Hinglish

The Himalayas and the Cold Desert

Class 7 Social Science · Chapter 1: Geographical Diversity of India · NCERT Exploring Society: India and Beyond section 1.1

Learn

Meher's class is planning an imaginary flight over India with the physical map spread on the floor. "The colours show height," says their teacher, pointing to the legend. India is the seventh-largest country in the world. With Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar it forms the Indian Subcontinent. We will fly over five zones: the mountains, the northern plains, the desert, the southern peninsula and the islands.

In the north the Himalayas stand like a wall about 2500 km long, across six countries. Many peaks are over 8000 m. Long ago India was part of a landmass called Gondwana; it broke away, drifted north and, about 50 million years ago, crashed into Eurasia. The land between crumpled up like a pushed carpet. India still pushes north about 5 cm a year, so the Himalayas still rise a few millimetres each year.

"Himalaya" means abode of snow. In summer, melting snow feeds the Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra, which is why the range is called the Water Tower of Asia; the Bhagirathi begins at Gaumukh, at the edge of the Gangotri Glacier. There are three ranges: the snowy Himadri with Everest and Kanchenjunga; the Himachal with hill stations like Shimla and Darjeeling; and the low, forested Shivaliks. Stone-and-wood kath-kuni houses keep homes warm and resist mild earthquakes.

Not all deserts are hot. Ladakh is a cold desert: very little rain and winters below –30 °C. Its rocky "moonland" was once ocean floor folded up in the great collision. Salty Pangong Tso lies here (tso means lake). Snow leopards, ibex and yaks live in these heights; yaks give milk, wool and dung and carry loads. Monasteries and festivals like Losar and Hemis brighten the long winters.

Explore: which Himalayan range?

  1. Sort each card.

Remember

  • The Himalayas formed when India collided with Eurasia; their snow feeds Asia's great rivers.
  • Three ranges: Himadri, Himachal, Shivaliks; Ladakh is a cold desert.

Quick check

Why are the Himalayas still rising very slowly?

  1. India is still pushing north into Eurasia
  2. snow piles up every year
  3. people build on them
  4. rivers lift them
Answer

India is still pushing north into Eurasia. About 5 cm a year of push raises them a few millimetres.

Think about it

What might India's climate be like if there were no Himalayas?

One answer

Icy winds from Central Asia would sweep in, winters would be far colder, and without the snow-fed rivers the northern plains would be much drier.

Practice

Practise with fresh questions at three levels (easy, medium, hard), some answered hands-on, with hints and worked answers. Get 4 of your last 5 right to finish the topic.