INDIAN GEOGRAPHY QUIZ

SASTHAMKOTTA LAKE

● It is the largest fresh water lake of Kerala, located 29 km from Kollam.

● The lake is named after the ancient Sastha temple (a pilgrimage centre) located on its bank.

● The purity of the lake water for drinking use is attributed to the presence of large population of larva called cavaborus that consumes bacteria in the Sasthamkotta lake water.

● Eastern shore of the lake has the insectivorous plant Drosera Sp.

● The lake is designated as a Ramsar Wetland Site since November 2002.

VEMBANAD LAKE

Vembanad Lake is a brackish water lake (not a freshwater lake, as asked in question).

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ASHTAMUDI LAKE

● It is a brackish water lake located in Kollam district of Kerala.

● Also called the 'gateway to the backwaters of Kerala'.

● Ashtamudi means 'eight braids' in Malayalam language. The name is indicative of the lake's topography with its multiple branches.

● It is a large palm-shaped (also described as octopus-shaped) water body.

● Along both banks of the lake and its backwater canals, coconut groves and palm trees interspersed with towns and villages are seen.

● It is a Ramsar Wetland Site having a unique wetland ecosystem.

● Kallada River is a major river discharging into the Ashtamudi Lake.

● National Waterway-3 passes through it.

PERIYAR LAKE

● It is a freshwater lake, but it is not the largest freshwater lake of Kerala.

● Periyar lake is an artifical lake, created as a result of the construction of the Mullaperiyar Dam in 1895.

CHARRU MUSSEL - INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES AFFECTING THE BACKWATERS OF KERALA

The surveys conducted in Kerala have found the presence of Charru mussel in many estuaries/backwaters of Kerala, which including, Paravur, Ashtamudi, Kayamkulam, Vembanad etc.

Ashtamudi Lake is worst-hit due to Charu mussel.

➤ Lonar Lake - Crater Lake ✅

It is a circular lake crater lake in Buldhana district of Maharashtra, formed by a meteorite impact onto the basalt bedrock.

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➤ Nainital - Tectonic Lake ✅

Tectonic lakes are formed due to the folding and faulting of plates in earth’s Crust.

Nainital is tectonic in origin and is kidney shaped or crescent shaped and having its outfall at the southeastern end.

Naini lake is located in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand, often called the Lake District of India, is one of the four important lakes of Kumaon – the other three lakes are Sattal, Bhimtal and Naukuchiyatal.

➤ Shakambhari Lake - Salt Lake ✅
Shakambhari Lake is another name of Sambhar Lake - the largest inland saline lake of India.

➤ Roopkund - Underground Lake ❌

Roopkund is a high-altitude glacial lake in Uttarakhand. Located in the Himalayas, the area around the lake is uninhabited, surrounded by rock-strewn glaciers and snow-clad mountains.

SAMBHAR LAKE (SHAKAMBHARI LAKE)

● Sambhar Salt Lake is India's largest saline lake and is the source of most of Rajasthan's salt production.

● It produces 196,000 tonnes of clean salt every year, which is around 9% of India's salt production.

● In the past, the lake’s salt supply was worked by the Mughal dynasty (1526–1857) and it was later owned jointly by the Jaipur and Jodhpur princely states.

● The lake receives water from six rivers - Mantha, Rupangarh, Khari, Khandela, Medtha and Samod.

● It is a Ramsar Wetland Site.

● Lesser Flamingoes, pelicans and the waterfowls are commonly sighted at the Sambhar Lake.

● In 2019, almost 22,000 migratory birds died at the Lake due to "avian botulism", a neuromuscular illness.

● Xerophytic and halophytic vegetation grows in its catchment area.

Sambhar lake touches three districts of Rajasthan — Jaipur, Nagaur and Ajmer.

It is surrounded by Aravalli Hills on all sides.

Sambhar lake has been designated as a Ramsar Wetland, it is a key wintering area for thousands of pink flamingos and other migratory birds.

The specialized algae and bacteria growing in the lake provide striking water colours and support the lake ecology that, in turn, sustains the migrating waterfowl.

ROOPKUND - INDIA'S MYSTERY "SKELETON LAKE"

● Roopkund is a glacial lake located 5,029 metres (16,500ft) above sea level at the bottom of a steep slope on Trisul, one of India's highest mountains, in Uttarakhand.

● It is a remote lake in the Himalayas, nestled in a snowy valley, strewn with hundreds of human skeletons.

● The remains strewn around and beneath the ice at the "lake of skeletons", were discovered by a patrolling British forest ranger in 1942.

● To date, the skeletal remains of an estimated 600-800 people have been found here. The skeletons are well-preserved and are visible only when the snow melts.

According to Scientists, these belong to 9th century people who were buried here during heavy hail storm.

KANWAR LAKE (KABARTAL WETLAND)

● Kabartal, also known as Kanwar
Jheel, covers 2,620 hectares of the Indo-Gangetic plains in Bihar.

● It is situated in Begusarai district of Bihar

● It is Asia's largest ox-bow lake.

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(https://t.me/iaspanti/1046)● The site is one of 18 wetlands within an extensive floodplain complex; it floods during the monsoon season to a depth of 1.5 metres.

● This absorption of floodwaters is a vital service in Bihar State where 70% of the land is vulnerable to inundation.

● Five critically endangered species inhabit the site, including three vultures – red-headed vulture, white-rumped vulture and Indian vulture – and two waterbirds, the sociable lapwing and Baer’s pochard.

● Kabartal Wetland is an important stopover for migratory birds along the Central Asian Flyway.

● It was designated as Ramsar Wetland Site in 2020.

GOVIND VALLABH PANT SAGAR - THE LARGEST ARTIFICIAL LAKE OF INDIA

● Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar is located in Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh.

● It is largest man-made lake of India, created by the reservoir of the Rihand Dam.

● Rihand is the tributary of Son River.

DHEBAR LAKE (JAISAMAND LAKE), UDAIPUR

● Dhebar Lake, also known as Jaisamand Lake, is India's second largest man-made/artificial lake.

● It is located in the Udaipur District of Rajasthan.

● The lake remained the world’s largest manmade lake until the British built the Aswan dam in Egypt in 1902.

● It was created in the 17th century, when Maharaja Jai Singh of Udaipur built a marble dam across the Gomati River.

● Now it is India's second largest artificial lake in India, after Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar.

BHOJ WETLAND (BHOPAL)

● The Bhoj wetland is situated in the heart of Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh.

● It is a Ramsar Wetland Site since 2002.

● The wetland consists of two contiguous man-made lakes – the upper lake 'Bhoj Tal' and the lower lake.

● The upper lake, the oldest among large man-made lakes in central India, was created by Raja Bhoj in the 11th century by constructing an earthen dam across the Kolans river.

● The lower lake was constructed nearly 200 years ago mostly from the seepage from the upper lake.

HUSSAIN SAGAR (HYDERABAD)

● Hussain Sagar is an artifical lake in Hyderabad, Telangana, built by Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah in 1563.

● It is fed by Musi River.

● A large monolithic statue of Gautama Buddha, erected in 1992, stands on Gibraltar Rock in the middle of the lake.

MANSAROVAR LAKE (TIBET) - WORLD'S HIGHEST FRESHWATER LAKE

● Mansarovar Lake is a high-altitude freshwater lake.

● It is located near the foot of the Mount Kailash in Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

● Its waters are replenished by the Kailash Glacier.

● Lake Mansarovar lies at an elevation of 4590 m above mean sea level.

● This is relatively unknown for a freshwater lake, though higher and larger saline water lakes exist in the Tibetan Plateau.

● Mansarovar lake holds a highly revered sacred place in four religions - Bön, Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism.

● It is the site of an annual pilgrimage undertaken by Indian citizens known as the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra.

● The Mansarovar Lake, along with its nearby saline counterpart, the Rakshasa Tal lake were parts of the Sutlej Basin in the past, but are now separated due to tectonic activity.

Why is Black Soil known as self ploughing soiI ?

>> Black soil is known for its self ploughing nature because it is a clayey soil and retains much moisture in it.

>> It also develops cracks during summers, which exposes it to sunlight and water from rains. Thus, it becomes easy to plough it.

> Due to all the above-mentioned reasons, the cultivation and ploughing process for the farmers becomes easy and the crop grows well as compared to the crops on other soil.

BLACK SOIL

Black soil is also known as Regur soil.

The word "regur" originates from the latin word "regurgitare" which means "to overflow".

Regurgitare can be split as :
re = back
gurgitare = engulf, flood

It is commonly known as "black cotton soil" as they are perfect for growing cotton.

It is made up of fine clayey material with a high moisture retention capacity.

This type of soil is typical of the Deccan trap (Basalt) region spread over North-West Deccan plateau and is made up of lava flows.

It is rich in soil nutrients like calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash and lime, but poor in phosphoric content.

Distribution : Black soils are found in lava-covered areas of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Northern Karnataka, etc.

PULICAT LAKE

Pulicat Lagoon is the second largest brackish water lagoon in India, after Chilika Lake.

It is situated on the Coromondal Coast on the Andhra Pradesh–Tamil Nadu Border.

The barrier island of Sriharikota separates the lake from the Bay of Bengal.

Satish Dhawan Space Centre is located in Sriharikota Island.

The primary inflows to the Pulicat Lake are Arani, Kalangi and Swarnamukhi rivers.

About 96% of the Pulicat Lake is present in Andhra Pradesh while only 3% is present in Tamil Nadu.

TEAK AND SAL FORESTS OF MADHYA PRADESH

Teak/ सागौन (Tectona grandis) is by far the most important timber species, with a wide distribution in Madhya Pradesh.

Sal/ साल (साखू) (Shorea robusta) is another important timber species in Madhya Pradesh. It is a large evergreen tree.

Sal forests of Madhya Pradesh are ecologically very important as they mark the termination of the great sal zone of the Central Indian Peninsula.

Sal forests are located in the eastern part of the state while teak forests are localised in the western part.

In between, there is a transition belt of mixed miscellaneous forests.

There are also areas where teak and sal both species occur naturally mixed together forming unique ecosystem.

RIVER INDRAVATI

River Indravati is a tributary of river Godavari.

Its starting point is found to be the Ghats of Dandakaranya in the Kalahandi district of Odisha.

It unites with the Godavari at the borders of three states - They are the state of Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Telangana.

The river at a variety of stages of its course forms the boundary between Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.

The Indravati is known as the "lifeline" of Kalahandi, Nabarangapur districts of Odisha & Bastar district of Chhattisgarh.

Most of the river course is through dense forests of Nabarangapur & Bastar.

River Indravati is also known as the oxygen of the Bastar district of state of Chhattisgarh.

Chitrakote Falls also known as the "Niagara falls of India", are located on Indravati River in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh.

Indravati National Park and Tiger Reserve is located in the adjoining region of Chhattisgarh.

RIVER NARMADA

Narmada is one of the rivers in India that flows in a rift valley.

Narmada river flows between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges.

The Narmada River originates from north-eastern end of Satpura & runs in the depression between the Satpura and Vindhya ranges.

Being a rift valley river, Narmada river does not form delta.

Rift valley rivers form estuaries.

The other rivers which flow through rift valley :

➡️ Damodar River
➡️ Tapti River
➡️ Mahi River

Laterite Soil

Laterite is a soil rich in oxides of iron and aluminum and is formed in hot and wet tropical areas.

Nearly all laterites are of rusty-red coloration, because of high iron oxide content. They develop by intensive and prolonged weathering of the underlying parent rock.

Lateritic soils of India are rendered infertile by the presence of excess iron.

Laterite soils are found in the areas which receive high rainfall and have a very high temperature. This results in less humus content in the soil.

Laterite Soil

Laterite is a soil rich in oxides of iron and aluminum and is formed in hot and wet tropical areas.

Nearly all laterites are of rusty-red coloration, because of high iron oxide content. They develop by intensive and prolonged weathering of the underlying parent rock.

Lateritic soils of India are rendered infertile by the presence of excess iron.

Laterite soils are found in the areas which receive high rainfall and have a very high temperature. This results in less humus content in the soil.

A lagoon is a body of water separated from larger bodies of water by a natural barrier.

Lagoons are separated from larger bodies of water by sandbars, barrier reefs, coral reefs, or other natural barriers.

Periyar lake of Kerala is not a lagoon.

It is surrounded by mountain ridges of Cardamom Hills.

Periyar is the longest river and the river with the largest discharge potential in the Indian state of Kerala.

Shiwaliks are known by different names in different areas:

Region - Name of Shiwaliks

1) Jammu Region - Jammu Hills

2) Dafla, Miri, Abor and Mishmi Hills - Arunachal Pradesh

3) Dhang Range, Dundwa Range - Uttarakhand

4) Churia Ghat Hills - Nepal

Vindhyan System (1300-600 million years old)

This system derives its name from the great Vindhyan mountains.

The system comprises of ancient sedimentary rocks (4000 m thick).

Mostly Unfossiliferous.

Large area of this belt is covered by the Deccan trap.

Vindhyan system has diamond bearing regions from which Panna and Golconda diamonds have been mined.

In the given options, Kamet is located in India and the other three mountain peaks - Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and Kailash are located outside India.

Kamet is the second highest mountain in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, India, after Nanda Devi. It lies in the Chamoli District of Uttarakhand. Its appearance resembles a giant pyramid topped by a flat summit area with two peaks.

Annapurna - located in the Himalayas in north-central Nepal is known to be the world's most difficult mountains to climb.

Dhaulagiri - Situated in western Nepal, it is one of the coveted 8,000m peaks, standing as the seventh highest mountain in the world.

Mount Kailash is located in Tibet, near Lake Mansarovar and Lake Rakshastal, close to the source of some of the longest Asian rivers: the Indus, Sutlej, Brahmaputra and Karnali also known as Ghaghra (a left-bank tributary of the Ganges).

The Seven Summits are the highest mountains on each of the seven continents.

1⃣ North America - Mt. Denali
2⃣ South America - Mt. Aconcagua
3⃣ Africa - Mt. Kilimanjaro
4⃣ Europe - Mt. Elbrus
5⃣ Asia - Mt. Everest
6⃣ Australia - Mt. Kosciusko
7⃣ Antarctica - Vinson Massif

Climbing to the summit of all of these mountains is regarded as a mountaineering challenge, first achieved on 30 April 1985 by Richard Bass.

Completing the Seven Summits + reaching the north and south poles is known as the Explorers Grand Slam.

Badland Topography is characteristic of Chambal Valley.

Why does Chambal River have formation of 'badlands', also known as ravines (bihad)?

Bringing Chambal Badlands (Ravines) under Cultivation

Context: Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare held a meeting with World Bank representatives to bring large ravines of Gwalior-Chambal region under agriculture.

Chambal-Gwalior ravines stretch across three States — Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Bihad areas of Chambal-Gwalior belt is a unique badland topography having gullies up to 60-80m deep.

More than 3 lakh hectares of ravines is not cultivable and if this area is improved, then this will help in the integrated development of the Bihad area in Gwalior-Chambal region.

Badland topography- It is the defining feature of the Chambal valley, characterized by undulating floodplain, gullies and ravines.

Ravines are formed as a result of constant vertical erosion/downcutting by rivers flowing in semi-arid and arid regions.

Regional climate, rainfall and topography is a major factor in the formation of ravines. However, the region through which Chambal River flows does not receive enough rainfall to create ravines that are 60-80m deep.

Researchers have attributed neo-tectonic activities and river rejuvenation to the genesis of Chambal ravines.

What is River Rejuvenation?

• A river is full of energy and actively erodes the valley in its youthful stage, but it progressively becomes passive as it attains its base levels(usually the sea level) in mature stage.

• But sometimes, due to tectonic movements, the base level may be lowered further thus energizing the river and reactivating the erosion. This is known as River Rejuvenation, which is believed to be the cause of gully erosion and formation of Chambal ravines.

• Wind erosion has also contributed to the formation of Chambal ravines.

Sajnekhali is a 362 km² mangrove scrub, forest and swamp area in the northern part of the Sundarbans delta in South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, India. It was set up as a sanctuary in 1976.

Pichavaram in Tamil Nadu consists of a number of islands interspersing a vast expanse of water covered with mangrove forests.

Pichavaram is the second largest mangrove forest in the world after Sunderbans, covering about 1100 hectares of area.

It is separated from the Bay of Bengal by a sand bar. The biotope consists of species like Avicennia and Rhizophora.

Certain minerals may occur as alluvial deposits in sands of valley floors and the base of hills.

These deposits are called ‘placer deposits’ and generally contain minerals which are not corroded by water.

Gold, silver, tin and platinum are most important among such minerals which are found as placer deposits in alluvium.

BHITARKANIKA MANGROVES, ODISHA

Bhitarkanika is a mangrove wetland in Odisha between the river deltas of Brahmani and Baitarani.

It is the second largest mangrove ecosystem in India.

It is located in Kendrapara district of Odisha.

Bhitarkanika is a National Park since 1998 and Ramsar site since 2002.

Gahirmatha Beach and Marine Wildlife Sanctuary lying to its east, is the largest known rookery of the Olive Ridley sea-turtles in the world.

Bhitarkanika is the last of the three remaining population of salt-water crocodile in India and houses the largest known population of king cobra, one of the largest heronry along the east coast of India and one of the highest concentration of migratory waterfowls – both ducks and waders.

The national park and wildlife sanctuary is inundated by a number of rivers – Brahmani, Baitarani, Dhamra, Pathsala.

It is said to house 70% of the country’s estuarine or saltwater crocodiles, conservation of which was started way back in 1975.

MAGURI MOTAPUNG BEEL, ASSAM

The Maguri Motapung wetland, an Important Bird Area (IBA) as declared by the Bombay Natural History Society is located close to the Dibru Saikhowa National Park in Upper Assam.

In May 2020, the Beel was adversely affected by a blowout and fire at an Oil India Limited-owned gas well.

The resulting oil spill killed a number of fish, snakes as well as an endangered Gangetic dolphin.

MANDARIN DUCK SIGHTED IN MAGURI-MOTAPUNG BEEL OF ASSAM

A Mandarin duck was sighted in Maguri Motapung beel in Assam’s Tinsukia district after a century.

Mandarin duck was first identified by Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist Carl Linnaeus in 1758.

It is considered the most beautiful duck in the world.

These ducks inhabit temperate forests near wetlands including rivers, streams, bogs, marshes, swamps and freshwater lakes.

It is native to East Asia but has established populations in Western Europe and America too. It breeds in Russia, Korea, Japan and northeastern parts of China.

Mandarin duck rarely visits India as it does not fall in its usual migratory route. It was last seen in 1902 in Dibru river in Tinsukia district, Assam.

IUCN Status : Least Concern

KODAIKANAL : PALANI HILLS

Palani Hills are a mountain range in the southern Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Palani Hills are an eastward extension of the Western Ghats ranges, which run parallel to the west coast of India.

Vandaravu peak is the highest peak in the Palani hills.

The hill station of Kodaikanal lies in the southern central portion of the range.

Palani Hills join with Anaimalai Hills and Cardamom Hills at Anaimudi peak in Kerala state.

In the highest portions of the range, above 2000 m (6562 ft), the montane rainforests give way to shola forest-grassland mosaic.

In the given Question, Bhitarkanika, (Odisha), Coringa (Andhra Pradesh)
Pichavaram (Tamil Nadu) mangrove forests are located on the East Coast of India.

Coondapur Mangroves are located on the West Coast of India in Karnataka.