The Peninsular plateau is a tableland of crystalline, composed of igneous and metamorphic rocks from the past. It was formed when the Gondwana landmass broke apart and drifted apart, making it the largest landmass. The plateau is characterised by vast and rising hills and wide valleys. The Central Highlands and the Highlands are the two major sections of this plateau. The Central Highlands, located to the north of the Narmada River and encompassing a substantial chunk of the Malwa plateau, are a segment of the Peninsular plateau. Located south of the Narmada River, the Deccan Plateau is a triangular area. The black soil area known as Deccan Trap is one of the peninsular plateau’s most distinctive features. The rocks are c igneous because they are volcanic in origin. These rocks have depleted through time, resulting in black soil. The Aravalli rising hills are fractured hills that have been heavily degraded.
Geographical Location of the Peninsular Plateau
With the tectonic upheaval in Gondwanaland, the Peninsular Plateau was formed. Due to this historical upheaval, a triangular plateau with bent rising hills and waterways was constructed. The Peninsular Plateau, which stretches across the southern half of India, covers nearly half of the country’s land area, or about 16 lakh square kilometres. The Plateau is trapezoidal, with Kanyakumari at its lowest point. Furthermore, the Plateau is roughly 900 metres above sea level. And, for the last hundred million years, it has stood straight and erect, with only a few minor immersions. Furthermore, this Plateau is a complex amalgamation of multiple separate plateaus and river systems.
A wide valley is a long, narrow dip on the Earth’s surface surrounded by rising hills or mountains and frequently occupied by a river or stream. Because rivers typically flow through valleys, they can also slope down to an exit, which could be another river, a lake, or the sea. Wide Valleys are one of the most prevalent landforms, generated through erosion or the progressive wearing down of land by wind and water.
India’s Deccan Plateau
Deccan comes from the Sanskrit word Dakshin, which means “darkness” (the south). The Deccan Plateau scenery spans over five lakh square kilometres and reaches a maximum elevation of 600 metres in the centre region. Furthermore, the Plateau’s slope extends west-east, with 100 metres in the north and 1000 metres in the south.
The Plateau is triangular, with several hill ranges encircling it on all sides. The Plateau is bounded by the following:
- The Eastern Ghats in the east
- Mahadev and Maikal in the north
- The Western Ghats in the west
- Satpura and Vindhyas in the north-west
Igneous Rocks
The Indian plateaus have areas composed of Igneous rocks created when molten elements cool and solidify. It can form as lava either beneath or on top of the Earth’s surface. The Deccan traps are the heart of India’s Deccan plateau. They span practically all of Maharashtra and a small portion of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh. They were produced during the Mesozoic era by subaerial volcanic activity related to continental divergence in this portion of the world.
Metamorphic Rocks:
Metamorphic rocks began as different rock types but have undergone significant transformations from their original igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic state. When rocks are exposed to intense heat, high pressure, hot mineral-rich fluids, or these elements, metamorphic rocks form, these kinds of conditions can be found deep within the Earth or where tectonic plates collide.
Metamorphism does not melt the rocks; rather, it converts them into denser, more compact ones. Rearranging mineral components or interactions with fluids that enter the rocks produce new minerals. Due to pressure or temperature, even previously metamorphosed rocks can change their shapes. Squished, smeared-out metamorphic rocks are common.
Conclusion:
In every way, India is a diverse country. India’s culture, economy, and terrain contain many components inside a single landmass. India’s diverse physical characteristics make it a complete geographical study. India boasts every type of scenery on the planet. The physical features of India span every terrain, from chilly mountains to arid deserts, broad plains, hot and humid plateaus, and wide sea coasts and tropical islands.
The Gondwanaland tectonic plate comprises an old hard bulk of igneous and metamorphic rocks. This is bordered on the west by the Western Ghats, east by the Eastern Ghats, and north by the Satpura, Maikal range, and Mahadeo hills.