WBBSE Class 6 Geography Solutions Chapter 10 India: Our Motherland

Detailed explanations in West Bengal Board Class 6 Geography Book Solutions Chapter 10 India: Our Motherland offer valuable context and analysis.

WBBSE Class 6 Geography Chapter 10 Question Answer – India: Our Motherland

Objective Type Questions: (1 mark each)

Question 1.
How many islands are there in Andaman and Nicobar islands?
Answer:
204

Question 2.
What is the real source of strength of India?
Answer:
Unity in diversity

Question 3.
What is the total geographical area of India?
Answer:
32,87,263 sq. km

Question 4.
Between which latitudes and longitudes does the Indian subcontinent lie?
Answer:
Between 8°N to 37°N and 68°E to 97°E.

Question 5.
What is the east-west and north-south extent of India?
Answer:
East-west extent of India is 2933km. while the north south extent is 3214km.

Question 6.
How many states are coastal states?
Answer:
Nine states

Question 7.
How many islands are there in Lakshadweep islands?
Answer:
36

Question 8.
Name a group of coral islands.
Answer:
Lakshadweep

Question 9.
What is the name of Brahmaputra in Tibet?
Answer:
Tsang-Po

Question 10.
Which channel separates Andaman islands and Nicobar islands ?
Answer:
Ten degree channel

Question 11.
Name an active volcanic island in India.
Answer:
Barren island near Nicobar island

Question 12.
Which state is called “The Land of Dawn’?
Answer:
Arunachal Pradesh

Question 13.
Name one state in India where tropical evergreen forests are found.
Answer:
Kerala.

Question 14.
Name one region of India where thorn and scrub forests are found.
Answer:
Thar Desert.

Question 15.
Name three important trees found in tropical evergreen forests.
Answer:
Rosewood, Ebony, Gurjan.

Question 16.
Why are monsoon forests are called deciduous forests?
Answer:
Because these shed their leaves insummer.

Question 17.
Name three states where monsoon forests are found?
Answer:
Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

Question 18.
Name one important commercial tree of Madhya Pradesh.
Answer:
Teak.

Question 19.
Name three typical trees of coniferous forests.
Answer:
Pine, Deodar, Silver fir.

Question 20.
Name three important trees found in Tidal forests.
Answer:
Sundari, hogla, garan, gewa, gotpata etc.

Question 21.
Name the economically most important vegetation belt of India.
Answer:
Monsoon deciduous forests.

Question 22.
Name two typical trees
Answer:
Khair and Khajuri

Question 23.
Which state is the largest producer of wheat in India?
Answer:
Up

Question 24.
What is the harmful effect of too much rain on wheat crop.
Answer:
It cases mildew in wheat

Question 25.
Is rice is a kharif crop or a Rabi crop?
Answer:
Kharif crop

Question 26.
Which is the most important fibre crop in West Bengal.
Answer:
Jute

Question 27.
In which types of soils is coffee grown in India.
Answer:
Red soil and laterite soil

Question 28.
Which state in India produces the largest quantity of raw cotton?
Answer:
Gujarat

Question 29.
In which area was the coffee plantations started?
Answer:
Inchickmagalur

Question 30.
Name a disease of sugarcane ?
Answer:
Red Rot

Question 31.
Which is the main collecting centre for tea in southern India ?
Answer:
cochi

Question 32.
Which country is the native place of sugarcane?
Answer:
India

Question 33.
Name one state in India where tropical evergreen forests are found.
Answer:
Kerala.

Question 34.
Name one region of India where thorn and scrub forests are found.
Answer:
Thar Desert.

Question 35.
Name three important trees found in tropical evergreen forests.
Answer:
Rosewood, Ebony, Gurjan.

Question 36.
Why are monsoon forests are called deciduous forests?
Answer:
Because these shed their leaves in summer.

Question 37.
Name three states where monsoon forests are found?
Answer:
Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

Question 38.
Name one important commercial tree of Madhya Pradesh.
Answer:
Teak.

Question 39.
Name three typical trees of coniferous forests.
Answer:
Pine, Deodar, Silver fir.

Question 40.
Name three important trees found in Tidal forests.
Answer:
Sundari, hogla, garan, gewa, gotpata etc.

Question 41.
Name the economically most important vegetation belt of India.
Answer:
Monsoon deciduous forests.

Question 42.
Name two typical trees
Answer:
Khair and Khajuri.

Question 43.
Name two important festivals of the christian community
Answer:
Christmas, Good Friday.

Question 44.
Which tribe has a Tibetan origin ?
Answer:
Bhutia

Question 45.
When do we observe our Republic Day?
Answer:
26th January

Question 46.
What is your mother language?
Answer:
Nepalee

Answer the following questions briefly: (2 mark each)

Question 1.
Define the term soil.
Answer:
Soil is a thin layer of loose material of small rock particles and rotting organic matter that covers much of the world’s land surface.

Question 2.
Why is soil important?
Answer:
Soil supports all forests, grasslands and crops from which all living creatures of the earth drive their food.

Question 3.
Name the four main elements found in soils.
Answer:
Silica, clay, chalk and humus.

Question 4.
State the factors on which the formation of soils depends.
Answer:

• Parent material
• Tropgraphy
• Climate.

Question 5.
State three types of soils on the basis of its composition.
Answer:

• Sandy, soils
• Clayey soils
• Loamy soils.

Question 6.
Name two main types of alluvial soils found in Northern India.
Answer:

• Khadar and
• Bangar soils.

Question 7.
State the local names for Khader and Bangar soils.
Answer:

• Khadar soil = Bet (local name)
• Bangar Soil = Dhaia (local name)

Question 8.
Name two important crops or grains grown in alluvial soils.
Answer:
Rice and wheat.

Question 9.
Which soils are found on the periphery of Deccan plateau ?
Answer:
Red soils.

Question 10.
Which soil is most widespread over Penisular India?
Answer:
Red soils.

Question 11.
Name two states where red soils are mostly found.
Answer:
Tamil Nadu and Chhattishgarh.

Question 12.
What is the appearance of regur soils ?
Answer:
Blak.

Question 13.
Name two states where black soils are found.
Answer:
Maharastra and Madhya Pradesh.

Question 14.
Stat the two other names for black soils.
Answer:
Cotton soil and Regur soils.

Question 15.
How are black soils formed?
Answer:
By weathering of vocanic rocks of Deccan trap.

Question 16.
In which type of climate are laterite soils formed?
Answer:
Tropical monsoon climate.

Question 17.
State three states where laterite soils are found.
Answer:
Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Orisha.

Question 18.
For which crops are laterite soils best suited?
Answer:
For plantation crops.

Question 19.
Which two types of soils are found in Sandy deserts?
Answer:
Saline and alkaline.

Question 20.
For which crop mountain soils are best suited?
Answer:
For plantation crops like tea.

Question 21.
What is the cause of sheet erosion?
Answer:
Cultivation on hill slopes.

Question 22.
What are chos?
Answer:
Choose are seasonal streams in foothills of siwaliks.

Question 23.
Define agriculture?
Answer:
Agriculture is the practice, art and science of cultivating the land and raising crops for food.

Question 24.
State any two Rabi crops.
Answer:
Wheat and Oilseeds.

Question 25.
What kind of soil is best suited for cultivation of rice?
Answer:
Alluvial loans in river valleys and deltas.

Question 26.
Name three millets.
Answer:
Jowar, Bajra, Ragi.

Question 27.
Name two states which are the leading producers of millets.
Answer:
Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

Question 28.
Name three states which produce long staple cotton.
Answer:
Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Question 29.
Why is Maharastra leading cotton producing state in the country?
Answer:
Due to suitable black soils.

Question 30.
Why are millets called dry crops?
Answer:
Millets are grown in dry areas. The moisture is not sufficient for the growth of other crops. So these are known as dry crops.

Question 31.
Give two aspects of Green Revolution which helped increase the yield of wheat.
Answer:

• Use of better varieties of wheat
• Highly mechanised farming.

Question 32.
What is commercial farming?
Answer:
When cultivation is done on large farms to earn from each crops, it is called commercial farming.

Answer the following questions briefly: (2/3 mark each)

Question 1.
Define the term soil.
Answer:
Soil is a thin layer of loose material of small rock particles and rotting organic matter that covers much of the world’s land surface.

Question 2.
Name the four main elements found in soils.
Answer:
Silica, clay, chalk and humus.

Question 3.
Explain the importance of soils.
Answer:
Many human and economic activities depend on soils. All out food comes directly or indirectly from soils. Livestock farming depends upon raising of grass on different soils. Soils have affected the march of civilisations. Ancient civilisations developed in fertile river valleys. Fertile soils attract human settlements. Density of population depends upon soil fertility and productivity.

Question 4.
Name any five methods to check soil erosion.
Answer:
The following methods are adopted to guard against soil erosion :

• Afforestation and reafforestation
• Controlled grazing
• Terraced ploughing
• Contour bunding
• Rotation of crops.

Question 5.
What are the characteristics of laterite soils? Name one region where it is found.
Answer:

• The laterite soils are of brick colour.
• These are shallow, acidic and less fertile.
• These are less fertile due to leaching of soil.
• These are poor in nitrogen, potash but rich in iron.
• These are found in Tamil Nadu.

Question 6.
Mention two characteristics of red soil.
Answer:

• These are poor in nitrogen and humus.
• Their colour is red due to high iron content.

Question 7.
How many types of soils are found in India ?
Answer:
There are five main types of soils in India :

• Alluvial soils
• Black soils
• Laterite soils
• Red soils
• Desert soils.

Question 8.
In what ways does regur soil help agriculture?
Answer:

• It can retain moisture and become wet. When dry, it can be easily ploughed.
• It is highly fortile and suitable for cultivation of cotton.

Question 9.
Soil erosion has become a pressing problem in India.
i. What is soil erosion ?
ii. Give two reason for this soil erosion.
iii. Give two methods used to prevent soil erosion.
Answer:
i. Soil erosion is the destruction and removal of topsoil by running water, wind, etc.
ii. Deforestation and overgrazing.
iii. Afforestation and controlled gazing.

Question 10.
Name the three types of alluvium and state the areas of their occurence.
Answer:

• Deltaic alluvium-Gange delta.
• Coastal aluvium-Deltas of east-coast.
• Inland alluvium-Punjab plains.

Question 11.
Why are the alluvial soils of Deccan coastal plain darker in colour ?
Answer:
Most of the Deccan rivers rise from western ghats. These flow through black soil region. These carry a lot of black soil to Delta which makes it dark. For example, the soils of Godavari and Krishna valley.

Question 12.
Why are red soils red in colour ?
Answer:
The red colour is due to iron content. The process of oxidation makes it red.

Question 13.
Why is black soil easily friable ?
Answer:
During dry period, cracks appear in black soils. These help in acration of soils. So it is easy to cultivate these.

Question 14.
State the conditions favouring the formation of laterite soils. :
Answer:

• Monsoon climate.
• Alternating wet and dry seasons.
• High temperatures and high rainfall.
• Leaching of soils.

Question 15.
State three factors which determine kind of soil erosion.
Answer:

• Climate
• Slope
• Nature of cultivation.

Answer the following questions briefly: (5 mark each)

Question 1.
Compare Black soils and Red soils.
Answer:

Black Soil	Red Soil
1. This soil has been formed by the decomposition of lava rocks.	1. This soil is formed by the decomposition of those rocks which have iron contents.
2. This soil contains potassium, iron, magneism and humus.	2. This soil does not contain magnesium, phosphours, nitrogen and lime. It has large amount of iron oxide.
3. Black soil can retain moisture for a long time and does not require much irrigation.	3. It cannot retain moisture for long. Crops can be grown during the rainy season.
4. This soil is very productive.	4. It is not very fertile.

Question 2.
Distinguish between Bangar and Khadar.
Answer:
Distinction between Banar and Khadar:

Bangar	Khadar
1. The older alluvium of the plains is called Bhangar.	1. The younger alluvium of the plains is called Khadar.
2. This area stands above the level of the flood plain.	2. Flood wate spreads a new layer over it every year.
3. It is composed of calcareous kankars and clay.	3. It is composed of fertile alluvium.
4. The flood water does not reach here.	4. These are actually flood plains of the rivers.
5. In some areas, local name Dhata is given to this.	5. In some areas local name Betis given to this.

Identify the correct answers (MCQ): (1 mark each)

Question 1.
The tropic of cancer passes through ………….
a. Rajasthan
b. Odisha
c. Chhattisgarh
d. Assam
Answer:
c. Chhattisgarh

Question 2.
Northern most point of India is ………….
a. Kibithu
b. Guhar Moti
c. Indira Col
d. Indira Point
Answer:
c. Indira Col

Question 3.
The state of India that shares boundary with maximum states
a. Uttar Pradesh
b. Kerala
c. Andhra Pradesh
d. Tripura
Answer:
a. Uttar Pradesh

Question 4.
The easternmost longitude of india is ………….
a. 97º 25′ E
b. 68º 7′ E
c. 77º  6′ E
d. 82º  32′ E
Answer:
a. 97º 25′ E

Question 5.
India is located in the ………….
a. northern hemisphere
b. southern hemisphere
c. north-western hemisphere
d. north-eastern hemisphere
Answer:
a. northern hemisphere

Question 6.
Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait separates ……………. from India.
a. Pakistan
b. Maldives
c. Sri Lanka
d. Nepal
Answer:
c. Sri Lanka

Question 7.
Here the largest neighbouring country of India is ………….
a. Sri Lanka
b. Bhutan
c. Nepal
d. Bangladesh
Answer:
d. Bangladesh

Question 8.
The smallest neighbouring country of India is ………….
a. Sri Lanka
b. Bhutan
c. Nepal
d. Bangladesh
Answer:
b. Bhutan

Question 9.
The State Reorganisation Commission was set up in ………….
a. 1953
b. 1956
c. 1965
d. 1972
Answer:
a. 1953

Question 10.
India lies in the continent of …………..
a. Asia
b. Europe
c. Africa
d. North America
Answer:
a. Asia

Question 11.
The most continuous Himalayan range is ……..
a. Himachal
b. Himadri
c. Shiwaliks
d. Tethys Himalayas
Answer:
b. Himadri

Question 12.
The largest and longest mountain system of India is the ……..
a. Aravalli range
b. Anaimalai range
c. Nilgiri range
d. Himalayan range
Answer:
d. Himalayan range

Question 13.
The Thar desert lies to the west of which range?
a. Aravalli
b. Vindhya
c. Satpura
d. Western Ghats
Answer:
a. Aravalli

Question 14.
The oldest landmass of India is the …………
a. Deccan Plateau
b. Alluvian plain
c. Himalayan range
d. Rajasthan desert
Answer:
a. Deccan Plateau

Question 15.
The highest region of the Himalayas is …………
a. Gangotri
b. Shiwalik
c. Himadri
d. Himachal
Answer:
c. Himadri

Question 16.
Highest peak of Deccan plateau or Southern India is …………….
a. Dodabeta
b. Patkoi
c. Anaimudi
d. Gurushikhar
Answer:
c. Anaimudi

Question 17.
Name the coast where the lagoons are locally known as Kayal …………
a. Malabar
b. Konkan
c. Coromandal
d. Karnataka
Answer:
a. Malabar

Question 18.
The Nilgiris are part of the ……..
a. Eastern Ghats
b. Western Ghats
c. Vindhyachal
d. Tamil Nadu Hills
Answer:
b. Western Ghats

Question 19.
Lakshadweep islands are located in …….
a. Bay of Bengal
b. Arabian Sea
c. Indian Ocean
d. Persian Gulf.
Answer:
b. Arabian Sea

Question 20.
Purvachal refers to the …….
a. Eastern Ghat
b. Western Ghat
c. North-east frontier mountain range
d. Chota Nugpur
Answer:
c. North-east frontier mountain range

Question 21.
Which of the following does not have influence over the climate in India?
a. Nearness of equator
b. Presence of Indian Ocean
c. Monsoons
d. Ocean currents
Answer:
d. Ocean currents

Question 22.
The place in India receiving the lowest rainfall is-……….
a. Jaisalmer
b. Bikaner
c. Jodhpur
d. Leh
Answer:
d. Leh

Question 23.
The Wettest place found in the north-east of India is-……….
a. Jacobabad
b. Mawsynram
c. Cherrapunji
d. Kohima
Answer:
b. Mawsynram

Question 24.
Monsoons are winds.
a. local
b. seasonal
c. permanent
d. temporary
Answer:
b. seasonal

Question 25.
India lies to the north and south of the-……….
a. Arctic Circle
b. Tropic of Cancer
c. Equator
d. Tropic of Capricorn
Answer:
b. Tropic of Cancer

Question 26.
The retreating south-west monsoon does not affect-……….
a. Tamil Nadu
b. Odisha
c. Andhra Pradesh
d. Uttar Pradesh
Answer:
d. Uttar Pradesh

Question 27.
The place that gets rainfall from the western disturbances is-……….
a. Ahmedabad
b. Mumbai
c. Srinagar
d. Kolkata
Answer:
c. Srinagar

Question 28.
The place which has lowest mean temperature in January is-
a. Kolkata
b. Lucknow
c. Mumbai
d. Srinagar
Answer:
d. Srinagar

Question 29.
Tamil Nadu gets most of its rainfall in the months of-……….
a. March-April
b. July-August
c. October-November
d. December-January
Answer:
c. October-November

Question 30.
The state of Assam falls in the region of-……….
a. heavy rainfall
b. moderate rainfall
c. very heavy rainfall
d. scanty rainfall
Answer:
c. very heavy rainfall

Question 31.
One of regions that receives rainfall from the north-easterly monsoon is……….
a. Assam
b. Kerala
c. West Bengal
d. Tamil Nadu
Answer:
d. Tamil Nadu

Question 32.
At which place will you find maximum sunlight in December ?
a. Kanyakumari
b. Pune
c. Kolkata
d. Lah
Answer:
a. Kanyakumari

Question 33.
The minimum forest cover nessary to maintain ecological balance is………..
a. 50% of the total land area
b. 42% of the total land area
c. 32% of the total land area
d. 33 % of the total land area
Answer:
d. 33 % of the total land area

Question 34.
How much area of the country is under forest
a. 22%
b. 33%
c. 42%
d. 48%
Answer:
a. 22%

Question 35.
Tidal forests are known as …………
a. Tripical evergreen forests
b. Dry deciduous forest
c. Mangrove forests
d. Semidesert forests.
Answer:
d. Semidesert forests.

Question 36.
Teak, Sal, Sandalwood are examples of ………..
a. dry deciduous
b. Wet deciduous
c. desert forest
d. mangroves forest
Answer:
b. Wet deciduous

Question 37.
Rosewood, gurjan, chaples etc. are examples of ………..
a. Tropical evergreen
b. Wet deciduous
c. dry deciduous mangrove forest
d. Tropical evergreen forest
Answer:
d. Tropical evergreen forest

Question 38.
Oak, pine, fir etc. are examples of ………..
a. Tropical evergreen
b. Deciduous forest
c. mountain forests
d. Desert forest
Answer:
c. mountain forests

Question 39.
Indian Forest Research centre situated in the town of ………..
a. Delhi
b. Chennai
c. Dehradun
d. Kolkata
Answer:
c. Dehradun

Question 40.
The National Forest law of India was passed in-……………
a. 1952
b. 1962
c. 1972
d. 1982
Answer:
d. 1982

Question 41.
The most important food crop of India is: …………
a. Tea
b. Rice
c. Pulses
d. Millets
Answer:
a. Tea

Question 42.
One of the Kharif crops is …………..
a. Gram
b. Wheat
c. Rapeseed
d. Rice
Answer:
d. Rice

Question 43.
One of the rabicrops is…………
a. Wheat
b. Rice
c. Jowar
d. Jute
Answer:
a. Wheat

Question 44.
Which region in India is known as the ‘Rice Bowl of India’.
a. Indo-Gangetic plain
b. Krishna Godavari Delta Region
c. North-east region
d. Kerala and Karnataka
Answer:
a. Indo-Gangetic plain

Question 45.
Which of the following is the second most important crop of India ?
a. Wheat
b. Rice
c. Jowar
d. Bajra
Answer:
a. Wheat

Question 46.
Which of the following states is the leading producer of tea ?
a. West Bengal
b. Sikkim
c. Assam
d. Karnataka
Answer:
c. Assam

Question 47.
The Kharif season beings
a. With the onset of South-west
b. Monsoon
c. In December
d. In March
Answer:
a. With the onset of South-west

Question 48.
The largest producer of rice in India is…………
a. Bihar
b. Tamil Nadu
c. West Bengal
d. Karnataka
Answer:
c. West Bengal

Question 49.
Which state has the largest producer of sugarcane in India is-…………
a. Bihar
b. Punjab
c. Maharastra
d. Uttar Pradesh
Answer:
d. Uttar Pradesh

Question 50.
Central Sugarcane research centre is located at…………
a. Kanpur
b. Allahabad
c. Lucknow
d. Banaras
Answer:
c. Lucknow

Question 51.
Cotton Research Centre is 10cated at…………
a. Kanpur
b. Nagpur
c. Ahmedabad
d. Coimbatore
Answer:
b. Nagpur

Question 52.
Rice cultivation require temperature between
a. 15°-20°C
b. 20°-30°C
c. 30°-35°C
d. above 35° C
Answer:
b. 20°-30°C

Question 53.
Wheat cultivation requires rainfall between
a. 50-100 cm
b. 100-150 cm
c. 150-200 cm
d. 200-250 cm
Answer:
a. 50-100 cm

Question 54.
The second largest tea producing state of India is …………
a. Assam
b. Tamil Nadu
c. West Bengal
d. Karnataka
Answer:
c. West Bengal

Question 55.
Tribes are also known in India as ……
a. Adivasis
b. Upajatis
c. Gonds
d. Sanbthals
Answer:
a. Adivasis

Question 56.
Bow men of Rajasthan is called to……
a. Gonds
b. Bhils
c. Jarawas
d. Santhals
Answer:
b. Bhils

Question 57.
Tribes of Himachal Pradesh
a. Chanchu
b. Khasis
c. Munda
d. Kinnaur
Answer:
d. Kinnaur

Question 58.
Chanchu adivasis are inhabitant of …..
a. Kerala
b. Tamil Nadu
c. Rajasthan
d. Andhra Pradesh
Answer:
d. Andhra Pradesh

Fill in the blanks with the correct words: (1 mark each)

1. According to size, India stands ___________ in the world.
Answer: 7th

2. Eastern most point in India is ___________
Answer: Kibithu

3. ___________ is the largest province or state in area in India.
Answer: Rajasthan

4. ___________ is the smallest state in India.
Answer: Goa

5. ___________ is the newest state in India.
Answer: Telangana

6. Southern most point of india is ___________ of Andaman and Nicobar islands, previously it was called Pygmalion Point.
Answer: Indira Point

7. The number of Indian states at present is ___________
Answer: 29

8. India covers an area of ___________ sq. km.
Answer: 32,87,782

9. _______ on Karakoram is the highest peak of India.
Answer: K2

10. ______ is the highest plateau in India.
Answer: Ladakh

11. The ______ range lies between the Narmada and Tapi.
Answer: Satpura

12. ______ is well-known pass to the south of Nilgiris connecting Kerala to Tamil Nadu.
Answer: Palghat

13. The ______ of Kashmir is the longest and the most important Himachal range.
Answer: Pir Panjal

14. The highest peak in India’s Himalayan mountain region is ______
Answer: Kangchenjunga

15. The ______ plateaus constitute the largest physiographic division of the country.
Answer: Peninsular

16. Northern section of the Western Ghat range is known as ______
Answer: Sahyadris

17. ______ is the largest lagoon of Malabar coast.
Answer: Vembanad

18. The middle himalayas are known as ______
Answer: Himachal

19. Rajasthan is in the region of ______ rainfall.
Answer: Scanty

20. The region getting rainfall during the south-west monsoon and northeast monsoon______
Answer: East Coast

21. The climate of India is described as ______ monsoon.
Answer: Tropical

22. The ______ monsoon winds flow form land to sea.
Answer: Retreating

23. The rainfall with violent thunder and lightning is known as ______ of monsoon.
Answer: Burst

24. Tamil Nadu gets rainfall from the ______ monsoon wind.
Answer: north-east

25. India gets rainfall from south west monsoon between June and ______
Answer: July

26. Punjab gets rainfall in winter due to the cyclonic depressions originated from the …………
Answer: September

27. The ______ soils of the delt are more fertile than the coastal ______
Answer: alluvial, alluvium

28. Khader is the ______ alluvium where as bhangar is ______ alluvium.
Answer: newer

29. Black soil is also called as ______ soil.
Answer: regur

30. Rajasthan has ______ soil.
Answer: arid or desert

31. Black soils are fertile because they have ______
Answer: magnesium carbonate

32. Laterite soils are rich in ______ and iron oxides.
Answer: aluminium

33. A huge amount of soil erosion takes place during mineral ______
Answer: extraction

34. Planting trees on barren hill slopes is one of the methods of soil ______
Answer: conservation

35. Wildlife refers to wild plants and wild ______
Answer: animals

36. Affestation means forest ______
Answer: expansion

37. ______in India where tropical evergreen forests are found.
Answer: The western slopes of western ghats

38. The total forested area in India is about ______ million hectares.
Answer: 63.73

39. ______ March is observed as “World Forest Day’.
Answer: 21

40. Teak and Sal are the most important trees of ______forest in India.
Answer: Monsoon

41. There is a close relationship between ______ and vegetation.
Answer: Climate

42. The annual festival of tree planting called ______ is celebrated to make the people aware of the utility of forests.
Answer: Van Mahotsav

43. Summer : ______ Winter: Orange
Answer: Mango

44. Mountainous Temperate Forest: Pine. ______Teak
Answer: Tropical Deciduous Forest

45. Tea cultivation: slopes. Paddy cultivation: ______
Answer: Plains

46. Kaziranga National Park : Rhinoceros.Gir National Park: ______
Answer: Lion

47. Mangrove: West Bengal.Mountainous Temperate Forests: ______
Answer: Kashmir

48. High Blood Presure : ______ Malaria : Cinchona.
Answer: Sarpagandha

49. Alluvial Soil : ______ Black soil : Cotton.
Answer: Jute

50. A food crop that grows under stagnent water condition is ______
Answer: Rice

51. India stands next to in the called ______ crops.
Answer: China

52. Crops cultivated for sale are called ______ crops.
Answer: Cash

53. The crop referred to as golden fibre is ______
Answer: Jute

54. ______ is the staple food of south Indians.
Answer: Rice

55. ______ is cultivated both as a Kharif and rabi crop.
Answer: Sesamum

56. The Beverage crops are and ______
Answer: Tea, coffee

57. Green Revolution has introduced programmees of ______ agriculture.
Answer: intensive

58. Father of the nation is ______
Answer: Mahatma Gandhi

59. Independence day is observed on ______ in India.
Answer: 26th January

60. The main occupation of Todas is ______ rearing.
Answer: Cattle

61. ______ are the native people of South Andaman.
Answer: Jarawas

62. ______ is the main occupation of Bhutia.
Answer: agriculture

If the sentence is true, write ‘T’ and if false write ‘F’ against the following. (1 mark each)

1. North-eastern hills of India are together known as Purbachal.
Answer: True

2. Siachen is the longest glacier in India.
Answer: True

3. The Western coastal plain lies along the Bay of Bengal.
Answer: False

4. The Narmada Valley lies between the Vindhyas and Satpura.
Answer: True

5. The Gangotri and the Yamunotri glaciers are found in the Himadri.
Answer: True

6. Mangrove vegetation groups in the black soils of Deccan plateau region.
Answer: False

7. Khadar soil is very much fertile.
Answer: True

8. In India red soil mainly originates from granite and gneiss rocks.
Answer: True

9. The new alluvium of the river valley is known as regur.
Answer: False

10. Soil gets eroded indirectly by too much animal grazing.
Answer: True

11. Due to soil erosion, the upper layer rich in organic matter, is lost and soil becomes infertile.
Answer: True

12. In order to check soil erosion step cultivation should be practiced on the hill slopes.
Answer: True

13. The roots of trees do not hold the soil tight.
Answer: False

14. The tropical deciduous forests are the most important forests of India.
Answer: True

15. Social forestry is a plan for deforestation as well as consumption.
Answer: False

16. Tidal forests are found on the estuaries and fringe of deltas along the east coast of India.
Answer: True

17. The one-horned rhinoceros is found nowhere in the world except in Assam, India.
Answer: True

18. Lions, in Asia, are found only in the Gir Forest of Gujarat.
Answer: True

19. India has over 500 species of animals and 1200 species of birds.
Answer: True

20. Tropical evergreen forests in India are found in the areas with under 80cm of annual rainfall.
Answer: False

21. There are about 88 national parks in India.
Answer: True

22. Wheat is a Kharif crop and it thrives well is hot and humid climate.
Answer: False

23. The coarse grains like Jowar, Bajra and ragi are together called as millets.
Answer: True

24. India has the largest are a under pulses.
Answer: True

25. Crops cultivated for food are termed as cash crops.
Answer: False

26. Jute is an important cash crop in the north eastern parts of India.
Answer: True

27. India has been the largest producer and consumer of black tea in the world.
Answer: True

28. Todas inhabit the Nilgiri hills.
Answer: True

29. Khasis follow Christianity.
Answer: True

30. Santhals are one of the largest tribe in India.
Answer: False

31. The chief occupation of Munda is cultivation.
Answer: False

32. Santhal adivasis have Oichiki script.
Answer: True

Match the Following (1 mark each)

Question 1.

1. The cold weather season	a. October-November
2. The hot weather season	b. December-February
3. The south-west monsoon season	c. March-May
4. The north-east monsoon season	d. September-March
	e. June-September

Answer:

1. The cold weather season	b. December-February
2. The hot weather season	c. March-May
3. The south-west monsoon season	e. June-September
4. The north-east monsoon season	a. October-November

Question 2.

1. Loo winds	a. Punjab
2. Norwesters	b. Tamil Nadu
3. Blossom showers	c. Rajasthan
4. Break of monsoons	d. Assam and West Bengal
5. Western disturbances	e. Karnataka
	f. Kerala

Answer:

1. Loo winds	c. Rajasthan
2. Norwesters	d. Assam and West Bengal
3. Blossom showers	e. Karnataka
4. Break of monsoons	f. Kerala
5. Western disturbances	a. Punjab

Question 3.

1. Allvial soil	a. Sahyadris
2. Black soil	b. Arid and semi-arid parts
3. Reds oil	c. Jammu and Kashmir
4. Laterite soil	d. Deccan trap
5. Forest and hilly soil	e. Peninsular India
	f. Northern plains
	g. Jhar desert of Rajasthan

Answer:

1. Allvial soil	f. Northern plains
2. Black soil	d. Deccan trap
3. Reds oil	e. Peninsular India
4. Laterite soil	a. Sahyadris
5. Forest and hilly soil	c. Jammu and Kashmir

India: Our Motherland Class 6 WBBSE Notes

Chapter at a Glance

India : The largest democratic country in the world is India. In Asia, India is the leading developing country. India’s latitudinal extent lies between 8°4‘ N and 37° 6‘N, whereas its longitudinal extent lies between 68° 7’E and 97°25‘E. India is the 7 th largest country in the world. Its total area is 32,87,263 sq. km. Delhi is the capital of India.

Physiography of India : India has a colourful beauty in nature. India is a land of rivers, mountains, extensive plains, plateaus, deserts and coastal regions. India, can be divided into five physiographic divisions, such as

• The Northern Mountains
• The Northern Plains
• The Peninsular Plateau or the Deccan Plateau
• The Coastal Plains and
• The Islands.

Rivers of India: The rivers of India are broadly classified into two groups, such as

• The North Indian Rivers and
• The South Indian Rivers.

The North Indian rivers are mainly the Ganga, Brahmaputra, Indus etc. Ganga is the largest and most important river of India. Its total length is 2071km. The South Indian rivers are mainly the Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri etc.

Climate of India : The general climate that can be seen in India is ‘Tropical Monsoon Climate’. Mainly four seasons are there in India Prominently, namely summer, monsoon, autumn and winter. The summer lasts here for much more time than the winter.

About 80% of rainfall in India occurs due to the south-west monsoons. The highest rainfall in the world occurs in Mawsinram near Cherrapunji in Meghalaya (1350cm).

Soils of India : The materials on the earth surface within which horizons or layers have developed is known as soil. The soils of India has divided into 27 types according to their colour, texture, mineral and retentive capacity of moisture. The types of soils are classified into 8 categories, such as

• Alluvial soil,
• Black soil
• Red soil
• Laterite soil
• Desert soil
• Saline soil and
• Mountain soil.

Natural Vegetation of India : In India, about 20.55% land is under forest cover. Natural forests in India can be categorised as

• Tropical Evergreen Rain- Forests
• Tropical Deciduous Forests
• Semi-deserts and deserts vegetation
• Tidal Forests
• Mountain Forests.

Wildlife of India : Various kinds of wild animals and birds are found in the Indian forests. Some of the important animals are lions, tigers, leopards, elephants, bears, rhinoceros etc.

Agriculture of India : India is an agricultural country. About 65% people of India are involved in agriculture. The main crops of India are Rice, Wheat, Maize, Cotton, Jute, Tea, Coffee, Rubber, Sugarcane etc.

Tribes of India : India has the largest tribal peoples (about 84.4 million). They are the poorest and perhaps the most backward in the world. Some of the major tribal groups in India are Gonds, Santhals, Bhils, Khasis, Angamis, Bhutias and Andamanese.

Location :

Introduction : India is the world’s largest democratic country. India is a huge and ancient country. It has its unique culture, heritage and signature, that gives it a classic ‘Indianism’. Probably about 3500 years ago, the country derived its name ‘Bharat’,after the ancient ruler named King Bharat. The ancient Greek people named this land ‘India’, which probably has come from river ‘Indus’.

Location : India is located in the north-eastern hemisphere of the world. It belongs to the continent of Asia. Lying in the southern part, India is an important developing country of Asia, as well as the world.

Latitudinal extent : The main landmass of India lies between 8°4‘ N (Kanyakumari) and 37° 6‘N (Kashmir Border). The Tropic of Cancer (23 \(\frac{1}{2}\)°N) passes through the middle of the country from east to west, cutting it almost into two equal halves.

Longitudinal extent : India lies between 68° 7‘E (western border of Gujarat) and 97° 25‘E (Eastern border of Arunachal Pradesh). The 82 \(\frac{1}{2}\)° E longitude passes through the centre of the country, cutting it into almost equal halves on the east and west. This is also considered as the Standard Meridian, along which, the Indian Standard Time is calculated.

Boundaries
North : The northern boundary is marked by the huge and gigantic Himalayan range. China, Nepal and Bhutan also form parts of the northern boundary.

North West : Pakistan and Afghanistan mark the north-western boundary.

West : The western side of India is bounded by Pakistan and the Arabian Sea.

East : The eastern boundary is constituted by Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bay of Bengal.

South : The southern boundary is marked by the Indian Ocean and Sri Lanka, which is separated from the Indian landmass by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar.

Size : India is the 7th largest country of the world, after Russian Commonwealth, China, Canada, Brazil, USA and Australia. Total area of this country was 32,87,263 sq. km. of which 37.555 sq. km. was illegally occupied by China, and 78,114 sq. km by Pakistan. It constitutes about 2.4% of total land surface of the earth. Along land surface, the border of India is about 15,200km long. The coastline is about 7516.6km including Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands.

Why is India called a ‘peninsular country’ ?
If a landmass is surrounded by sea on three sides and attached to the main landmass on the fourth side, it is called a peninsula. India is surrounded by the Bay of Bengal, Indian ocean and Arabian Sea on the east, south and west respectively. On the north, it is bounded by the Great Himalayan range, Nepal, Bhutan and China. Hence, India is called a ‘peninsular country’.

Why is India called a ‘sub-continent’?
India, together with Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka is called a ‘sub-continent’. The huge size, huge population, large variety of physical and geographical features, culture, heritage, etc. make the land as diverse as a continent. The usual characteristics of any continent are found in this land. Although not as big as a continent, this huge landmass exhibits ‘unity in diversity’. Hence it is called a ‘sub-continent’.

Some important points

1. Northernmost point of India → Indira Col in Kashmir.
2. Southernmost point of India → Indira Point of Andaman and Nicobar islands. Previously it was called Pygmalion Point.
3. Westernmost point of India → Guhar Moti of Gujarat.
4. Eastern most point of India → Kibithu of Arunachal Pradesh.
5. Time difference between the eastern and western margins of India → about 1 hour 56min.
6. Southernmost point of India’s main landmass → Kanyakumari of Tamil Nadu.
7. Indian state that shares boundary with maximum number of states → Uttar Pradesh, touches 8 state boundaries.
8. State touching maximum number of international boundaries → West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir.

Delhi is also the Capital of India.

• The biggest in area – Rajasthan.
• The Smallest State – Goa.
• Smallest Union Teritory – Lakshadweep.

The basis of reorganisation of states in India : Importance is laid on five points

• Language
• Advantage from administrative point as well as development plans
• Similarity of economic and geographic features
• Economic stabitity and
• Physical and Geographic similarities.

Some important borders and borderlines of India :

Border	Countries sharing the border
1. Durand line	India-Afghanistan (1896)
2. Macmohan line	India-China (1914, after Simla Treaty)
3. Radcliffe line	India-Pakistan (1947, about 8000 km long, including East Pakistan now Bangladesh).
4. 24th Parallel	India-Pakistan (demanded by Pakistan)
5. 8° Channel	Minicoy—Maldives Islands.
6. 9° Channel	Lakshadweep-Minicoy islands.
7. 10° Channel	Andaman-Nicobar Islands.
8. Duncan Passage	Bigger Andaman-Smaller Andaman
9. Great Channel	Andaman Nicobar-Sumatra
10. Line of Control(LOC)	India-Pakistan (Near Kashmir)
11. 28th Parallel	Between part of Kashmir occupied by India and part of Kashmir occupied by Pakistan.

Cultural Heritage of India :
Important cultural heritage sites of India are

a. Historical and cultural heritage sites :

• Humayun’s tomb in Delhi
• Taj Mahal at Agra
• Agra Fort
• Khajuraho
• The caves of Ajanta and Elora.

b. Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, Konark Sun Temple, Churches and Convents of Goa, Fatehpur Sikri etc.

c. India’s World natural heritage sites are Sundarbans, the Nanda Devi peak, Kaziranga reserve forest etc.

Relief Or Physiography Of India

Introduction : India is a land of mighty rivers, lofty mountains, extensive plains, vast plateaus, deserts and coastal regions. Based on the variety of physical features, India can be divided into the following physiographic divisions :

1. The Northern Mountains
The Location and Extent : The northern part of India is consisted of the ranges of Karakoram and the Himalayan mountains. The northern mountains of India have two mountain systems.

A. The Karakoram Ranges and
B. The Himalayan Ranges Delta

A. The Karakoram Ranges: The Karakoram is bounded on the north-east by the Tibetan plateau, on the north by the Pamir plateau and on the south by rivers Indus, Gilgit and Shyok. These are very high mountains. Godwin Austin (8,611m) is the highest peak of Karakoram. So it is known as K2 (King of Karakoram). It is the India’s highest and the world’s second highest peak. Baltoro (60 km long) in Karakoram is the home of some of the largest glaciers of the world. The Siachen (90m), the longest glacier of India lies here.

B. The Himalayan Ranges: The Himalaya means the Abode Snow. It extends from the Nanga Parbat of Jammu and Kashmir in the west to Namcha Barwa of Arunachal Pradesh in the east. The shape of the Himalaya is like an arc. It it about 2500 km. long and its width varies from 160 to 450km. Divisions of the Himalayas : The Himalayas may be classified into

• Physiographic Divisions and
• Regional Divisions.

Physiographic Divisions : The Himalayas are not a single, continuous  chain of mountains., but a series of parallel or converging ranges. The Himalayas can be divided into three main ranges that run parallel to each other.

a. The Greater Himalayas or the Himadri: It is the highest part of the Himalayas. The average elevation of the Himadri is 6,000m. and it is permanently covered with snow. Mount Everest (8,848m), the highest peak in world is located here. There are some other peaks, such as Kangchenjunga (8,598m, the world’s third highest peak), Dhaulagiri (8,172 m.), Nanga Parbat ( 8,126m), Annapurna (8,076 m.), Nandadevi (7,817m) etc. The Gangotri and the Yamunotri glaciers are found in the Himadri.

Kangchenjunga is the highest peak in India because Mt. Godwin Austin is in Jammu and Kashmir of India is an area under debated occupation of Pakistan and China.

b. The Lesser Himalayas or Himachal : It is a massive mountainous tract about 75km. wide and lies south of Himadri. It has an average elevation of 4,500m. This mountain belt is highly dissected. Many of the hill stations, such as Simla, Nainital, Mussoorie, Darjeeling are situated in this belt.

c. The Outer Himalayas or Shiwalik : It is the southernmost range of the Himalayas. It forms the foothills of Himalayan range. It is 600 to 1500m. high with a width ranging from 15 to 50 km. It is a chain of low-lying hills. It is not a continuous range. There are broad longitudinal valleys in the Shiwaliks known as Doons. Dehradun is one of such valleys. Foot hills of Shiwaliks are known as Terai.

(ii) Regional Divisions of the Himalayas : The Himalayas have been divided into three regional divisions. These are :
a. Western Himalayas
b. Central Himalayas (lies in Nepal) and
c. Eastern Himalayas.

a. Western Himalayas : The Western Himalayas are again subdivided into four sub-regional divisions such as

• North Kashmir Himalaya
• South Kashmir Himalaya
• Himachal Himalaya and
• Uttaranchal Himalaya.

It is called the Trans-Himalayas or the Tethys Himalayas. They are made up of the Ladakh Range, Zanskar Range and the Pirpanjal Range. Ladakh is the highest plateau of the world. The important mountain passes in this region are Zojiia between Srinagar, Leh and Shipkila on Indo-China border.

b. Central Himalayas : They extend in Nepal.
c. Eastern Himalayas: They are in the north: West Bengal, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh in India and Bhutan. The Nathula pass lies between India and Tibet.

The north-eastern region : This comprises the 7 sister states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. It comprises about 8% of India’s size. Physiographically, the region is a part of the Eastern Himalayas. Low hills like Garo, Khasi, Lushai, Patkai etc. make \(\frac{2}{3}\) of the hilly region, intercepted by valley and plains. E.g.-The Brahmaputra and Barak river valleys.

2. The Northern Plains :
They lie to the south of the Himalayas. They extend from the eastern Rajasthan plains in the west to the Brahmaputra valley in the east for a distance of about 2,500 km. They are 145 to 480 km broad. They are also known as the Great Northern plain. It consists of the following plains :

a. The Plains of Rajasthan: The areas on the northwest, west and south-west of the Aravallis are known as the western plains of Rajasthan. The region is marked by various types of erosional features. The plain is basically stony, and sloppy from the foothills of the Aravallis to the north-west. Rivers Banas, Mahi and numerous tributaries drain into the region. The deeply dissected area of Chappan region in the south-eastern part is locally called ‘Bagar’. Southern and south-eastern Rajasthan is mostly a plateau.

b. The Punjab-Haryana Plains (Indus Basin) : They are drained by the tributaries of river Indus, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. These are flat plains with an average elevation of 200 to 240m. These fertile plains include the Bari Doab (between Ravi and Beas rivers) and Bisht Doab (between Beas and Sutlej).

c. The Ganga Plains: The Ganga plains of U.P., Bihar and West Bengal occupy an area of 3.57 Lakh sq. km. It lies between the Yamuna catchment area in the west to the Bangladesh border in the east. The several kinds of topographical features seen here are-Bhabar, Khadar, Bhangar, Terai, natural levees, abandoned river courses, badlands, etc.

d. The Brahmaputra Plains : It is a low flat land averaging in elevation less than 10m. above sea level.

3. The Peninsular Plateau or The Deccan Plateau:
It is bordered by the Satpura Range in the north, the Western Ghats in the west and the Eastern Ghats in the east. It is of triangular shape. Significant features of the Deccan Plateau are-

• Satpura Range : It lies on the extreme north of the Deccan plateau. Dhupgarh (1,350m) is the highest peak
• Maharashtra Plateau : It is made up of lava. It is called lava plateau.
• Telangana Plateau : It is a rolling surfaced plateau with intervening shallow depression. It is in Andhra Pradesh
• Karnataka Plateau: The plateau is divided into Malnad and Maidan. The Malnad is hilly, and dissected into deep valleys; while the Maidan is formed of rolling plains with low granite hills
• The Western Ghats or the Sahyadris : With an average height of 1200m these run almost parallel to the west coast for about 1600 km. The Sahyadri

(Maharashtra), the Nilgiri, the Annamalai and the Cardamom Hills are all collectively known as the Western Ghats. Anaimudi (2,695m) of Annamalai is the highest peak of the Deccan Plateau. Dodabeta (2,637m) is the highest peak of Nilgiri. There are several passes in the Western Ghats.

The important ones are the Thal Ghat and the Bhor Ghat. Pal Ghat lies south of the Nilgiri Hills. Gersappa or Jog falls (250m) India’s highest waterfall is located in the Sahyadris on the river Sharavathi.

• The Eastern Ghats : They form the eastern edge of the Deccan Plateau. They are lower in

4. The Coastal Plains:
The coastal plains of India are divided into two parts, (a) The Western  Coastal Plains: These plains are confined to a narrow belt of about 10 to 20 km. wide stretching between the Arabian sea and the Western Ghats, and extending from Kanyakumari to Surat for about 1500 km.

Kutch and Kathiawar peninsula lie at their northern end. The western coastal plain has many estuaries and lagoons. The west coast is known as the Konkan Coast in Maharashtra, the Karnataka Coast in Karnataka and the Malabar Coast in Kerala. The Gujarat plain is the broadest part of the west coastal plains. These coastal plains consist of two peninsulas.

i. The Kachchh Peninsula : It is a desolate and isolated raised platform covered with sand, sand dunes and mud-flats. It also has a marshy saline lowland which is known as Rann.

ii. The Kathiawar Peninsula : Traditionally it is known as Saurashtra. Its central part is an elevated highland with hills. The Girnar and Gir hills are the most prominent. Gorakhnath (1,117m) is the highest peak of Girnar hills.

b. The Eastern Coastal Plains : These extend from the mouth of Hooghly river to Kanya-kumari. These plains have an average width of 120 km. These are known as the Northern Circars north of the delta of the Godavari and the Coromondal Coast to the south of the delta.

5. The Islands:
The important islands of India are :

a. The Andaman and Nicobar islands : They are located in the Bay of Bengal. They are a group of 324 islands. Saddle Peak (750m) in North Andaman is the highest peak in this region. Barren Island is the India’s only active volcano.

b. Lakshadweep : It is built mainly of corals and situated in the Arabian sea.

Rivers Of India

Based on the characteristics, the rivers of India can be broadly classified into two groups:
(A) The North Indian Rivers and
(B) The South Indian Rivers.

1. The North Indian Rivers
Introduction: The North Indian rivers are comparatively younger in age than the South Indian rivers. They start from the Himalayas and 70% of the water flow down into seas. The main rivers are Ganga, Brahmaputra and Indus. About 61% of total water of the rivers of India flow through the Ganga and Brahmaputra. The main North Indian rivers are discussed below.

A. River Ganga: Ganga is the largest and most important river of India. Of the total length, 2,071 km of the river flows through India. All the 3 phases, i.e., youth, maturity and old age, are present in the river. Hence, it is called an ideal river.

Upper Course: The Bhagirathi river starts from Gomukh (6,600m) of the Gangotri glacier. The rivers Alakananda and Mandakini meet at the Rudra Prayag and their joint flow meets with river Bhagirathi at the Dev Prayag. The joint flow of river Alakananda, Mandakini and Bhagirathi is known as river Ganga. The upper course of the Ganga extends from Gomukh to Haridwar for about 320km.

Middle Course: The Middle course of the Ganga extends from Haridwar to Dhulian of West Bengal. The main tributary of Ganga is river Yamuna, which rises in the Kumaun Himalayas from the Yamunotri glacier and meets river Ganga at Allahabad (Prayag). The left bank tributaries of Ganga are Gomti, Ghaghara, Ram Ganga, Gandak, Buri Gandak, Kosi, etc. The main right bank tributaries are Yamuna and Sone. Tributaries of river Yamuna are Chambal, Betwa, Ken, etc.

Lower Course : After entering West Bengal at Dhulian, the river Ganga bifurcates into river Bhagirathi and river Padma near Giriyar. The Padma enters Bangladesh and flows through the country into the Bay of Bengal. The Bhagirathi, also known as river Hooghly flows southward through West Bengal before meeting the Bay of Bengal.

The right bank tributaries of river Bhagirathi-Hooghly are Brahmani, Dwarka, Mayurakhsi, Ajay, Damodar, Rupnarayan, Kangsabati, etc. The left bank tributaries are-Jalangi, Churni, Ichhamoti, etc.The delta formed by the river Ganga at the mouth of the Bay of Bengal is the largest delta of the world.

B. River Brahmaputra : The river Brahmaputra rises from the Chemayungdung glacier near Manas Sarovar of the Himalayas of the total length of 2,900km, 885km flows within India. Initially known as Tsang-Po, it flows over Tibet plateau for 1,500 km and enters Arunachal Pradesh as river Dihang.

This enters Assam near Sadia and meets with rivers Dibang and Lohit, forming river ‘Brahmaputra’. It enters Bangladesh near Dhubri, and flows into the Bay of Bengal as river Yamuna. There are numerous point bars in river Brahmaputra, of which the Majuli island is the largest river bar of the world. The main right bank tributaries are Buri Dihang, Disang, Kapili and Dhansiri. The main left bank tributaries are Subansiri, Kameng, Manas, Sankosh and Tista.

C. River Indus: The river Indus originates from the ‘Sengge Khabab’ waterfalls, north of Manas Sarovar near Tibet. It enters Jammu & Kashmir and flows for 709km. Then it flows through Pakistan before meeting the Arabain Sea. Only the mountainous phase of the river Indus lies in India. The main tributaries are-Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, on the left bank. These rivers are also known as the ‘Panchnad’ of Punjab.

D. Other Rivers :

• Inland Rivers : Some rivers rise in the mountains but do not meet the sea. Instead, they flow into some lakes or waterbodies within the land surface. Such rivers are called Inland rivers. The only such river in India is river Luni of Rajasthan, which rises from the Aravalli range near Ajmer and ends in the marshlands of Rann of Kutch.
• West-flowing Rivers : Rivers Sabarmati and Mahi rise from the Aravalli and Vindhya mountains and flow into the Gulf of Kambey.
• East-flowing Rivers : Subarnarekha, Brahmani, Baitarani, etc. are some east-flowing rivers of North India.

2. The South Indian Rivers:
The South-Indian rivers are rainfed and older than the northern rivers. Most of them rise from the Western Ghats and the highlands of the Peninsula. The main rivers are discussed in the next page :

A. River Godavari (1,465km) : River Godavari rises from the Tryambak peak of the Western Ghats, flows across the Peninsula and meets the Bay of Bengal through Andhra Pradesh after dividing itself into rivers Gautami, Bashistha etc. It is the longest river of South India and had been dubbed as the ‘Dakshina Ganga’the south Ganges river of India.

B. River Krishna (1,290 km): This rises from Mahabaleshwar peak of Western Ghats in Maharashtra, then flows through Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and meets the Bay of Bengal.

C. River Kaveri (805 km) : This rises from the Brahmagiri peak of the Westem Ghats in Karnataka and flows into the Bay of Bengal through Tamil Nadu. The main tributaries are-Himavati, Bedamati, Amaravati, Lakshmantirtha, Simsa, Bhavani, etc.

D. Other Important Rivers : Amongst the numerous South-Indian rivers, the other main rivers are-Mahanadi, Tungavadra, Pennar, etc.

Climate Of India

a. Introduction : India being a vast country, experiences a variety of climatic conditions in different regions. But the general climate that can be seen here is ‘Tropical Monsoon Climate’.

b. The controlling factors of climate of India :

1. Location : India extends from 8°-37° N latitudes. This vast latitudinal extent causes vast difference in temperature in the north and south. The region north of the Tropic of Cancer (23{1/2N) is much cooler than the south.

2. Relief: The presence of the Himalayas control the climate of India to a large extent. It stops the chilled Siberian winds from entering and the moist monsoon winds from escaping from India. Thus it controls rainfall and temperature of India. The Western and Eastern Ghats also help in causing rainfall from the monsoon winds. The eastern slopes of Western Ghats is a rain shadow area. While the Coromondal coast gets rainfall twice a year.

3. Altitude : The higher mountainous regions are much cooler than the plains. Hence, places standing on the same latitude but different altitudes will have different temperatures.

4. Distance from sea : The regions near the sea experience moderate or maritime climate. The regions far away from the sea experience extreme or continental climate.

5. Soil : Different soils have different water holding capacities. The dry soils get heated very quickly making the region very hot. The wet soils can retain heat and keep the regions comparatively cooler.

6. Wind: The predominant winds that blow over India are the south-west monsoon winds in summer and north-east monsoon winds in winter, which makes India a ‘Tropical Monsoon Climate Country.’

7. Air current and air pressure : The location of India on the earth gives if the influence of Tropical winds which are blowing towards the Equator from the right, as guided by the Coriolis Force. The pressure conditions near the equator is low and that in the Tropical zone is high.

This controls the upward or downward movement of air, i.e., air current. The sub-tropical region experiences a ‘jet stream’ (27° 30°N) known as the sub-tropical westerly jet stream, which blows in the southern region of the Himalayas. This influences India’s climate to a great extent.

Influcence of the Himalayas on the Indian Climate:

• Protection from severe cold polar winds.
• Orographic or relief rainfall from the monsoon winds.
• Lower temperature on higher altitudes.
• Source of rivers, hence influence on the climate by controlling temperature.

Characteristics of Indian Climate

• Nature : India being located in the tropical region, and almost all parts enjoying the influence of the monsoon winds, the climate of India is called ‘Tropical Monsoon Climate.’
• Season change: Mainly 4 seasons are seen in India, which come in cyclic order throughout the year. Namely summer, monsoon (rainy), autumn and winter.
• Humidity : The summer is humid and the winter is dry in India. For this, India is also called ‘The country of endless season.’
• Duration of seasons: The summer lasts for much more time than the winter.
• Temperature : The summer temperature increases from north-east to north-west of the country and in winter it recedes in just the opposite manner.
• Rainfall : About 80% of rainfall in India occurs due to the south-west monsoons.
• Dryness : The north-east monsoons blow from over the land, hence the winter is dry.
• Wind : The south-west monsoon and the north-east monsoon winds blow in just opposite directions.
• Winter rain : The combined effect of ‘western disturbances’ and low pressure in the Bay of Bengal may cause rainfall in some places in winter.
• Snow fall: During winter, the peaks of the Himalayan range and some places in the north experience snowfall.
• Loo : A hot local wind ‘loo’ blows over western and central India during the summer.
• Highest rainfall : The highest rainfall in the world occurs in Mawsyinram near Cherrapunjui in Meghalaya (1,350cm)
• Flood and drought : Both flood and drought are common due to whimsical rainfall in India.

Rain Shadow : The main rain shadow area of India is-

• The eastern slopes of the Western Ghats
• Shillong and the nearby places in Meghalaya, (c) and (d) Nature of the Monsoon winds at India.

The Monsoon winds are a greater representation of the land breeze and sea breeze. It comes from the word ‘Mausin’ which means ‘seasons’ in Arabic. The term ‘monsoon’ was first used by Edumund Halley in 1686. The winds can be divided into two categories – the hot, wet-south-west monsoon winds of the summer, and the cold, dry, north east monsoon winds of the winter.

A. The south-west monsoon winds
The Tropic of Cancer gets the sun’s direct rays on 21st June. Following this period, a powerful low pressure cell starts developing over the north-western parts of India. This low pressure gradually attracts the monsoon winds from over the Indian ocean. The arrival of monsoon with thunderstorms and torrential showers is also called ‘the Burst of Monsoon’. The two branches of the south-west monsoon are:

• The Arabian Sea branch
• The Bay of Bengal Branch.

The Arabian sea branch : This branch can be further sub-divided into three sub branches :

• The first branch hits with the western slope of the Western Ghats and provide profuse rainfall (300-500 cm). The eastern slope falls under the rain shadow area.
• The second branch enters Maharashtra but fails to provide enough rainfall (only 60-70 cm ) due to absence of highlands.
• The third branch blows parallelly to the Aravalli range and provides very little rainfall (25-50 cm).

The Bay of Bengal branch : This branch is sub-divided into 2 subbranches.

• The first branch crosses Bangladesh and enters India from the north-east. Obstructed by the Garo, Khasi and Jayantiya hills of Meghalaya, it provides torrential rainfall in this region. Mawsynram near Cherrapunji receives the highest rainfall in the world (1,350cm). The Shillong region lies in the rain shadow area.
• The second branches hits with the Himalayas in the north-eastern part and movies ward gradually. As it moves westward, amount of rainfall goes on decreasing (Kolkata 200 cm), Patna-125cm, Allahabad- 75 cm, Delhi- 60 cm). Rajasthan in the extreme west receives only 25 cm. of rainfall.

B. The north-east monsoon winds :

After 23rd September, heat gradually starts reducing in India. The low pressure trough created during the summer slowly turns into a high pressure trough. Hence, the extra wind starts blowing back from there in the same path as the on going south-west monsoons.

These winds are also called ‘Retreating monsoons.’ As these winds generate and blow over land surface, they are dry. Some parts of the wind blow over the Bay of Bengal and re-enter the land surface, providing rainfall to the Tamil Nadu or Coromondal Coast before finally leaving the land.

c. Seasons of India : The unique characteristic of tropical monsoon climate is ‘seasonal variations’ of climatic conditions. The main seasons identified in India are :

• Summer
• Monsoon
• Autumn
• Winter.

Summer (March to May) : After 21st March, the sun gradually moves northwards towards the Tropic of Cancer. The temperature of India increases rapidly during this time, creating low pressure cells on the land surface. The average temperature in March lies between 30°-35°C.

In April it increases to 38° C except the Himalayan region. In May, the average temperature of Jaisalmer (Rajasthan) is 44° C  Delhi and Kolkata is  38° C  A low pressure trough extends from Rajasthan to Chotanagpur during this time, causing some local winds like-Loo, Andhi, Norwestors, etc.

2. Monsoon (June to September) : On 21st June, the sun shines vertically on the Tropic of Cancer. During this time the whole of northern India gets very hot. The low pressure trough that is formed in the north-western region becomes very strong, attracting the monsoon winds into the land.

The south-east trade winds cross the equator and enter India blowing as the south-west monsoon winds, causing heavy rainfall. We have discussed this earlier. Kerala gets the monsoon rains first amongst the states of India.

3. Autumn (October to November): This is the time of retreat of the monsoon winds. The sun gradually moves towards the Tropic of Capricorn, reducing the average temperature of the Indian landmass. The rainy season or monsoon comes to an end. The low pressure cell is now generated over the oceans, which help the north-east monsoon winds to blow out of the country. Some cyclonic winds are created when the hot winds meet the moist winds over the Bay of Bengal.

4. Winter (December to February) : During this time the sun gives its direct rays to the southern hemisphere. Hence, average temperature of whole India reduces remarkably. High pressure prevails over land, especially the north-western region. This helps to drive the north-east monsoon winds to blow away from the land. These are dry winds and don’t cause any rainfall. But a portion of the wind collects moisture from the Bay of Bengal and re-enters the land to provide rainfall to Tamil Nadu Coast.

d. Rainfall Distribution: Parts of western coast and northeastern India receive over about 400 cm. of rainfall annually. However, it is less than 60cm. in western Rajasthan and adjoining parts of Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab. Rainfall is equally low in the interior of the Deccan plateau and east of the Sahyadris.

Why do these regions receive low rainfall ? A third area of low precipitation is around Leh in Jammu and Kashmir. The rest of the country receives moderate rainfall. Snowfall is restricted to the Himalayan region.

Owing to the nature of monsoon the annual rainfall is highly variable from year to year. Variability is high in the regions of low rainfall such as parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and the leeward side of the Western Ghat. As such while areas of high rainfall are liable to be affected by floods, areas of low rainfall are drought-prone.

Soils Of India

Introduction : The material on the earth surface within which horizons or layers have developed is known as soil. It is made up of solid, liquid and gaseous substances.

Classification of Indian Soils : The Indian Council of Agricultural Research [CAR] has divided the soils of the country into 27 types according to their colour, texture, mineral and retentive capacity of moisture. But for the convenience of the discussion, the types are classified here into following 7 categories.

1. Alluvial Soil :

a. Areas : In north India the soil of this type occurs in the large plains formed by the river system of the Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra. In Peninsular India it occurs in plains of Gujarat and deltas of Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri rivers. It covers nearly 45% of the total land of the country.

b. Features :

• The soil is fine-grained and is formed of sediments brought down by rivers,
• This soil is rich in nutrients like calcium phosphoric acid, lime and other substances,
• It is rich in humus and potash,
• It is very fertile and very suitable for cultivation.

c. Types: This alluvial soil is of two types,

• Bhangar: The alluvium that is comparatively old and coarse is a little less fertile. It is often found in the upper sides of the valleys of rivers etc., where the silt is coarse and pebbly. It is called Bangar. It is dry, porous and sandy. It contains kankar nodules in the sub-soil,
• Khadar: Relatively new alluvium is found in the flood plains and deltas. It is locally known as khadar and is most fertile. It is relatively compact, fine and moist. It is more sandy and is free from kankar nodules in the sub-soil.

d. Agricultural value : The alluvial soil is regarded as the best soil of India for its high agricultural value. Crops like rice, jute, vegetables and sugar-cane grow very well in this type of soil.

2. Black Soil :
a. Areas: These soils are found in the Deccan Plateau, comprising Maharastra Plateau, Malwa Plateau, Telengana-Raylaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, northern parts of Karnataka, Gujarat and in some parts of Tamil Nadu.

b. Features:

• It is black in colour,
• Derived from the Latin word ‘Ragurgitare’ it is also popularly known as ‘Regur’.
• It is clayey and has capacity to retain water,
• It is sticky and hard,
• Originating from the basaltic rocks of lava plateaus, it is finely grained and contains iron, calcium carbonate, potash and lime but is poor in phosphates and organic matters.

c. Agricultural value : These soils are most suitable for cotton cultivation. Hence they are known as black cotton soils. They are also suitable for sugarcane, wheat and groundnut.

3. Red Soil : Areas : Red Soil is found in the states of Kerala,
TamilNadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Jharkhand.

Features :

• It develops on crystalline igneous rocks in areas of poor rainfall
• It is reddish in colour due to its high iron content,
• It is more sandy and less clayey.

Crops : Rice, wheat, sugarcane, cotton and pulses are cultivated on it.

4. Laterite Soil : Areas: This soil is found in the hilly areas of the Western Ghats, Chhotanagpur Plateau and the hills of Meghalaya.

b Features :

• It develops as a result of leaching in areas of heavy rain. Hence it is found capping the tops of hills and hill-slopes,
• It is coarse  in texture and not fertile since its nutrients are washed away
• The word  ‘laterite’ comes from a latin word ‘Later’ which means brick; in fact, these soil looks like dust of red bricks
• It cannot retain moisture,

Crops : It is not suitable for agriculture. Cashew plants, tapioca, cotton, wheat etc. are grown in this soil.

5. Desert Soil :
Areas : It is found in western Rajasthan, northern Gujarat and southern Punjab.

Features :

• It is coarse in texture,
• It is characterised by sandy texture,
• It contains 90% to 95% sand and 5% to 7% clay,
• It contains high percentage of soluble salts and have high PH value
• It is poor in organic matter,
• It is not fertile

Crops : Wheat, cotton, grapes, oranges etc. are grown.

6. Saline Soil :  Areas : This soil is found along the east and west coast of India,

Features :

• This soil is black, heavy and highly acidic and contain 10% to 40 % of the organic matter
• It is more sandy than clayey,
• It is saline in nature due to oceanic influence.

Crops : Rice and coconut are grown abundantly in this soil.

7. Mountain Soil : Areas : It is found in the Himalayan region.

Features :

• This soil varies in different regions according to the altitude,
• It is rich in iron but deficient in lime,
• It is rich in humus and is acidic.
• The remains of the leaves of trees enrich the soil with humus.

Crops : Tea, fruit, rice etc. are grown.

Importance of Soils : Many human and economic activities depend upon soils. All our food comes directly or indirectly from soils. Livestock farming depends upon raising of grass on different soils. Soils have affected the march of civilisations. Soils are mainting the humidity in environment. Ancient civilisations developed in fertile river valleys. Fertile soils attract human settlements. Density of population depends upon soil fertility and productivity.

Soil Erosion : The removal of top soil by running water, wind, etc is called soil erosion. The destructon of the soil in an area is known as soil erosion. Soil erosion in the cultivated lands leads to lower yield of crops because the producivity of the soil declines.

Soil conservation : Soil is a non renewable resource. It is difficult to replace the soil from areas where it has been eroded. Therefore, it is necessary to protect the soil from erosion. The following measures may be adopted for conservation of soil :

• Contour ploughing method tends to check soil erosion on the hill slopes by preventing the flow of water down the slope.
• Cattle grazing should be restricted.
• The extraction of minerals from great depths beneath the soils should be banned.
• Tree felling should be banned.
• Step cultivation should be practiced on the hill slopes.
• Saplings in large numbers should be planned.
• Roads, buildings and hours should not be constructed along the slopes.

Natural Vegetation

Introduction : Natural vegetation refers to the vegetation that grows with the help of soil, water, sunlight and other physical environment, without the interference of man. In India, about 20.55% land is under forest cover.

Types of vegetation : Natural vegetation has a close relation with climate and relief, hence differs from place to place. They can be categorised as follows :

Evergreen Rain
Forests:  Climate These forests are found in areas with an annual rainfall of 200 to 300 cm or more. They need high humidity and even temperatures (25° to 27°C) through out the year.

Characteristics:

• The trees in these evergreen forests are very dense,
• These contain numerous species of high commercial value, because of the timber being hard, durable and fine grained.
• Trees are tall,
• The ground remains wet throughout the year
• This dense forest with trees and thick undergrowth makes communication difficult. Hence these are difficult to exploit for commercial purposes.

Trees: The main trees are rosewood, poon, aini, telsur, champa, gurjan, toon, chaplas, boga, poma, sisoo, iron wood, mango etc.

Areas: These are found on the windward side of the Western Ghats and in the hills of N. E. India, West Bengal and Orissa.

2. Tropical Deciduous Forests : They can be divided into 2 parts :
A. Wet Deciduous or Monsoon Type of Forests :  Climate : These are found in regions with an annual rainfall of 100 to 200 cm, the mean annual temperature of 26° C to 27° and humidity percentage ranging between 60 and 80. These are monsoon forest type :

Characteristics :

• The trees are deciduous, shedding their leaves in the dry season and not growing new ones until the rains,
• Majority of the trees are broad-leaved and yield valuable hardwoods.

Trees: The main trees are teak, sal. sandal wood, deodar, bluegum, ebony, sisam, jackfruit, mahua, palash, arjun, khair and bamboo.

Areas : These are mostly found on the lower slope of the Himalayas, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa. Madhya Pradesh, Maharastra, Karnataka and the adjoining regions.

B. Dry Deciduous Forests or Scrubs : Climate: These forests are mostly found in areas having a mean annual temperature of 23° to 27° C, an annual rainfall between 50 to 100cm. and humidity ranging between 51 to 58 %.

Characteristics:

• These forests consist of stunted trees and bushes which are widely scattered.
• They fade away into scrubs and thorny bushes, typical of the desert region.
• Trees are only 6 to 10m high
• They have long roots which enable them to obtain water from deep underground.

C. Trees : Babul, Kikar and wild palms are common trees. Species of acacia are also found.

D. Areas : These are found in areas of central Deccan Plateau, south-east of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

3. Semi-deserts and deserts vegetation :  Climate: These forests occur in arid areas with a yearly rainfall of less than 50cm. a year.

Characteristics:

• The type of vegetation grown here consists of thorny shrubs like cactus, prickly pear and other plants which are adapted to survive in a region of low rainfall. These are called xerophytic plants and have adaptations to withstand drought
• Short coarse grasses grow here and there,

Trees : Babul, Acacia, Senegal, Prosopis, Spicigera and Juliflora grow very well.

Areas : These are mostly found in Rajasthan and parts of Gujarat, Punjab and Karnataka.

4. Tidal Forests : These forests are also known as Mangrove Forests or Littoral Forests [‘littoral’ meaning ‘on a shore’]. In the delta of the Ganga, they are known as the Sunderbans, because of the Sundari trees found there.

Environment : On the coastal tide washed coast where mud and silt have accumulated, dense mangrove forests flourish. These forests are impenetrable due to their dense growth and the tangle of climbers on them. The trunks of the trees are supported by a number of stilt-like roots, which are submerged under water at high tide, presenting a scene of a flooded forest.

At low tide, the stilt-roots supporting the trunk of the tree above, appear to be emerging out of the soft mud. Such a mass of root-system has been provided by nature to fix the tree in the mud banks.

Trees : Sundari, keora, goran, gewa, amur, bhara, agar, bani, hogla, golpata, gilepata etc. are important trees of tidal forests.

Areas : In India mangroves cover a total area of 6,740sq. km. which is about 7% of the world’s total mangrove. Mangrove forests are found in the Sundarbans (W.B.), the Mahanadi deltas, the Godavari deltas, the Krishna deltas, the Kaveri deltas and along the coasts of the Andaman Islands.

5. Mountain Forests : Mountain forests vary considerably according to altitude with varying rainfall and temperature along the slopes of mountain :

• On the foothills of the Himalayas upto a height of 1500 metres, evergreen trees such as sal, teak, bamboo and cane grow abundantly,
• On higher slope between 1500m. to 3,500m, temperate conifer trees such as pine, fir, oak, maple, deodar, laurel, spruce and ceder grow. At the higher altitude of the Himalayas, rhododendrons and junipers are found. Beyond these vegetation belts, alpine grasslands appear upto snowfield.

Uses of forests : Forests not only help to maintain the ecological balance of the earth, but they have also multiple uses:

• Forests are the houses of numerous species of plants, animals, insects, birds, etc.
• The trees have different uses, e.g. Hardwood trees of evergreen.

Forest

Importance of forest and its influence on mankind : Forests are a valuable resource; like a river system, it is a multiple resource. Forests provide mankind with a number of products. Forests have greatly influenced human activities. Modern civilisation depends more and more on forests. Following are the direct and indirect advantages of forests :

• Forests provide many things to meet our food requirements like wild fruits, nuts, berries, etc. Many tribes are dependent on gathering of these products in forests.
• Forests are a source of timber for house-building, furniture making, ship building, etc.
• Forests supply about 40% of fuel of the world. Wood has been the major source of fuel in houses, smelting industries and running locomotives.
• Soft woods supply raw materials for wood pulp, paper, rayon industries.
• Many products like rubber, pitch, gum, tanning materials, cork, camphor, fir, herbs, etc. are gathered from forests.
• Forests provide plywood and firewood and also wood for packing purposes.

Forest Resources of India :

About 19.39% of the total land in India is under forests. The total forests area in India is about 63.73 milion hectares. Forests play and important role in the country’s economy. They are useful in maney ways. They provide wood, fur, fuel and timber. They provide grazing ground for cattle. They are the home of wild animals.

They are a source of employment to a large number of people. They provide structural timber and wood for making furniture and pulp, match wood, wood for charcoal, gum, resins, canes and fibres. Besides these there are many other forest products such as leaves, fruits, tandyes, medicinal herbs, bee-wax, honey, turpentine oil and lac.

Problems of Forest and their solution :

Theoughtless and rapid exploitation of our forest resources has damaged our ecosystem beyond repair. On an average, India has been losing 1.3 million hectares of forest land every year. This is an alarming situation indeed. It is, therefore, necessary for us to consume the forest resources and increase the forest areas.

To presence the forest the Govt. of India has taken up a series of programmes iun support of the states: The forests are declared as Resemed Forests. A beautifull programme of ‘Van Mahotsav’ has been chalked out by the government. 21st March is observed as “world Forest Day” every year. The Forest research Institute has been set up in 1987 at Dehra Dun. A scheme of ‘social forestry’ has been taken in the in habited areas. It is a plan for afferestation as well as conservation of forest.

Some Essential Herbs:

Plants which have medicinal uses are called Herbal or Medicinal plans. These are used in India since ancient days. The method of treatment with different herbsis known as Ayurveda Medicine. A list of some important useful herbs is given below.

Name of plant	Parts used	Medicinal use	Places where found
1. Basak	Leaf	1. Cures cold and cough, 2. Skin disease.	West Bengal, Assam, Tripura etc.
2. Neem	Oil from seeds leaves	Good for liver, skin and teeth	West Bengal and other states.
3. Cinchona	Bark	Source of quinine, cures malaria, fever and pain	Mongpu in Darjeeling district of W.B. is famous for cinchona cultivation.
4. Basil	Leaf	Provides relief in asthama, cough and cold and indigestion, Good for heart.	All status.
5. Sarpagandha	Root	Reduces high blood pressure, insomnia, hypertension	Humid areas in Western Ghat.
6. Chirata	Soft stem	cures liver stomach diseases	Meghalaya and the Himalayan moun­ tainous area.
7. Kalmegh	Whole plant	works as antibiotic, Fever weaknes, release of gas, liver function.	West Bengal, N. En status, South Indi.

Wildlife of India

Generally all the lives other than domesticated or cultivated ones which live freely and adapt in natural habitats are known as wild life. The wildlife in our country is our national heritage and asset. India has a rich and varied wild life. Various Kinds of wild animals and birds are found in the Indian forests. Some of the important animals are lions, tigers, leopards, elephants, bears and rhinoceros etc. Lions of the Gir forests in Gujarat are well known all over the world.

In Asia, lions are found only in the Gir Forest. Tiger, the largest of the cat family, is found only in Asia. There are two types of tigers-the Siberean tiger and the Bengal tiger. The Bengal tiger is now found only in India. India is the home of several well known variety of wild life which includes-

• The Royal Bengal Tiger and giant crocodiles at Sunderbansareas in Weset Bengal.
• Indian one-horned rhinoes at Kaziranga National Park in Assam.
• Black Panther and Indian elephant Anshi National Park in Karnatka.
• White Tiger at Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh.
• Rede Panda, Wild cat, Cheetah and monkeys at Himalayan mountainous region such as meghalaya and other north-eastern mountainous states.
• Sambar, Barking deer, Gaur, Jungle cat, wild boar at Simlipal National Park in Odissa.We have at present about 500 species of wild animals. We also have a large variety of birds (about 1300 species). Among such birds is the peacock which has been declared as our national bird. Our national animal tiger.

Reserved Forest : A reserve forest or a reserved forest is a specific term for designating forests and other natual area, which enjoy judicial and or constitutional protection under the legal systems of many countries. In reserved forests hunting, grazing and other activities are prohibited, e.g. Kodarma Reserved Forest.

Difference between Reserved Forests and Protected Forests.

Reserved Forests	Protected Forests
1. These forests are under the direct supervision of the government and no public entry is allowed for collection of imber or grazing of cattle.	1. These forests are looked after by the government, but the local people are allowed to collect fuel-wood/timber and graze their cattle without causing serious damage to the forests.
2. About 53 percent of the total forest area falls in this category.	2. These forests occupy about 29 percent of the total forest area of the country.

Protected Forest : A protected forest is a forest with some amount or legal or constitutional protection, or where the habitat and resident species are legally accorded protection from further depletion.

Unclaissifed Forests : Forests are those in which there is no restriction on the cutting of trees and grazing of cattle. About 18 per cent of the total forest area of the country falls under this category.

• National Park : It is a reserved area both for preserving natural vegetation, natural beauty and wildlife, e.g. Kaziranga National Park.
• Sanctuary : A sanctuary is a reserved area meant for the preservation and development of endangered species.

Conservation of Wildlife : In order to save wildlife the Indian Board of Wildlife has taken several steps, to prevent the extinction of birds and animals.

• Setting up of sancturies and parks. At present we have 83 National Parks and 490 sancturies besides 21 tiger reserves.
• Appointment of observers for wildlife.
• Creation of buffer belts around the sancturies where shooting of animals is prohibited.
• Prohibition of netting of birds and animals and their sale.
• Fixation of annual limits regarding export and import of animal skins and other products.
• Celebration of wildlife week.
• Tigers are preserved in the Corbett Park. here is a park for rhinoceroses in Assam.
• There is a large bird sanctuary at Bhartpur.
• 24200 logical parks have been set up in different parts to preserve wildlife.
• The wildlife Protection Act was constituted in 1972.
• Every year we observe wildlife week in the first week in the first week of October, to creat awareness of conserving the habitats of the animal Kingdom.

Agriculture Of India

Definition of Agriculture : The act of cultivating crops, rearing animals along with fisheries and forestry is termed as “agriculture”. India is essentially an agricultural country or agro-based country. About 65% people of India are involved with agriculture in some form or other.

The large array of crops grown in our country may be grouped under two principal categories namely Food and Cash. The important crops grown are outlined in the following chart.

The method of cultivation hilly areas by cultivation in hilly areas by making steps on slopes to prevent soil erosion is called steps cultivation.

Green Revolution : There was a big change in Indian agriculture is late 1960s. Agricultural production increased manifold by using high yielding seeds, fertilizers, irrigation and improved technology. This was called Green Revolution.

Cropping Seasons : The dominent cropping seasons of our country are Kharit and Rabi.

A Kharif Crops : Kharif season has monsoon or summer crops. They are associated with south west Monsoon. The crops, which grow during monsson or Kharif season are known as Kharif crops. These crops are sown in the rainy season. Kharif season begins with the ground preparation is April-May.

The seeds are sown after the onset of southwest monsoon (June-July) and harvested in autumn (November). The Kharif crops are rice, millets, cotton, Jute, sugar cane, sesamum and groundnuts.

A Rabi Crops : The crops, which grow during Rabi season (Novemeber to February)are known as Rabi crops. the Rabi crops are sown in winter and harvested in spring. The ground is prepared by the end of October or the bigining of November and the crops are harvested between Mach and May. The principal rabicrops are what, gram, linsee, rape seed and mustard.

Zaid crops : This is summer cropping season and major said crops are rice, maize, groundnut, Vegetable and fruits line water melon musk melm, Cucumber etc.

Cash crops : The Crops which are grown, harvested and sold for cash rather than for sustenance. In other words, the crops, which earn money, particularly the foreigin and domestic exchange, ae known as cash crops. he principal cash crops in India are Tea, Jute,cotton, sugarcane and coffee.

Plantation Crops : In certain cases, theplantaior, of crops is doneonce and the crop obtained for a number of years. Many such crops are tree crops. The most important examples of plantation crops are tea, coffee and rubber.

A. Foods crops

B. Cash Drop:

Tribes Of India

Introduction : The term tribal is usually applied to the aboriginal population of India not in derogatory sense but as an indication of their being the earliest among the present

inhabitants of this country. Not all of them are in the same stage of culture or speak the same language or are racially homogeneous. India has the largest population of such people (about 84.4 million in the word) who are commonly called tribes. They are also known as adivasis.

They are poorest and perhaps the most backward. They are of mixed origin, varying cultures and very different physiques, colour and appearance. Some of the major tribal groups in India include Gonds, Santhals, Bhils, Khasis, Angamis, Bhutias and Andamanese. Let us now know about some main tribes of India.

Garo : Garo are founded in Garo hills of Meghalaya, like in a society governed by the principles of mother right. Physically, Garos are not very dark. The Garo is essentially an agriculturist. Household utensils and implements are very simple. They consist of cooking pots, larger vessels for brewing liquor, and the pestle and mortar with which paddy is husked or rice cleaned for eating. Among the Garos, the proposal for marriage always comes from the girls side.

She indicates her choice to a male member in the family, who then pursues the matter. Among some of the groups, it is customery to “capture” the boy and bring him to the girl.

Khasis : Khasis are found in Khasi, Jaintia hills in Meghalaya. They cultivate the hill sides and terrace cultivation is the rule butit is done only in the flat valleys. They speak Khasi language. They follow chrustianity. Music plays an important part in their life.

Gonds : The Gonds are amongst the most civilized and advanced aboriginal tribes of India. The present habitat is confined in the Satpura plateau, Baster, a portion of Nagpur plateau and valley of river Narmada in Southern India. The land of Gonds is known as Gondwana.

They speakthe Indo-Aryan language Bhili. Gond village is seen along the river banks. Besides agriculture the Gonds also practise hunting. Their main hunting arms are the arrow and the bow.The arrows are generally impregnated with deadly poison.

Bhils: They are mainly confined to Madhya Padesh, Khandesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and some districts of Uttar Pradesh. They are popularly known as the bow men of Rajasthan. They are the largest tribe of the whole of South Asia. The Bhils are very much violent and warlike. They also consume intoxciants, especially the local made liquor, which they extract from the Mahua (Bassia Latifolia) trees.

Santhals: Santhals are the third largest tribe in India. They are mostly found in the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and Asam. The main occupation of the Santhal is agriculture. Millet and maize are the staple crops of the Santhals. Lumbering, fishing and hunting are the chief sources of our their livelihood. They speak Santhali language. They also speak Bengali, Oriya and Hindi.

Munda : Mundas are the inhabitant of Jharkhand. They are also found in West Bengal Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Bihar. Hunting is the chief occupation of Mundas. Munda generally means the headman of the village.

Chechu : The chenchus of Nallaimalklai and Andha Pradesh (now Telengana) sides of Krishna river are one of the greatest food-gathering tribes. The people living or wild fruits, and tubers etc. also sometime chase wild animals for their flesh. The main hunting arms of them are the arrow and bow. The eke out their livelihood with great difficulty. They worship a number of deities. Some of them also follow Hindu culture and tradition.

Kinnaur : Kinnaure are the tribes of Himachal Pradesh. They speak Kinnauri language. They are mostly engaged in livestock raising.

Todas : They are inhabitant of Nilgiri hills. They speak in Toda and Telegu languages. Their main occupation is cattle rearing.

Bhutia : The habitat of the Bhotia is confined to the northern mountainous regions of Kumaon along Tholi river, above Badrinath and in Almora distric.

Jarawas : Jarawas are the native people of South Andaman and Nicobar

Islands currently, they are inhaviting the south and middle partis of the Andaman islands. According to the 2011 census of India, there are around 200 to 500 Jarawas living here. Jarawas use bows and arrows which they make from iron edges and wooden handles. Jarawa villages have a population of about 25 people on average with 5 to 10 huts. In their culture, huts are called “Chadda” and the residence of the hut are the “Tutime chadda”.

Onge : The onge’s are a negrito tribe residing in little Andaman. According to 1971 census they were 117 in number. While the Onge men go out to the forest for hunting, the women will stay back at home and search the local area for roots and tubers under the soil. They have little interest in cultivation.

Shompen : They reside in the interiors of great Nicobar Island. The main activities of Shompens are hunting, food fathering.

People of India:

Unity in diversity is a famous concept which best fits of India. We can see very clearly here that people of different religious, creeds, castes, languages, cultures, lifestyle, dressing sense, faith in god, rituals of worship, songs, fetivals, dance forms, folk culture, traditions etc. live together with harmony under one roof means on one land of India.

People of different religions Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, Jainism, Christianity and Parsees live together. People celebrate their festivals like Holi, Diwali, Dosshara, Janmastami, Durga Utsab (Hinduism); Id, Eid-ul-Fitr, Muharram (Islam) Christmass Easters, Good Friday (Christianity); Mahavir Jayanti (Jainism); Buddha Jayanti on Buddha Purnima (Buddhism); Guru Purab (Sikhism) etc. very peace fully without harming other religious people.

We all togetherly observe the National days, with reverence on 15th August-Independence Day, 26th January-Republic Day and on 2nd October – The Birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation.