Give an account of the physiography of Peninsular India and describe its physiographic sub-regions.

Introduction: The Peninsular Plateau (प्रायद्वीपीय पठार) is the oldest, largest (~16 lakh sq. km / ~50% of India's territory), and most tectonically stable physiographic division of India, composed of ancient Archean granites, gneisses, and Cretaceous Deccan Traps representing a fragmented part of ancient Gondwanaland.

1. Major Physiographic Sub-Regions of Peninsular India:

• 1. The Central Highlands (मध्य उच्च भूमि):
  • Bounded by the Aravallis in the west, Vindhyan scarp in the south, and Yamuna plains in the north.
  • Sub-Units: Malwa Plateau (basaltic lava plateau), Madhya Bharat Pathar, Bundelkhand Gneissic Plateau, and Vindhyan Range (Sadbhavna Peak - 752 m).
• 2. The Eastern Plateau (पूर्वी पठार):
  • Chota Nagpur Plateau (Ruhr of India): Mineral-rich tableland (Pat lands, Parasnath Peak - 1,365 m) drained by the Damodar, Subarnarekha, and Barakar rivers.
  • Baghelkhand Plateau & Meghalaya (Shillong) Plateau: Separated from Chota Nagpur by the Malda Gap; houses Garo, Khasi, Jaintia hills (Shillong Peak - 1,961 m).
• 3. The Deccan Plateau (दक्कन का पठार - Southern Tableland):
  • Triangular basaltic and crystalline plateau bounded by Satpura-Maikal in the north.
  • Sub-Units: Maharashtra Plateau (Deccan Trap lava step topography), Karnataka Plateau / Mysore Plateau (Mulayanagiri - 1,925 m, Kudremukh, Bababudan hills), and Telangana / Rayalaseema Plateau.
• 4. The Western Ghats (Sahyadri - पश्चिमी घाट):
  • Continuous escarpment running 1,600 km along the Arabian Sea coast from Tapi to Kanyakumari (UNESCO World Heritage Biodiversity Hotspot). Highest peak: Anamudi (2,695 m - Highest in South India) in Anaimalai Hills and Doddabetta (2,637 m) in Nilgiris. Passes: Thal Ghat, Bhor Ghat, Palghat.
• 5. The Eastern Ghats (पूर्वी घाट):
  • Discontinuous, highly denuded chain of hills dissected by east-flowing rivers (Godavari, Krishna, Mahanadi); highest peaks: Jindhagada (1,690 m) and Arma Konda.

Conclusion: The Peninsular Plateau forms the geological spine of India, housing the nation's richest mineral reserves, hydel power cradles, and dense tropical forests.