The Peninsular Plateau - Concepts - Chapter 2 Class 9 Geography - Physical Features of India - Geography

• The peninsular plateau is a tableland composed of old crystalline, igneous and metamorphic rocks. It was formed due to breaking and drifting of the Gondwana land, thus, making it a part of the oldest landmass.
• This plateau consists of 2 broad divisions, namely, Central Highlands and Deccan Plateau.

Central Highlands :

• Part of peninsular plateau lying to the north of Narmada river, covering a major area of the Malwa plateau, is known as Central Highlands.
• The Vindhyan range is bounded by Satpura range on the south and Aravalis on the northwest.
• The central highlands are wider in the west but narrower in the east. The eastward extensions of this plateau are locally known as Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand.
• The chotanagpur plateau marks the further eastward extension, drained by Damodar river.

Deccan Plateau :

• The Deccan Plateau is a triangular landmass that lies to south of river Narmada. Satpura range flanks its broad base in the north, while Mahadev, Kaimur Hills and Maikal range from its eastern extensions.
• An extension of the plateau is also visible in the northeast, locally known as Meghalaya, Karbi Anglong Plateau and North Cachar Hills. 
• 3 prominent hill ranges from west to the east are Garo, Khasi and Jaintia Hills.

The Ghats:

• The Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats mark the western and eastern edges of deccan plateau. Western Ghats lie parallel to the western coast. They are continuous and can be crossed through passes only.
• Western Ghats are higher than Eastern Ghats. Their average elevation is 900-1600 metres against 600 metres of Eastern Ghats.
• The Eastern Ghats stretch from Mahanadi valley to Nilgiris in the South.  They are discontinuous and irregular and dissected by rivers draining into Bay of Bengal.
•  Western Ghats are known by different local names. The height of Western Ghats progressively increases from north to South highest peaks include Anai Mudi (2695 metres)  and Doda beta( 2637 metres).
•   Mahendragiri(1501 metres) is the highest peak in eastern ghats. Shevroy Hills and Javadi hills are located to south-east of the Eastern Ghats.

• One of the distant features of Peninsular Plateau is a black soil area known as Deccan trap. This is of volcanic origin, Hence, the rocks are Igneous.
•  These rocks have denuded over time and are responsible for formation of black soil.
•  Aravalli hills lie on Western and Northwestern margins of Peninsular Plateau.
•  These are highly eroded Hills and are found as broken hills. They extend from Gujarat to Delhi in Southwest- north east direction.