The Shiwalik Range – Formation, Features, FAQs

Siwalik Range, also known as Siwalik Hills or the Outer Himalayas, Siwalik, usually written Shiwalik, is a sub-Himalayan range in northern India. It stretches over more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) west-northwest from the Tista River in Sikkim state, northeastern India, across Nepal, northwestern India, and northern Pakistan. The Siwalik are sometimes thought to encompass the southern Assam Himalayan foothills, which continue eastward for 400 miles (640 km) over southern Bhutan to the Brahmaputra River bend. The range in which the name is called Siwalik (from Sanskrit, meaning “Belonging to [the God] Shiva”) is the 200 miles (320 km) of foothills in India running northwestward from the Ganges River in Haridwar, Uttarakhand state, to the Beas River.

Shiwalik Range

Outer Himalayas or Shiwalik

Despite being only 10 miles (16 kilometers) broad in some parts, the range has an average elevation of 3,000 to 4,000 feet (900 to 1,200 meters). It rises abruptly from the Indus and Ganges (Ganga) river plains in the south and follows the main range of the Himalayas in the north, divided by valleys. The southern slopes of the Shiwalik Mountain in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh are densely forested. Cho’s, or seasonal streams, cut deep into the highlands. Valleys are synclines, whereas hills are anticlines or anti-synclines.

In the south, we call them the Shiwaliks, and in the north, it is called the Greater Himalayas. when it runs nearly parallel to both ranges. It is often called the Himachal or Lower Himalaya.

Shiwaliks were the final ranges to develop (2-20 million years ago). These deposits were folded and hardened as a result of the compression provided by the Indian plate’s northward migration. The Shiwaliks are consolidated sand, gravel, and conglomerate deposits carried by rivers, flows flowing from higher elevations. Conglomerates accumulated to produce the Shiwalik Hills (sand, stone, silt, gravel, debris, etc.).

Importance of Outer Himalayas or Shiwaliks

The importance of Shivalik ranges is as follows:

1. Shiwalik ranges which are present in North-East India to that of Nepal are forested densely, but there is a decrease in forest cover from the west of Nepal.
2. The southern slope of the shiwalik ranges in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh are almost devoid of any forest cover.
3. Valleys are part of Synclines and hills are part of anticlines.
4. Siwalik mountains are sometimes thought to include the southern hills of Assam Himalayas and extend 400 miles across southern Bhutan to the Brahmaputra river.
5. These sections are made of uncoordinated rivers and dense alluvium rocks cover the valleys.
6. Important Duns include Dehradun, Kotli Dun, and Patli Dun.

Different Names of Shiwalik

Region/areas	Names of Shiwaliks
Jammu area	Jammu Hills
Arunachal Pradesh	Dafla, Miri, Abor, and Mishmi Hills
Uttarakhand	The Dhang Range, Dundwa Range
Churia Ghat	Nepal

Formation of Duns

During the early phases of deposition, these aggregates impeded the courses of rivers pouring from the upper levels of the Himalayas, forming temporary lakes. These transient lakes absorbed more and more conglomerates over time. The aggregates were thoroughly settled at the lakes’ bottoms.

When rivers were able to carve their routes through lakes filled with conglomerate deposits, the lakes were drained away, producing plains known as ‘duns’ or ‘doons’ in the west and ‘duras’ in the east. Kotah, Patli Kothri, Chumbi, Kotli, and Kyarda are some of the names of duns.

Major Features of the Shiwaliks

• These ranges are made up of unconsolidated sediments transported by rivers from the major Himalayan mountains further north.
• They range in length from 10 to 50 kilometers and in altitude from 900 to 1100 meters.
• These are layered with thick gravel and alluvium. The longitudinal valley which was lying between the lesser Himalayas and also the Shiwaliks are called Duns, such as Kotah, Patli Kothri, Chumbi, Kyarda, etc.

Conclusion

The Shiwalik range which is also known as Outer Himalayas, is located between Great Plains and Lesser Himalayas. The long valley which stretches between Little Himalayas and Shiwaliks are Dehradun, Kotli Dun, and Patli Dun. Different names are given to Shiwaliks in different regions.

Related Links

1. The Himalayan Mountains
2. Major features of Shiwalik
3. Three ranges of Himalayas
4. What are duns?

 FAQs on The Shiwalik Range

What is Shiwalik range?

The Shiwaliks are the outermost range of the Himalayas and extend of width of 10-50 km and altitude of 900-1100 metres.

What is Shivalik famous for?

The Shivalik hills are among the richest in fossil sites concerning large animals.

Which states are in Shivalik range?

The states which are in Shivalik hills range from the state of Jammu and Kashmir on the west to Uttaranchal in east, which covers Himachal Pradesh and parts of Punjab and Haryana.

How do we call the Himalayas according to their altitudes?

In the south, we call them the Shiwaliks, and in the north, it is called the Greater Himalayas. when it runs nearly parallel to both ranges. It is often called the Himachal or Lower Himalaya.

How are the southern slopes of the Shiwalik arranged?

The southern slopes of the Shiwalik mountain in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh are densely forested. Cho’s, or seasonal streams, cut deep into the highlands.