Important Plains In India

The interaction of the three top river systems, the Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra, and their tributaries, has generated the northern plains. This plain is 7 lakh sq kms in size. The plain is a densely populated physiographic division that runs for about 2400 kms and is 240 to 320 kms broad. It’s an agriculturally fertile area in India, with plenty of water and a comfortable environment. The Himalayan Frontal Fault separates them from the Shivaliks to the south. In an uneven wavy line, the southern boundary goes along the northern edge of the Indian Peninsula. The Purvanchal hills border the plains on the eastern side.

Topography

These plains are extraordinarily uniform for hundreds of kilometres, with minimal relief change. The Bhangar and the Khadar, for example, are featureless alluvial stretches with varying slopes and aspects. The Bhangar denotes the highland created by the deposition of earlier alluvium in riverbeds. The Khadar is lowlands produced by the debris of fresh alluvium deposited in river beds.

Terai and Bhabar

The immense plains are flanked in the North by two thin bands from end to end. There are forelands called bhabar or ghar throughout the Himalayas and other mountainous regions where they meet the plains, in which coarse sand and stones transported down from the hills by swift-flowing mountain streams are deposited.

These are indicated by Dry River courses, in which the water of smaller streams sinks underground, save during the rainy season. In the bhabar region, only the significant rivers run on the surface. The eastern bhabar lands are narrower, whereas the western and northwestern hilly regions are more vast.

The Indus Basin

Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab are part of the Indus basin. The Indus River is nearly 2,900 kilometres long. The Satluj, Beas, Ravi, Chenab, and Jhelum are its principal tributaries. The slope of the Indus plain is pretty gradual.

The plain runs 1,200 kilometres between the Arabian Sea in the South and the Western Himalayan foothills in the North. The entire descent of the plain is just about 300 metres over this span. The rivers have made the plain very fruitful, and it currently has one of the densest networks of irrigation canals in the world.

The Valley of the Brahmaputra

The Brahmaputra originates in Tibet, between the Indus and Sutlej rivers’ sources. It transports a massive amount of water. The river is as long as the Indus, although it flows into Tibet for most of its length. It is known as Tsangpo in Tibet, where it runs parallel to the Himalayan Mountains.

The strong river does the undercutting as it performs a hairpin curve near Namcha Barwa (7,757 m), which is 5,500 metres. It is known as Dihang here and in Arunachal Pradesh. The Brahmaputra is named after the confluence of the Lohit, Dihang, and Dibang rivers.

Delta of the Ganga and Brahmaputra

It is the world’s biggest and fastest-growing delta. It is also the most fertile, in addition to being well-watered. After entering the Ganga, the Brahmaputra separates into various distributaries. The river becomes sluggish due to the mild slope or gradient, and islands of silt and mud form in its path.

To get over these obstacles, the river usually splits into several channels. To create a traditional delta, the operation occurs numerous times. Due to high and low tides, the bottom half of the delta becomes marshy, mixing fresh and saltwater.

What Is The Significance Of The Great Plains In India?

The Great Plains have great significance because they are a riverine region with excellent soil, a pleasant temperature, a flat terrain that allows for the development of highways and trains, and slow-moving rivers.

All of these things have combined to make this point critical. The development of a vast irrigation system on the tributaries of the Satluj, Ganga, Jamuna, and other rivers has transformed the previously bleak and arid plains of Punjab, Haryana, northern Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh into thriving areas of smiling abundance.

Importance From A Cultural And Political Standpoint

The significant truth is that the Ganga valley has traditionally dominated North India due to the enormous concentration of population and resources. It is the central location from which Aryavarta receives not just political power but also economic and cultural movements. The country’s political capitals have been Delhi, Patna, and Kolkata.

Religious and Social Importance

It was known for its limitless population who desired to partake in its richness by sword or scale, for its literature and art, and its historical monuments and archaeological sites. The Ganga has long been considered the most sacred river globally, and the region stretching from Gaya to Mathura, from Sangam to Haridwar, is revered by everybody.

Conclusion 

The alluvial deposits delivered by the rivers — the Indus, Ganga, and the Brahmaputra – constitute the northern plains. From east to west, the plains stretch for around 3,200 kms. The plains’ typical breadth varies between 150 and 300 kms. Alluvium deposits are available at depths ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 metres. These may be separated into three primary zones from North to South: the Bhabar, the Tarai, and the alluvial plains. The Khadar and Bhangar are two sub-regions of the alluvial plains.