Pragnya IAS · Map 03 · Relief & drainage
Peninsular mountain ranges of India map: Ghats and gaps
Read the plateau margins and compare drainage divides with natural transport corridors.
STUDY NOTE 1
Compare the two coastal margins
The Western Ghats form a relatively continuous escarpment along the western peninsula. The Eastern Ghats are more discontinuous and are crossed by major east-flowing rivers.
STUDY NOTE 2
A gap with geographic consequences
The Palghat Gap lies between the Nilgiri and Anaimalai hill systems. It supports east–west movement and modifies the local passage of moist winds.
STUDY NOTE 3
A valley between ranges
The Narmada valley lies between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges and drains west. Do not infer the flow direction of every peninsular river from the direction of one range.
Map reading task
Locate Anamudi, Palghat Gap and Amarkantak. Draw a west-to-east cross-section linking coast, escarpment, plateau and eastern coast.
Map key · Reference locations
What does this peninsular india: plateaus, ghats & gaps lesson explain?
The Western Ghats form a relatively continuous escarpment along the western peninsula. The Eastern Ghats are more discontinuous and are crossed by major east-flowing rivers.
UPSC map practice & Geography Optional connection
For UPSC Prelims, pair the location with its state, neighbouring relief and relevant geographic process. For GS I and Geography Optional Indian geography revision, use a simple labelled sketch to explain the relationship rather than replacing the answer with place names. These are Pragnya-authored exercises, not official UPSC previous-year questions.
References & map credits
Pragnya IAS explanations and practice are independently authored. The uploaded geography compilation informed topic selection only; its pages, illustrations, advertisements and personal watermarks are not republished. Licensed base data retain their original attribution. These lessons are educational references, not navigation, legal boundary or live hazard maps.