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Yours IAS > Blog > The Northern and North-Eastern Mountains

The Northern and North-Eastern Mountains

  • March 23, 2025
  • Posted by: Beauty Kumari
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Introduction
A young mountain range, the Himalayas were created when the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates collided. The concept of Plate Tectonics supports this formation process. Stretching more than 2,500 kilometers from the eastern border of Pakistan to the border of Myanmar, the Himalayas are a vast and imposing mountain range. In the west, the range is about 500 kilometers wide, while in the east, it narrows to around 320 kilometers. The states and regions where the Himalayas are primarily located include Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, and Arunachal Pradesh. The Himalayan range extends further into Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram along the Indo-Myanmar border.

The range runs predominantly in an east-west direction, but at both its eastern and western ends, it takes a sharp southward turn. This sudden change in direction, known as syntaxial bending, occurs where the range curves sharply. In the west, near Nanga Parbat, the Indus River creates a deep valley, contributing to the sharp bend. Similarly, in the east, after crossing the Brahmaputra River, the Himalayas take a sharp turn southward in Arunachal Pradesh.

Evolution of the Himalayan System

There are several theories about the formation of the Himalayas. Researchers like D.N. Wadia, S. Burrad, Auden, Ulagner, and O.H.K. Spate have proposed various hypotheses to explain their origins. However, there is widespread agreement that the Himalayas formed from the Tethys Sea, a vast geosyncline, and that the uplift of the mountains occurred in distinct phases. Disagreements mainly exist regarding the timing and intensity of this uplift.

Two Main Theories of its Origin:

  1. Geosynclinal Theory
     The geosynclinal theory suggests that the Tethys Sea was formed around 200 million years ago due to the breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea. The landmasses of Angara (to the north) and Gondwanaland (to the south) separated, and the Tethys Sea formed between them. Over time, material eroded from these two landmasses accumulated in the Tethys Sea, eventually becoming thick enough to contribute to the uplift that formed the Himalayas.

The Greater Himalayas and Shiwaliks mountain ranges were formed during different phases of mountain building, with the former occurring around 65 million years ago and the latter around 1.4 million years ago.This phase led to the formation of the lower Himalayas, which took shape approximately 45 million years ago.

Plate Tectonics Theory

The Plate Tectonics Theory offers the most comprehensive explanation for the formation of the Himalayas. The theory suggests that the Himalayas were formed due to the collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates. As these two continental plates collided, they pushed up the earth’s crust, giving rise to the towering mountain range of the Himalayas.

The Plate Tectonics Theory states that around 70 million years ago, the Eurasian plate moved towards the Indian plate, causing it to subduct beneath it. This resulted in the compression of Tethys Sea marine sediments, folding the Himalayas’ sedimentary ranges, and uplifting the mountains. Today, the Himalayas continue to rise, with the Indian plate moving northward at a rate of 5 centimeters per year. These youngest fold mountains extend beyond the Indian subcontinent. The are following features:

  1. Youthfulness – The range is relatively young in geological terms.
  2. Significant folding and deformation, indicating that they have not yet undergone much wear and erosion.
  3. Tectonic origin
  4. The great erosive power of rivers, which shows in the ongoing degradation and erosion of the landscape.

The Himalayas exhibit significant regional variations, categorized into sub-regions based on mountain relief, alignment, and other geomorphological features.

Kashmir or North-Western Himalayas

  1. It is Known for large snow and glaciers.
  2. The average elevation is about 3,000 meters.
  3. Features the Pir Panjal ranges, flowing through major rivers like Jhelum, Chenab, and Kishanganga.
  4. Home to notable freshwater and saltwater lakes like Dal Lake and Wular Lake.
  5. Drained by the Indus River and its tributaries.
  6. Popular destination for adventure tourism due to stunning landscapes.
  7. Srinagar, capital of Jammu and Kashmir, is situated along the Jhelum River.
  8. Dal Lake in Srinagar is a famous natural feature.1

The Himachal and Uttarakhand Himalayas

  1. Himachal Pradesh’s Himalayan Ranges and Spiti Subdivision
  1. Himachal Pradesh comprises three main mountain ranges: the Greater Himalayan Range, the Lesser Himalayan Range, and the Shiwaliks.
  2. The northern slopes of these mountains have vast, dense forests.
  3. Important mountain passes connecting Tibet to Himachal Pradesh include Rohtang, Bara Lacha, Shipkila.
  4. The valleys of Kangra, Kullu, Lahaul, and Spiti are known for their beautiful landscapes and orchards.
  5. The Kumaun Himalayas stretch over 300 miles between the Sutlej and Kali rivers.
  6. Notable peaks include Nanda Devi, Trishul, Kamet, Kedarnath, and Badrinath.
  7. The Spiti subdivision of the Himachal Himalayas includes the Lesser Himalayas, the Shiwalik range, and the Great Himalayan range.
  8. The region hosts nomadic Bhatia communities who migrate with the seasons.
  9. The region hosts important pilgrimage sites like Hemkund Sahib, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri.

The Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas

  1. It is Known for fast-flowing rivers and towering peaks.
  2. Home to deep valleys and high altitudes, inhabited by Lepcha tribes.
  3. Ideal for tea plantations due to gentle slopes, deep, fertile soil, and consistent rainfall.
  4. Features duar formations, not typical Shiwalik formations.

The Arunachal Himalayas

  1. Notable peaks include Kangtu and Namcha Barwa.
  2. Fast-flowing rivers cut through mountains, with Brahmaputra River being a potential hydroelectric power generator.
  3. Ethnically diverse tribal communities, including Nagas, Mishmi, Nyishi, Abor, and Monpa.
  4. Most tribes practice shifting cultivation.
  5. Rugged terrain limits inter-valley connections, with most interactions in the duar region near Arunachal Pradesh-Assam boundary.

The Eastern Hills and Mountains

  1. Located from Mizoram to Arunachal Pradesh.
  2. Comprises Pataki Bum, Naga Hills, and Mizo Hills.
  3. Forms the watershed between India and Myanmar.
  4. Turns south at Arunachal Pradesh’s southern border, forming Purvanchal.
  5. Joined to the Meghalaya Plateau in the west.
  6. Home to many indigenous communities engaged in jhum agriculture.
  7. Divided by several small rivers, including Barak River in Mizoram and Manipur.
  8. Manipur features Loktak Lake, a unique freshwater lake.
  9. Mizoram, known as the “Molasses basin”, has soft, pliable soils.

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