Question

Describe the Deccan Plateau with reference to its location, formation, rivers and the hills bordering it.

Answer 1

The Deccan Plateau is a part of the Peninsular Plateau. It is made of up hard igneous and metamorphic rocks. It is a large plateau and covers most of southern India, including eight states. It is separated from northern India by the Vindhyas. Some of its characteristics are as follows:

Location: It is located to the south of the Gangetic Plains and covers massive portions of land lying between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. It is further bounded by the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats.

Formation: The foundation of the Deccan belt was laid down eons ago when lava started getting deposited on the surface because of extensive volcanic activity. This lava formed many layers, which resulted in the formation of the Deccan region (also known as the Deccan Trap) in the northern parts.

Rivers: Most of the northern part is drained by the Godavari and its tributaries. The central part is drained by the Tungabhadra and the Krishna and their tributaries. The southernmost part is drained by the Kaveri and its tributaries. The major rivers draining this region like the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri form deltas before draining into the Bay of Bengal.

Surrounding hills: The Deccan Plateau is bounded in the north by the Satpura Range, the Mahadeo Hills, the Maikal Hills and the Kaimur Hills. Hills bordering it in the west are the Western Ghats, which consist of the Sahyadari, the Nilgiri, the Anamalai and the Cardamom Hills and hills forming its eastern edge are called the Eastern Ghats