Physical Features of India

Purvanchal is linked with the eastern branches of the Himalayas in Northeast India. For exams remember Naga Mizo and Patkai hills.

The Deccan Plateau generally slopes toward the east and southeast. For exams remember its relation with east flowing rivers.

Central Highlands are the plateau region north of the Narmada River. For exams remember their relation with Malwa Plateau.

The Deccan Plateau is a large plateau region south of the Narmada River. For exams remember the southern plateau.

The Luni River is associated with western Rajasthan and the Thar Desert. For exams remember inland drainage.

The Rann of Kachchh is a vast saline marshland in the western Indian state of Gujarat. It includes the Great Rann and the Little Rann. Rajasthan is adjacent to Gujarat, but the Rann of Kachchh lies in Gujarat. Exam tip: Remember the Rann of Kachchh, salt flats, and Gujarat together.

A river deposits soil and sand at its mouth to form a delta. For exams remember the term deposition.

The direct answer is D: doab. A doab is the land lying between two rivers; the word can be understood as two, do, plus water or river, ab. For example, the fertile plains between the rivers of Punjab are called doabs. A plateau is an elevated, fairly level landform and is not defined by two rivers. A pass is a route or gap through mountains, so it is unrelated here. A dun is a long, narrow valley between Himalayan ranges, not the general name for land between any two rivers. D is therefore the exact geographical term. Exam cue: when two river basins meet around an area of land, think doab.

The direct answer is A: a route through or between mountains. A pass is a natural lower route, gap or crossing that allows people, animals, roads or armies to move across a mountain region. The reasoning is simple: mountains usually form barriers; a pass is the relatively easier opening through that barrier. Option A gives this exact geographical meaning. Option B, an island in the sea, is land surrounded by water and has nothing to do with a mountain crossing. Option C, a river mouth, is the place where a river enters a sea, lake or another river. Option D, a saline plain, is flat land containing much salt, often in dry areas. Thus only A matches the definition. In exams, connect “pass” with transport across mountains; examples include mountain routes such as Nathu La and Zoji La.

The direct answer is B: between the Shiwalik and the Lesser Himalaya. Dun valleys are long, relatively level valleys lying between the outer Shiwalik range and the Lesser, or Middle, Himalaya. Step by step: the Himalaya has parallel ranges; Shiwalik is the southern outer range; the Lesser Himalaya lies north of it; the valley between them is called a Dun. Dehradun is the best-known example, and its name itself helps recall the idea. Option A is wrong because Himadri and Karakoram are much higher northern ranges and do not define Dun valleys. Option C names ranges of central and western India, not the Himalaya. Option D names southern Indian ranges. Therefore B is correct. Memory cue: “Dun = valley between Shiwalik and Lesser Himalaya.”

The Malabar Coast is mainly associated with Kerala's western coastal region. For exams remember parts of the western coast.

Konkan Coast is linked with the western coast of Maharashtra and Goa region. For exams remember western coastal plain.

Coromandel Coast is linked with the southeastern coastal part of Tamil Nadu. For exams remember the Bay of Bengal.

Western coastal plains are narrow between the Western Ghats and Arabian Sea. For exams remember comparison with the eastern coast.

Eastern coastal plains are broader than the western coast. For exams remember delta formation.

Physical features are understood quickly by identifying them on a map. For exams practice maps a little daily.

The Himalayas are young fold mountains formed by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates. For exams remember plate collision with Himalayas.

The Terai region is found south of the Shiwalik and is moist and marshy. For exams remember the Shiwalik Bhabar Terai sequence.

Black soil is found in the lava region of the Deccan Plateau and is useful for cotton. For exams remember Deccan Trap.

Deltas of rivers like Godavari Krishna Kaveri and Mahanadi are found on the Eastern Coastal Plain. For exams remember eastern coast and Bay of Bengal.

Anamudi is a high peak of the Western Ghats in Kerala. For exams remember it as the highest peak of Peninsular India.

The Mahanadi forms a delta near the Bay of Bengal in Odisha. For exams remember deltas of the eastern coast.

The Himalayas are young fold mountains so seismic activity is relatively higher there. For exams remember the link between young mountains and earthquakes.

The Brahmaputra plain extends in Assam and Kaziranga is linked with this region. For exams remember Assam Valley.

Lakshadweep and Andaman Nicobar are major island groups of India. For exams remember their different sea locations.