The Great Himalayan mountain ranges
running from India's north to east have fascinated scholars, poets, writers,
painters, photographers and adventure sports lovers alike. The Himalayas
have been protecting and bestowing many boons to India since ages. They are
also regarded as the eastern sentinels of India. The Himalayas stretches to
a length of about 2400 km, from Nanga Parbat in the west to Namche Barwa in
the east. The width of the Himalayas vary between 250-300 km.
Geographically,
the Himalayas consist of three ranges. The Sub-Himalayan range (Shivalik
mountains in India) are the youngest ranges having an elevation of about
1200 metres. The ranges are made of erosion material from the rising
Himalayas. Next are the Lower Himalayan Ranges that run parallel to the
Sub-Himalayan ranges. They are at elevations between 2000 to 5000 metres. A
number of hill stations in India likShimla, Nainital and Darjeeling are
located in these ranges. The northernmost ranges, oldest of the three are
called Higher Himalayas. They have an elevation of more than 6000 metres and
some of the world's highest peaks are located there. This includes the three
highest-Mount Everest, K2 and Kanchenjunga.
Vegetation in the Himalayan ranges vary with climate and altitude. The
Sub-Himalayan ranges mainly have deciduous forests. The vegetation shifts
ttemperate forests, conifers and tundra in the Higher Himalayan ranges. The
topmost regions have a permanent snow line and does not allow any growth of
vegetation. Evergreen rainforests could be seen in the far eastern
Himalayas.
The Himalayas are among the youngest mountain ranges on the planet. The
theory of plate tectonics reveal that the Himalayas were formed as a result
of continental collision along the convergent boundary between the
Indo-Australian Plate and Eurasian Plate.
Indian states lying mostly in the Himalayas are Jammu&Kashmir, Himachal
Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
Himalayas in Kashmir : Perched on the lap of Himalayas are many
beautiful destinations of Kashmir. The magnificent snow capped mountain
peaks running through Kashmir have earned the state the name jannat or
heaven. The Himalayas have also resulted in Kashmir turning into a major hub
for mountaineering and trekking. The main mountaineering destinations are
Ladakh, Nubra region, Zanskar region and Kishtwar. Trekking expeditions are
mainly organized in Amarnath, Gulmarg, Sonmarg and Ladakh.
Himalayas in Himachal : Himalayas have gifted to Himachal many
picturesque hill stations. Places that are thronged by people from both
India and abroad. The snow capped peaks could be seen from very close
quarters in Himachal. The popular hill stations are Shimla, Kullu, Manali,
Dalhousie, Dharamshala and Chamba. In the Himalayas, mountaineering and
trekking cannot be far behind. Mountaineering and trekking mainly takes
place in Kangra, Chamba, Kulu, Lahul -Spiti and Kinnaur.
Himalayas
in Uttaranchal : The Himalayas in Uttaranchal are visited for
pilgrimage, adventure and holidaying. Some of India's most sacred pilgrimage
sites are perched on the Garhwal Himalayas. Haridwar, Rishikesh, Badrinath,
Gangotri, Yamunotri and Kedarnath have been visited by saints, sages and
ordinary mortals sine many centuries. Dehradun, Mussorie, Almora and
Nainital are popular hill stations in the Himalayan region. Corbett and
Nanda Devi are two wildlife sanctuaries located on the foothills of the
Himalayas. Mountaineering in Uttaranchal mainly involves taming the
challenging Nanda Devi and Mount Shivalik ranges. Joshimath and Gangotri
valley are also popular mountaineering destinations. Some of the favourite
trekking routes in the state are Gangotri-Kalindikhal-Badrinath trek,
Roopkund-Homekund trek, Dodital-Darba Pass-Yamnotri trek and Garhwal-Panwati
Kantha trek.
Himalayas in Sikkim : Almost the whole of tiny Sikkim is perched on
the lap of Himalayas. Some of the most beautiful hill stations of eastern
India are found here. They include Gangtok, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik.
In the Himalayan ranges, Buddhism has also flourished in a big way. Many
beautiful Buddhist monasteries also dot the landscape of Sikkim. Some of the
popular peaks in Sikkim for mountaineering are Talung, Jonsong and Tent, all
of which are above 24,000 feet.
Himalayas in Arunachal Pradesh : If the Himalayan ranges have to be
seen in their most virgin form, one must visit India's far eastern state of
Arunachal Pradesh. The landscape of Arunachal enthralls one and all. Tawang
is Arunachal's most popular hill station perched in high altitudes. One of
India's largest Buddhist monasteries is also located in the place.
