Previous Year Question
Consider the following pairs:
Peaks | Mountains | |
1. | Namcha Barwa | Garhwal Himalaya |
2. | Nanda Devi | Kumaon Himalaya |
3. | Nokrek | Sikkim Himalaya |
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
1 and 2
Only 2
1 and 3
Only 3
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
Pair 1 is not correctly matched: Namcha Barwa is not situated in the Garhwal Himalaya. It lies in the far eastern part of the Himalayas, close to the eastern Himalayan syntaxis.
Near Namcha Barwa, the Yarlung Tsangpo takes a sharp bend, passes through a deep gorge and enters India, where it is known as the Siang or Dihang. Farther downstream, it forms the principal course of the Brahmaputra. In contrast, the Garhwal Himalaya lies in the western part of Uttarakhand. The two regions are therefore geographically distinct.
Pair 2 is correctly matched: Nanda Devi is situated in the Kumaon Himalaya of Uttarakhand. It has an elevation of approximately 7,816 metres. It is India’s second-highest mountain after Kanchenjunga and the highest mountain located entirely within Indian territory.
The inaccessible natural basin surrounding the mountain is known as the Nanda Devi Sanctuary. Nanda Devi National Park, together with the Valley of Flowers National Park, forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Pair 3 is not correctly matched: Nokrek is not situated in the Sikkim Himalaya. It is located in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya. Nokrek is the highest peak of the Garo Hills and forms part of the Nokrek Biosphere Reserve.
The Garo, Khasi and Jaintia Hills are not part of the Himalayas. They collectively form the Meghalaya Plateau, which is a north-eastern extension of the Peninsular Plateau.