1. Major Physical Divisions of India
India has five major physical divisions:
- The Himalayan Mountains
- The Northern Plains
- The Peninsular Plateau
- The Coastal Plains
- The Islands
हिंदी: भारत के पाँच मुख्य भौतिक भाग –
पहाड़ (Himalaya), मैदानी भाग (Northern Plains), पठार (Peninsular Plateau), तटीय मैदान (Coastal Plains), द्वीप (Islands)
2. The Himalayan Mountains
- Young fold mountains in the north of India.
- Stretch from Jammu & Kashmir in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east.
- Run for about 2400 km; width 150–400 km.
- Act as a strong climatic barrier – protect India from cold winds from Central Asia and stop monsoon winds.
- Shiwalik (Outer Himalayas)
- Lesser / Middle Himalayas (Himachal)
- Greater / Inner Himalayas (Himadri – highest)
हिंदी:
तीन मुख्य पट्टियाँ – Shiwalik (सबसे बाहर), Lesser Himalaya (बीच में), Greater Himalaya (सबसे ऊँचा – Himadri)।
Himalaya = प्राकृतिक दीवार (barrier) जो ठंडी हवा रोकता है और monsoon को भी रोककर बारिश करवाता है।
3. The Northern Plains
- Formed by the deposits (alluvium) brought by the rivers: Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra and their tributaries.
- Extremely fertile, flat and densely populated.
- Extend from Punjab in the west to Assam in the east.
- Very important for agriculture (rice, wheat, sugarcane etc.).
हिंदी: Northern Plains = नदी द्वारा लायी गयी उपजाऊ मिट्टी (alluvial soil) से बना मैदानी भाग – भारत का “ann-गृह”, यानी food bowl।
4. The Peninsular Plateau
- Roughly triangular, lies to the south of the Northern Plains.
- Very old and stable landmass (part of ancient Gondwana land).
- Mostly made up of hard crystalline rocks.
- Rich in minerals – coal, iron ore, manganese, mica etc.
- Central Highlands – Malwa Plateau, Bundelkhand, Chotanagpur Plateau.
- Deccan Plateau – covers most of South India (Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, AP, TN).
हिंदी: Peninsular Plateau = पुरानी चट्टानी भूमि, खनिजों से भरपूर।
North में मैदानी उर्वर भूमि, South में कठोर पठार – यह typical Indian contrast है।
5. The Coastal Plains
On both sides of the Peninsular Plateau:
- Western Coastal Plain – between Western Ghats and Arabian Sea.
- Eastern Coastal Plain – between Eastern Ghats and Bay of Bengal.
- Narrow, divided into Konkan (Mumbai–Goa), Karnataka coast, Malabar coast.
- Many natural harbours (e.g., Mumbai, Kochi).
- Wider, with many river deltas – Godavari, Krishna, Mahanadi, Kaveri.
- Delta of Ganga–Brahmaputra – Sunderbans.
हिंदी Trick:
West coast – संकरा (narrow) + अच्छे बंदरगाह
East coast – चौड़ा (wide) + बड़े-बड़े delta (जैसे Godavari, Krishna, Ganga)
6. The Islands
India has two main island groups:
- Andaman & Nicobar Islands – in the Bay of Bengal.
- Lakshadweep Islands – in the Arabian Sea.
- Chain of islands; mostly volcanic origin.
- Near the equator; hot, humid; covered with dense forests.
- Group of small coral islands.
- Important for fishing, coconut cultivation, tourism.
हिंदी:
Bay of Bengal = Andaman–Nicobar
Arabian Sea = Lakshadweep (coral द्वीप)
7. Why These Physical Divisions Matter (NDA Angle)
- Himalayas – defence, climate control, source of many rivers.
- Northern Plains – agriculture, dense population, major cities.
- Plateau – minerals, industries, many rivers’ origin (Godavari, Krishna, Narmada etc.).
- Coastal Plains – ports, trade, fishing, tourism.
- Islands – strategic importance (naval bases), tourism, biodiversity.
हिंदी Summary:
हर physical division की अपनी खास ताकत (strength) है – सेना, खेती, उद्योग, व्यापार, सुरक्षा – सब इन पर आधारित हैं।
NDA aspirant के लिए ये समझना बहुत ज़रूरी है।
📘 Practice Questions (NDA Style)
1. The Northern Plains of India are mainly formed by the deposits of:
a) Himalayas b) Peninsular rivers only c) Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra rivers d) Coastal rivers
2. The Deccan Plateau mainly lies:
a) North of the Ganga Plains b) Between Himalayas and Northern Plains c) South of the Northern Plains d) Only in Rajasthan
3. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are located in:
a) Arabian Sea b) Bay of Bengal c) Indian Ocean west of India d) Near Gujarat coast
4. The Sunderbans delta is formed at the mouth of:
a) Godavari b) Krishna c) Ganga–Brahmaputra d) Narmada
5. Which physical division of India is richest in minerals?
a) Northern Plains b) Himalayan region c) Peninsular Plateau d) Coastal Plains
a) Himalayas b) Peninsular rivers only c) Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra rivers d) Coastal rivers
2. The Deccan Plateau mainly lies:
a) North of the Ganga Plains b) Between Himalayas and Northern Plains c) South of the Northern Plains d) Only in Rajasthan
3. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are located in:
a) Arabian Sea b) Bay of Bengal c) Indian Ocean west of India d) Near Gujarat coast
4. The Sunderbans delta is formed at the mouth of:
a) Godavari b) Krishna c) Ganga–Brahmaputra d) Narmada
5. Which physical division of India is richest in minerals?
a) Northern Plains b) Himalayan region c) Peninsular Plateau d) Coastal Plains
Answers:
1 – c) Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra rivers
2 – c) South of the Northern Plains
3 – b) Bay of Bengal
4 – c) Ganga–Brahmaputra
5 – c) Peninsular Plateau
1 – c) Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra rivers
2 – c) South of the Northern Plains
3 – b) Bay of Bengal
4 – c) Ganga–Brahmaputra
5 – c) Peninsular Plateau
Quick Recap | सार
Now you should be able to:
- Recall the most important ideas of this topic.
- Solve typical NDA-style questions from this chapter.
- Spot and avoid common traps used in competitive exams.
Self-check: 3–4 random questions उठा कर देखिए – अगर आसानी से हो रहे हैं, तो chapter strong है।
Common Exam Mistakes | आम गलतियाँ
- Concept ठीक से clear न करना और सीधे रटने की कोशिश करना।
- Question पूरी तरह पढ़े बिना answer mark कर देना।
- Figures, dates, या formulas को last step में verify न करना।
NDA में smart strategy यह है कि आसान वाले सवाल पहले, doubtful बाद में – और silly mistakes से बचना सबसे ज़रूरी है।