayas |
| ⛰️ Height Range | 900 – 1,100 metres |
| 📏 Width | 10 – 50 km |
| 🧱 Composition | Unconsolidated sediments (rivers se laaye gaye) |
| 🌊 Rivers | Streams from Himalayas deposit gravel and alluvium here |
📍 Duns – Valleys between Himachal & Shiwalik:
- Dehra Dun (Uttarakhand)
- Kotli Dun (HP)
- Patli Dun (UK)
🌍 Regional Divisions of Himalayas – नदी घाटियों के आधार पर
| Region Name | Between Rivers | State/Area Name |
|---|---|---|
| Punjab Himalayas | Indus – Satluj | Kashmir & Himachal Pradesh |
| Kumaon Himalayas | Satluj – Kali | Uttarakhand |
| Nepal Himalayas | Kali – Teesta | Nepal |
| Assam Himalayas | Teesta – Dihang | Arunachal Pradesh, Bhutan region |
🧭 These divisions help understand local cultures, languages & geography.
🌿 Purvanchal Hills (पूर्वी पहाड़ियाँ)
📌 Himalayas ka eastern extension hai Purvachal, jo northeast India mein located hai.
| ⛰️ Purvachal Range | 📍 State | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Patkai Hills | Nagaland/Arunachal | Dense forests, steep slopes |
| Naga Hills | Nagaland | Cultural diversity, strategic location |
| Manipur Hills | Manipur | Fertile valleys |
| Mizo Hills (Lushai) | Mizoram | Known for bamboo, rivers & forests |
📚 Rocks: Mainly sandstone (sedimentary)
🌳 Dense forests aur biodiversity ka ek rich region hai ye.
🧾 Summary – एक नजर में
✅ Himalayas = India ka guard wall
✅ Provide: Glaciers, Rivers, Rain, Natural Border, Forests, Biodiversity, Tourism
| Range | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Himadri | Highest peaks, glaciers, granite |
| Himachal | Valleys, tourism, compressed rocks |
| Shiwalik | Sediments, duns, youngest range |
| Purvanchal | NE hills, forests, rich tribal culture |
✅ Himalayas contribute to:
- 🌧️ Monsoon rains
- 🚰 Water source (rivers)
- 🧊 Snow storage (glaciers)
- 🌲 Forest & wildlife
- 🏔️ Natural border security
- 💼 Economic growth via tourism
🌾 The Northern Plains
📍 Introduction – ज़मीन जो सोना उगाए!
🗺️ The Northern Plains भारत का एक बहुत ही उपजाऊ (fertile) और घनी आबादी वाला हिस्सा है।
Ye plain तीन प्रमुख नदियों – Indus, Ganga aur Brahmaputra ke द्वारा बनाए गए हैं।
📌 Area: 7 लाख वर्ग किलोमीटर
📌 Length: ~2400 km
📌 Width: 240–320 km
📌 Soil Type: Alluvial Soil (brought by rivers)
✅ Rich Soil + Plenty Water + Good Climate = 🌾 Agricultural Goldmine
💧 How Were These Plains Formed?
- Himalayas से आने वाली नदियाँ अपने साथ alluvium (जलोढ़ मिट्टी) लाती हैं।
- लाखों सालों में इन नदियों ने एक विशाल उपजाऊ मैदान बना दिया।
- These are depositional plains – नदियों द्वारा बनाई गई मिट्टी की परतें।
🏞️ Major Rivers Responsible
| 🌊 River | Tributaries | Important Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Indus | Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Satluj | Mostly in Pakistan |
| Ganga | Ghaggar, Teesta, Yamuna, Son | Longest river in India |
| Brahmaputra | Dibang, Lohit, Subansiri | Majuli – 🌍 largest inhabited riverine island |
🗺️ 3 Broad Divisions of Northern Plains
| Region | Main River(s) | States Covered |
|---|---|---|
| 🌾 Punjab Plains | Indus & Tributaries | Punjab (India & Pakistan) |
| 🌾 Ganga Plains | Ganga | Haryana, Delhi, UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal |
| 🌾 Brahmaputra Plains | Brahmaputra | Assam |
🌄 Relief Features of the Northern Plains
🧭 Northern Plains = Flat नहीं, बल्कि varied relief features हैं।
Let’s divide it into 4 zones:
1️⃣ Bhabar – जल गायब होने वाली ज़मीन
- 📍 Located just south of Shiwalik Hills
- Width: ~8 to 16 km
- Rivers yahan pebbles जमा करती हैं and disappear underground.
- Example: Tehri region
2️⃣ Terai – दलदली जंगल वाला इलाका
- Bhabar ke ठीक south mein
- Rivers reemerge here making it swampy (दलदली).
- Dense forests once existed – now cleared for agriculture & refugees
- 📌 Example: Dudhwa National Park (U.P.)
3️⃣ Bhangar – पुराना जलोढ़ मैदान
- Higher, terrace-like region made of old alluvium
- Soil is less fertile
- Contains calcareous nodules called Kankar
- Useful for construction, but not best for farming
4️⃣ Khadar – नया और उपजाऊ मैदान
- Made of new alluvium, deposited by rivers every year
- 🌱 Highly fertile – suitable for intensive agriculture
- Best region for crops like – wheat, rice, sugarcane
📌 River Feature – Distributaries
🌀 जब नदी plains में पहुंचती है, उसकी speed घट जाती है।
➡️ यह कई distributaries में टूट जाती है (छोटी धाराएँ)
📍 Example: Ganga splits into Hooghly and Padma
🏝️ Special Feature: Riverine Island
🪵 जब नदी अपने silt deposit करती है, तो river islands बनते हैं।
📌 Majuli Island – 🌍 World’s largest inhabited riverine island
📍 Location: Brahmaputra River, Assam
🔄 Vocabulary Table (English ↔ Hindi)
| English Term | Hindi Meaning |
|---|---|
| Alluvial Soil | जलोढ़ मिट्टी |
| Bhabar | कंकड़ और बजरी वाला क्षेत्र |
| Terai | दलदली क्षेत्र |
| Bhangar | पुरानी मिट्टी का मैदान |
| Khadar | नई और उपजाऊ मिट्टी |
| Distributary | सहायक नदी की शाखा |
🧾 Summary – Northern Plains एक नजर में
✅ Most fertile part of India – Agriculture ke liye ideal
✅ Ganga, Indus, Brahmaputra systems ne milकर banaya
✅ Four Regions: Bhabar, Terai, Bhangar, Khadar
✅ High population density due to flat land + water + soil
✅ Plays crucial role in India’s food security
🧱 The Peninsular Plateau – Bharat ka प्राचीन पठारी क्षेत्र
🌍 Introduction – सबसे पुराना ज़मीन का टुकड़ा!
📌 Peninsular Plateau Bharat ka सबसे पुराना geological हिस्सा है
Ye Gondwana Land ke टूटने से बना था – यानी ये Earth की oldest landmass ka part है.
🪨 यह plateau बना है igneous, metamorphic aur crystalline rocks se – jo बहुत hard होते हैं.
Yahaan की hills rounded होती हैं aur valleys shallow होती हैं.
🧭 Two Main Divisions – दो प्रमुख भाग:
| Division | Description |
|---|---|
| 🟤 Central Highlands | Narmada ke north mein, mostly Malwa plateau area |
| 🔺 Deccan Plateau | Narmada ke south mein triangular landmass |
🌄 1. Central Highlands – मध्य पठार
📌 Narmada नदी के north में स्थित
📍 Major part: Malwa Plateau
🏞️ Bounded by:
- North-West: Aravali Hills
- South: Satpura Range
- East Extension: Bundelkhand & Baghelkhand
- Far East Extension: Chotanagpur Plateau – drained by Damodar River
🚰 Rivers draining area: Chambal, Betwa, Sindh, Ken
Direction: Southwest ➡️ Northeast (indicates slope)
🔺 2. Deccan Plateau – दक्कन का पठार
📍 Location: South of Narmada River
📐 Shape: Triangular
🧭 Boundaries:
- North: Satpura Range
- East: Mahadev, Kaimur & Maikal Hills
- Northeast Extension: Meghalaya, Karbi-Anglong & North Cachar Hills
📌 Deccan Plateau ka slope west se east ki ओर है
⛰️ 3. Important Hill Ranges of NE India
| Hill Range | Remark |
|---|---|
| 🌄 Garo Hills | Meghalaya region |
| 🌄 Khasi Hills | Shillong city yahaan hai |
| 🌄 Jaintia Hills | East of Khasi hills |
👉 Yeh sab fault ke कारण Chotanagpur se अलग हुए हैं
🏔️ 4. Western & Eastern Ghats – पठार की सीमाएँ
| Feature | Western Ghats | Eastern Ghats |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Western edge | Eastern edge |
| Elevation | 900–1600 m | ~600 m |
| Structure | Continuous | Discontinuous, Broken |
| Rainfall | Orographic Rainfall | Less Rain |
| Highest Peak | Anai Mudi (2695 m) | Mahendragiri (1501 m) |
| Rivers | Steep waterfalls | Drained into Bay of Bengal |
| Famous Hill Towns | Ooty, Kodaikanal | Shevroy, Javadi Hills |
📍 Western Ghats = Thal Ghat, Bhor Ghat, Pal Ghat (passes)
🌋 5. Special Feature: Deccan Trap – काली मिट्टी का राज
🪨 This area has black soil – called Regur Soil
🌋 Volcanic origin – yani yeh lava se bani hui soil hai
📌 Excellent for cotton cultivation
🏞️ 6. Aravalli Hills – भूगोल का प्राचीन योद्धा
- Location: Southwest (Gujarat) to Northeast (Delhi)
- One of the oldest fold mountains
- Highly eroded and broken hills
- Boundary of Peninsular Plateau’s NW side
🧾 Quick Summary – One Glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Oldest Landmass | Peninsular Plateau (Gondwana part) |
| Composition | Igneous + Metamorphic Rocks |
| 2 Divisions | Central Highlands & Deccan Plateau |
| Special Feature | Deccan Trap – Black Soil |
| Highest Peaks | Anai Mudi (W. Ghats), Mahendragiri (E. Ghats) |
| Distinct Boundaries | Western & Eastern Ghats |
🏜️ The Indian Desert – रेत, धूप और धैर्य
📌 Location: Western edge of Aravalli Hills
📍 States: Mainly Rajasthan (especially Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bikaner)
🌦️ Climate & Rainfall – सूखा और गर्म
- Arid Climate – बहुत कम बारिश (only <150 mm per year)
- 🌡️ Extreme temperature – दिन में बहुत गर्म, रात में ठंड
- Vegetation – बहुत कम (scattered bushes & thorny plants)
🌊 Water & Rivers – पानी की किल्लत
- ❌ Most rivers are seasonal – बारिश में आते हैं और फिर रेत में गायब हो जाते हैं
- ✅ Luni River – एकमात्र permanent river of this desert
🏖️ Landforms – रेत के टीलों की दुनिया
| Dune Type | Description |
|---|---|
| 🌙 Barchans | Crescent (आधी चाँद) shape ke dunes – Rajasthan में common |
| ➖ Longitudinal Dunes | Straight aur लंबे dunes – Indo-Pak border के पास ज्यादा |
📌 अगर आप Jaisalmer जाते हो, तो आपको Barchans की लाइनें ज़रूर दिखेंगी!
📌 Quick Recap – The Indian Desert in 5 Points
- 🏜️ Located west of Aravalli hills
- 🌧️ Receives very low rainfall (<150 mm annually)
- ❄️ Hot days, cold nights = Extreme climate
- 🌊 Luni is the only permanent river
- 🌙 Famous for sand dunes – especially Barchans
📍 The Coastal Plains of India – समुद्र के किनारे की पट्टियाँ 🌊
🏖️ भारत की Coastal Plains – East aur West का फर्क
📌 Location: Peninsular Plateau के दोनों ओर –
➡️ West – Arabian Sea के साथ
➡️ East – Bay of Bengal के साथ
🧭 Western Coastal Plains – अरबी सागर के किनारे
📌 Narrow & Sandwiched between Arabian Sea and Western Ghats
Divided into 3 Parts:
| Region | Location (Cities/States) |
|---|---|
| 🏝️ Konkan Coast | Mumbai to Goa (North) |
| 🏝️ Kannad Coast | Karnataka (Central part) |
| 🏝️ Malabar Coast | Kerala (South) |
✅ Features:
- Short rivers (due to steep slope)
- Natural harbours 🌊
- Backwaters in Kerala are common
🧭 Eastern Coastal Plains – बंगाल की खाड़ी के किनारे
📌 Wider & Flatter plains – fertile and river-formed
Divided into 2 Parts:
| Region | Location |
|---|---|
| 🌾 Northern Circar | Odisha & North Andhra |
| 🌾 Coromandel Coast | Tamil Nadu & South Andhra |
✅ Features:
- Big rivers form deltas here like:
- 🌊 Mahanadi
- 🌊 Godavari
- 🌊 Krishna
- 🌊 Kaveri
🧂 Chilika Lake (Odisha):
India की सबसे बड़ी खारे पानी की झील (saltwater lake)
📍 Located: South of Mahanadi Delta
📌 Quick Comparison – East vs West Coastal Plains
| Feature | Western Coast 🏝️ | Eastern Coast 🌾 |
|---|---|---|
| Width | Narrow | Wide |
| Rivers | Small, fast | Large, delta-forming |
| Backwaters | Present (Kerala) | Absent |
| Harbours | Natural (Mumbai, Kochi) | Few |
| Major Lakes | — | Chilika Lake (Odisha) |