Let’s begin with a simple question—Where does alluvial soil come from? Picture the Indo-Gangetic-Brahmaputra rivers flowing from the mighty Himalayas. As they journey down, they don’t just carry water—they carry finely ground particles (called silt, clay, sand, and minerals) eroded from Himalayan rocks. These sediments are deposited across the vast plains. Analogy: Imagine someone sweeping…
We can say soil as the interface between life and lifelessness. It is formed from rocks (non-living) but becomes the foundation for plants, crops, and forests (living). So, to understand soil, we need to ask three questions: Characteristics of Indian Soils Imagine the vast landscapes of India—from the fertile Indo-Gangetic plains to the rocky Deccan…
We now arrive at the Aryan Rock System, the final and most recent layer in India’s geological past, spanning from the Upper Carboniferous (~300 million years ago) to the Present. This period witnessed massive coal formation, marine invasions, volcanic eruptions, and the birth of the Himalayas. The Aryan Rock System is divided into four major…
Imagine standing on the mighty Himalayas, gazing at the towering peaks, and realizing that some of the rocks beneath your feet hold fossils of creatures that lived over 300 million years ago! Welcome to the Dravidian Rock System, a geological archive that preserves the ancient history of Earth’s life and landscapes. What is the Dravidian…
(600 to 1400 million years ago) Imagine a vast, ancient landscape where mighty rivers deposited layers of sand and clay over billions of years. These layers solidified into rock, forming some of the most recognizable geological formations of India. This is the Purana Rock System, a transition between the ancient Archaean rocks and the younger,…
(Pre-cambrian Rocks) Imagine a time when Earth was nothing like today—no rivers, no plants, no life. Just a scorching, volcanic surface covered in molten rock and swirling clouds of gases. It was during this chaotic phase, around 4 billion years ago, that the Archaean Rock System was born. These are the oldest rocks on Earth,…
Imagine standing on a vast landscape where every rock beneath your feet has a story—a story spanning billions of years, shaped by the relentless forces of nature. Some rocks whisper tales of fiery volcanic eruptions, while others hold secrets of ancient rivers, vanished continents, and even fossils of creatures that no longer exist. This is…
Let’s say you start setting sail from the eastern shores of India, gliding through the Bay of Bengal, and stepping onto the lush green Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Then, shifting course westward, you find yourself in the turquoise waters of the Arabian Sea, surrounded by the coral-ringed Lakshadweep Islands. These two island groups are India’s…
Introduction Let’s suppose you are a traveller, embarking on a magnificent journey along India’s coastline—starting from the salt-laden shores of Gujarat, moving past the lush Konkan belt, exploring the serene Kerala backwaters, and finally reaching the deltaic landscapes of the east coast. Along this journey, you will witness rugged cliffs, golden beaches, deep estuaries, and…
When we think of “hills,” we usually imagine newly formed, tall, rugged mountain ranges like the Himalayas.But the hills of the Peninsular Plateau are very different.They are ancient, weathered, and residual — the last remnants of once mighty mountains that have been worn down by erosion over millions of years. These are known as relict…
