Physical Features of India

Palk Strait is a shallow sea passage between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. For exams identify it on the map.

Khasi Hills force moist winds upward and cause heavy rainfall. For exams link Meghalaya with orographic rainfall.

Himalayan rivers show more perennial flow while many peninsular rivers are seasonal. For exams remember source comparison.

Coastal plains are useful for ports due to sea contact and flat land. For exams remember coast and trade relation.

The eastern coast has deltas of large rivers and the western coast is narrow due to nearby Western Ghats. For exams remember coastal comparison.

Bhabar is a porous pebbly foothill belt of the Himalayas not a marine marsh. For exams keep Bhabar and Sundarbans separate.

Sundarbans is the tidal saline mangrove area of the Ganga Brahmaputra Delta. For exams identify this clue quickly.

Narmada flows westward through a rift valley into Arabian Sea. For exams remember Narmada Tapi as special west flowing rivers.

The Himalayas are young fold mountains while the Peninsular Plateau is an ancient stable landmass. For exams remember this basic comparison.

Himalayas and Peninsular Plateau show a major difference in geological age and structure of India. For exams remember the difference between young mountains and ancient plateau.

The Himalayas are young fold mountains formed by plate collision. For exams keep them separate from the ancient plateau.

Glaciers supply water to Himalayan rivers for long periods. For exams remember the glacier and river source link.

Antecedent rivers cut their old courses even after mountain uplift. For exams remember Indus and Brahmaputra gorges.

Shiwalik is an outer Himalayan range with loose deposits. For exams link it with unstable slopes.

Dun valleys occur between Shiwalik and Lesser Himalaya. For exams keep Dehradun as a major example.

Coarse porous deposits in Bhabar allow water to sink. For exams distinguish Bhabar from Terai.

After Bhabar the water table rises in Terai and moisture increases. For exams remember the Bhabar Terai sequence.

Himalayan rivers form plains by depositing silt and alluvium. For exams link river deposition with plain formation.

Bhangar is linked with older alluvial deposits. For exams remember Bhangar old and Khadar new.

Khadar is the lower, actively flooded part of a river’s floodplain. During floods, the river repeatedly deposits fresh alluvium such as silt and sand there, so it is called an active floodplain. Option B describes Bhangar, which consists of older alluvium and lies relatively higher. Exam tip: Khadar means new alluvium and frequent flooding; Bhangar means old alluvium and relatively higher land.