Himalayas Notes for SSC: Himadri, Himachal, Shiwalik, Mountain Passes and Peaks of India (Geography)
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
In this note
- 1.Basic Facts
- 2.Three Parallel Ranges
- 3.Trans-Himalaya and Purvanchal
- 4.Important Peaks
- 5.Important Mountain Passes
- 6.Famous Hill Stations
- 7.Importance of the Himalayas
- 8.Quick Tips
- 9.Quick Revision Points
- 10.Practice Questions With Answers
- 11.How to Practise This Chapter
- 12.Frequently Asked Questions
PDF Notes: Himalayas Notes for SSC: Himadri, Himachal, Shiwalik, Mountain Passes and Peaks of India (Geography)
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The Himalayas are the youngest fold mountains of the world and the most asked physical feature in SSC Indian Geography. Questions come on the three parallel ranges, the highest peaks, the mountain passes and the hill stations. These Himalayas notes for SSC give all of them in tables, with the state of each pass and peak.
Basic Facts
- The Himalayas stretch for about 2,400 km from the Indus gorge in the west to the Brahmaputra gorge in the east.
- They are young fold mountains, formed by the collision of the Indian plate with the Eurasian plate.
- They have three parallel ranges from north to south: Himadri, Himachal and Shiwalik.
Three Parallel Ranges
| Range | Other name | Average height | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Himalaya | Himadri (inner) | About 6,000 m | Highest peaks, snow-covered all the year, glaciers |
| Lesser Himalaya | Himachal (middle) | 3,700 to 4,500 m | Pir Panjal, Dhauladhar and Mussoorie ranges; hill stations |
| Shiwalik | Outer Himalaya | 900 to 1,100 m | Youngest range; the valleys here are called duns (Dehradun) |
Trans-Himalaya and Purvanchal
- Trans-Himalaya: It lies north of the Himadri and includes the Karakoram, Ladakh and Zaskar ranges. K2 (Godwin-Austen, 8,611 m) is in the Karakoram.
- Purvanchal: It is the eastern hills of the Himalayas: Patkai, Naga, Manipur and Mizo hills.
Important Peaks
| Peak | Height | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Everest | 8,849 m | Nepal-China border (the highest in the world) |
| K2 (Godwin-Austen) | 8,611 m | Karakoram (the highest in the Indian-claimed region) |
| Kanchenjunga | 8,586 m | Sikkim-Nepal border (the highest peak in India) |
| Nanga Parbat | 8,126 m | Gilgit-Baltistan |
| Nanda Devi | 7,816 m | Uttarakhand (the highest peak wholly within India) |
| Kamet | 7,756 m | Uttarakhand |
Important Mountain Passes
| State or region | Passes |
|---|---|
| Jammu and Kashmir | Banihal, Zoji La, Burzil |
| Ladakh | Khardung La, Fotu La, Lanak La |
| Himachal Pradesh | Rohtang, Baralacha La, Shipki La |
| Uttarakhand | Lipulekh, Mana, Niti |
| Sikkim | Nathu La, Jelep La |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Bomdi La, Dihang |
- Zoji La connects Srinagar and Leh.
- Nathu La and Jelep La connect Sikkim with Tibet (China).
- Shipki La connects Himachal Pradesh with Tibet (the Sutlej enters India here).
- Lipulekh connects Uttarakhand with Tibet (it is on the Kailash Mansarovar route).
Famous Hill Stations
| Hill station | State |
|---|---|
| Shimla, Kullu, Manali, Dalhousie | Himachal Pradesh |
| Mussoorie, Nainital, Almora | Uttarakhand |
| Darjeeling | West Bengal |
| Gangtok | Sikkim |
| Gulmarg, Pahalgam | Jammu and Kashmir |
Importance of the Himalayas
- They stop the monsoon winds and cause rain in northern India.
- They protect India from the cold winds of Central Asia.
- They are the source of the perennial rivers: the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra.
- They give forests, minerals, herbs and a lot of tourism.
Quick Tips
- Learn the order of the ranges from north to south: Himadri, Himachal, Shiwalik.
- Learn the pass with its state and the two places it connects.
- Remember that Kanchenjunga is the highest in India, and Nanda Devi is the highest wholly in India.
- Revise the hill stations by state.
Quick Revision Points
- The Himalayas are young fold mountains about 2,400 km long.
- Himadri is the highest range and Shiwalik is the lowest.
- Kanchenjunga (8,586 m) is the highest peak of India.
- Nanda Devi (7,816 m) is the highest peak wholly within India.
- Nathu La and Jelep La are in Sikkim.
Practice Questions With Answers
- Which is the northernmost (innermost) range of the three Himalayan ranges?
Answer: Himadri (Greater Himalaya) - Which is the youngest and the outermost range of the Himalayas?
Answer: Shiwalik - What are the valleys between the Himachal and the Shiwalik ranges called?
Answer: Duns (for example, Dehradun) - Which is the highest peak of India?
Answer: Kanchenjunga - Which is the highest peak wholly within India?
Answer: Nanda Devi - Which pass connects Srinagar and Leh?
Answer: Zoji La - Nathu La is in which state?
Answer: Sikkim - Shipki La is in which state?
Answer: Himachal Pradesh - Which pass is on the Kailash Mansarovar route from Uttarakhand?
Answer: Lipulekh - In which range is K2 located?
Answer: Karakoram
How to Practise This Chapter
Practise 10 questions every day and write the steps on paper. Then attempt timed sets from our practice papers and the previous year papers page. See all topics on the Indian Geography notes page and the next topic Plains, Plateau and Coastal Plains. Also read the Indian Geography mind map and Rivers of India.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long are the Himalayas?
The Himalayas are about 2,400 km long.
What are the three ranges of the Himalayas?
Himadri (Greater), Himachal (Lesser) and Shiwalik (Outer).
Which is the highest peak of India?
Kanchenjunga, at 8,586 m, is the highest peak of India.
Which is the highest peak wholly in India?
Nanda Devi in Uttarakhand.
What is the height of Mount Everest?
About 8,849 m, in the Nepal-China border.
What are duns?
They are the longitudinal valleys between the Himachal and Shiwalik ranges, such as Dehradun.
Which pass connects Himachal Pradesh with Tibet?
Shipki La.
Which passes are in Sikkim?
Nathu La and Jelep La.
What is Trans-Himalaya?
It is the part of the Himalayan system north of the Himadri, and includes the Karakoram, Ladakh and Zaskar ranges.
What is Purvanchal?
It is the group of eastern hills: Patkai, Naga, Manipur and Mizo hills.
Is this topic asked in SSC exams?
Yes. Himalayas, passes and peaks are asked in the Geography part of SSC General Awareness.
How should I revise the passes?
Learn them by state in a table, and note the two places each connects.
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Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Rahul is a senior SSC exam strategist with 8+ years of experience helping aspirants crack CGL, CHSL and MTS exams. He writes in-depth notification breakdowns, exam pattern guides and preparation strategies.