Peninsular Plateau: Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats & Anamudi

The Peninsular Plateau represents India's oldest geological landmass, composed of an Archean crystalline basement of granites, gneisses, and Precambrian schists that formed part of the ancient Gondwana supercontinent. During the Late Cretaceous period, massive volcanic fissure eruptions deposited thick basaltic horizontal lava sheets over the northwestern sector, forming the step-like Deccan Traps. The plateau is demarcated by the Aravallis in the northwest, the Rajmahal hills in the northeast, and the Western and Eastern Ghats along its flanks. Structurally tilted toward the east, this elevated shield underwent gentle faulting that produced the Narmada and Tapi rift valleys, separating the northern Central Highlands from the expansive Deccan Plateau.

The Western Ghats (locally Sahyadri) form a continuous, precipitous orographic escarpment running parallel to the Arabian Sea coastline across sixteen hundred kilometers, with an average elevation between 900 and 1,600 meters. The range culminates at Anamudi (2,695 meters) in Kerala's Anaimalai Hills—the highest summit in peninsular India—and Doda Betta (2,637 meters) in the Nilgiris. This continuous ridge is traversed only by specific tectonic passes: Thal Ghat linking Mumbai to Nashik, Bhor Ghat connecting Mumbai to Pune, and the wide Palghat Gap separating the Nilgiris from the southern Anaimalais. Conversely, the Eastern Ghats constitute an older, discontinuous relict chain averaging six hundred meters elevation, severely denuded and dissected by eastward-flowing rivers including the Godavari, Krishna, and Cauvery. Jindhagada Peak (1,690 meters) represents their highest elevation before both chains converge topographically at the Nilgiri Hills.

The Peninsular Plateau constitutes India's primary mineral reservoir, containing extensive Gondwana coal deposits in the Damodar Valley and concentrated iron-manganese belts across the Chhota Nagpur Plateau and Bellary-Hospet. Hydrologically, the Western Ghats form a continental drainage divide, catching heavy orographic monsoonal precipitation that feeds perennial eastward river systems. Designated a global biodiversity hotspot, the Western Ghats face conservation challenges from quarrying, linear infrastructure expansion, and plantation monocultures, evaluated by the Madhav Gadgil and K. Kasturirangan committees. In civil services examinations conducted by UPSC and State PSCs, peninsular geomorphology is frequently examined. Key focus areas include structural fault lines of the Narmada-Tapi rift, peak elevations comparing Anamudi and Doda Betta, transport corridors through Thal and Bhor Ghats, and the ecological demarcation of Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Zones.

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#1
Geologically ancient Gondwana shield segment composed of Archean crystalline basement rocks and Cretaceous Deccan trap basalt layers.
#2
Western Ghats (Sahyadris) form a continuous orographic barrier traversed by passes like Thal Ghat (Mumbai-Nashik), Bhor Ghat (Mumbai-Pune), and Palghat Gap (Kerala-Tamil Nadu).
#3
Anamudi (2,695 m) in the Anaimalai Hills is the highest peak in Peninsular India, surpassing Doda Betta (2,637 m) in the Nilgiris.
#4
Eastern Ghats are ancient, discontinuous fold mountains eroded by major peninsular rivers, with Jindhagada Peak as the highest elevation.
#5
The Western and Eastern Ghats converge topographically at the Nilgiri Hills in Tamil Nadu, forming a distinct biological transition zone.
#6
The Deccan Traps were formed during the late Cretaceous period by massive volcanic fissure eruptions, laying down flood basalt deposits up to 2,000 metres thick.
#7
The Narmada and Tapi rivers flow westward in tectonic rift valleys (grabens) between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges, draining directly into the Gulf of Khambhat without forming deltas.
#8
The Satpura Range runs parallel to the Vindhyas, culminating in Dhupgarh (1,350 m) near Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh as its highest point.
#9
The Aravalli Range is one of the oldest fold mountain systems in the world, stretching from Gujarat to Delhi, with Guru Shikhar (1,722 m) in Mount Abu as its highest summit.
#10
The Malwa Plateau is bordered by the Aravallis in the west and the Vindhyas in the south, characterized by dendritic drainage into the Chambal, Betwa, and Ken river systems.
#11
The Chota Nagpur Plateau features distinct stepped plateaus (Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Koderma), drained by the Damodar River through a fault-trough coal belt.
#12
The Western Ghats were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012, recognized as one of the world's eight hottest biodiversity hotspots with high levels of species endemism.
#13
The Madhav Gadgil Committee (2011) and K. Kasturirangan Committee (2013) were constituted by the Ministry of Environment to demarcate Ecologically Sensitive Areas across the Western Ghats.
#14
The Eastern Ghats are traversed and dissected into distinct relief blocks by major east-flowing peninsular rivers: the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri.
#15
The Meghalaya (Shillong) Plateau and Karbi Anglong Hills are geological outliers of the Peninsular Shield, separated from the main block by the Malda Gap (Garo-Rajmahal Gap).

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The Peninsular Plateau is India's oldest geological landmass, formed from ancient Gondwana shield rocks and volcanic Deccan basalt. It is framed by two mountain systems: the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats. The Western Ghats (Sahyadris) form a continuous, elevated barrier parallel to the Arabian Sea, pierced only by passes like Palghat. In contrast, the Eastern Ghats are highly discontinuous and eroded by eastward rivers like the Godavari and Krishna, eventually joining the Western Ghats at the Nilgiri Hills.

In UPSC prelims and State PSC exams, peak heights and mountain passes are standard question topics. A frequent trap involves peak elevations: Anamudi (2,695 meters) in the Anaimalai Hills is the highest peak in South India, surpassing Doda Betta in the Nilgiris. Remember the north-to-south pass order: Thal Ghat connects Mumbai with Nashik, Bhor Ghat links Mumbai to Pune, and the Palghat Gap connects Kerala to Tamil Nadu. Keep this sequence clear for elimination in multiple-choice questions.

Peninsular Plateau: Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats & Anamudi

Key Concepts & Self-Assessment15 Key Facts

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