Question

Describe any three distinct features of the Peninsular Plateau of India.

Answer 1

Hint: The physical features of India can be grouped under six physiographic divisions which are the Himalayan Mountains, the Northern Plains, the Peninsular Plateau, the Indian Desert, the Coastal Plains, and the Islands.

Complete step-by-step solution:
The three features of the Peninsular Plateau are:
The first feature of the Peninsular plateau is that it is a tableland composed of the igneous and metamorphic, old crystalline rocks. It is a part of the oldest landmass and was formed due to the breaking and drifting of the Gondwana land. The plateau has shallow and broad valleys and rounded hills.
The second feature is that this plateau consists of two broad divisions, namely, the Deccan Plateau and the Central Highlands. The Central Highlands is known as the part of the Peninsular plateau lying to the north of the Narmada River covering a major area of the Malwa plateau. The Vindhya range is bounded by the Aravalis on the northwest and the Central Highlands on the south. The third feature is the black soil area known as Deccan Plateau which is of volcanic origin i.e. the rocks are igneous. These rocks have denuded over time and hence are responsible for the formation of black soil.
The Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats from the western and the eastern edges of the Deccan Plateau respectively. The Western Ghats lie parallel to the western coast. They can be crossed through passes only since they are continuous. Their average elevation is 900-1600 meters. Anai Mudi is the highest peak of these Ghats.
The Eastern Ghats stretch from the Mahanadi valley to the Nilgiris in the South. They are dissected by rivers draining into the Bay of Bengal and are discontinuous. These Ghats are lower than the Western Ghats; their average elevation is 600 meters. The highest peak of these Ghats is Mahendragiri.

Note: The Peninsular Plateau of India is roughly triangular in shape with its base parallel to the Ganga Valley and it points towards the Southern tips of the country.