Aravali Range. Kshetram. June 2016

Transcription

1 June 2016 Kshetram Aravali Range The Aravali or Aravalli range, also known as Mewat Hills locally, is one of the seven major mountain ranges of the Indian subcontinent. The name Aravali literally means a line of peaks. They are of a type of mountains called Fold Mountains, that are formed through tectonic movement. In ancient times, the Aravalis were extremely high, but since have worn down almost completely by millions of years of being exposed to sun, wind, water etc. They cover an area of 50,000 sq. km, with most of the range, having its presence in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, but can also be found in the states of Gujarat, Haryana and the union territory of Delhi. Aravali Range ( 1 )

2 The Aravali or Aravalli range, also known as Mewat Hills locally, is one of the seven major mountain ranges of the Indian subcontinent. The name Aravali literally means a line of peaks. They are of a type of mountains called Fold Mountains, that are formed through tectonic movement. In ancient times, the Aravalis were extremely high, but since have worn down almost completely by millions of years of being exposed to sun, wind, water etc. They cover an area of 50,000 sq. km, with most of the range, having its presence in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, but can also be found in the states of Gujarat, Haryana and the union territory of Delhi. History: The Aravali Mountains are one of the oldest mountains of this world. In fact, the ranges we see now are just an eroded stub of the once mighty mountains, which had gigantic snow covered peaks and glaciers. They were supposed to have formed more than 1.5 billion years ago in a Precambrian event called the Aravalli-Delhi origin. When the tectonic plate of the Marwar region to the north-west collided with the tectonic plate of the Bundelkhand region to the south-east to form the Indian subcontinent, the Aravali Mountains started forming due to the pushing action of both the segments. It is similar to the formation of Himalayas. However, whereas Aravali Mountains have stopped growing a long time back, due to the cessation of upward thrust caused by the stopping of movement of the tectonic plates in the Earth's crust below them, the Himalayas, which are quite young compared to them, are still growing. It has been host to many civilisations both ancient and modern, which have used the Aravali mountains wealth to their advantage; for instance- a collection of settlements dating back to the third millennium BC have been found in the area of the Aravalli Hill Range. The Ahar civilisation on the banks of the River Ahar, which is the tributary of Banas River were contemporaneous with the Indus Valley civilisation. References are available in the 'Upanishads' and 'Mahabharat' to the cities of this region, such as Virat [present Bairath of Jaipur], Pushkararanya [Pushkar], Dhundhmas [Dhundhar of Sikar district] and Salvapur [Modern Alwar]. Geography: The Aravalis Range extends from 23^05 N to 28^53 N latitudes & from 73^09 E to 78^19 E longitudes. It is bounded by Punjab plain at the north, upper Ganga plain & Bundelkhand region at east, Gujarat region at the south & western Rajasthan Plain at the west. It has a length of more than 692 kms (approximately 435 miles). It starts in the south from Palanpur in Gujarat and cuts through Rajasthan in a southwest to northeast direction, continues as State/ UT No. of districts in Aravali Name of districts Gujarat 2 Aravali and Banaskantha districts. Rajasthan 18 Udaipur, Rajsamand, Dungarpur, Sirohi, Bhilwara, Ajmer, Chittorgarh, Jaipur, Sikar, Khetri, Alwar, Sawai Madhopur, Tonk, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Nagaur, Jodhpur, Barmerdistricts. Haryana 5 Rewari, Faridabad, Mewat, Mahendragarh, Gurgaon districts. Delhi - - isolated hills and rocky ridges into Haryana state, ending in Delhi. The famous Delhi Ridge is the last leg of the Aravalli Range, which traverses through South Delhi and terminates into Central Delhi, where Raisina hill is its last extension. Aravali Range ( 2 )

3 The Aravalli region is characterised by high hill ranges, valleys, plains, and plateau. The series of peaks and ridges, with breadths varying from 6 to 60 miles (10 to 100 km), are generally between 1,000 and 3,000 feet (300 and 900 metres) in elevation. The Aravali system in Rajasthan is divided into two sections: the Sambhar-Sirohi ranges, and the Sambhar-Khetri ranges, consisting of three ridges that are discontinuous. The Aravali range cuts through Rajasthan in such a way that it divides the state into different eco-regions, with varied climate and biodiversity. While to the west of the Aravali lies the dry wasteland and desert of Marwar region, to the east lie the fertile plains and plateaus. Though heavily forested in the south, it is generally bare and thinly populated, consisting of large areas of sand and stone and of masses of rose-coloured quartzite. The Aravali region in the middle takes up 12.5% of the Rajasthan s geographical land, and is a haven for people and wildlife alike. The vegetation consists mainly moist deciduous, dry deciduous, montane, tropical thorn, mixed deciduous and dry teak species. Some of the trees include Mango (Mangiferaindica), Mahua (Madhucaindica), Tamarind (Tamarindusindica), Teak (Tectonagrandis), Neem (Azadirachta), Anwala (Phyllanthusemblica), Babul (Acacia nilotica) Shisham (Daibergiasisso), Tendu (Diospyroscordifolia) etc. The only hill station of Rajasthan, Mount Abu lies in the south-western Aravali range, which is home to the highest peak of the Aravalis, Guru Shikhar which is 5650 feet (1722 meters). Water bodies: The Aravali mountain range is one of the major watersheds of India, and is the birthplace to some of the critical rivers, that feed the surrounding dry regions and dams that provide hydroelectric power. It gives rise to several rivers, including the Banas, Luni, Sakhi, Gambhiri, Banganga, Sabarmati, while some drain west to the Arabian Sea, others go east and drain into the Bay of Bengal. The biggest salt water lake in India is in this region, the Sambhar Lake. The Aravalli ranges and its valleys are home to many major cities such as Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Ajmer, Pushkar, Gurgaon, etc. Climate: The climate of the region is tropical, it gets heated up very soon at daytime & also radiates heat during night time. That is why, the diurnal range of temperature is very high. Winters are very cool. The average rainfall in the region is also varied, as the Aravalli Mountains are located on the way of south western monsoon (Arabian sea branch). Due to this reason the south-eastern portion of the Aravali Mountains receives more rainfall, than the north western side. The average rainfall on the south-eastern side is 650 mm, while on the north-western side it is 200 mm. Environmental importance to India: The Aravalis ranges have been an oasis of sorts for the people of western India. Contrary to the popular notion of Rajasthan as a desert state, the Aravalis Mountains and its eastern region are full of forests. In fact, Aravalis are called as the lungs of Delhi, because they provide the much needed fresh air to one of the most highly polluted cities in the world. Moreover, due to its unique geographical position, it acts as a natural barrier of sorts to the sands and winds of the Thar desert; thereby, checking the desertification of eastern regions, including the fertile Indo-Gangetic plains. People: Themain languages spoken in, the Aravali region are Hindi, Rajasthani, Bhilli, Mewari, Marwari, Gujarati, Haryanvi, Punjabi and Urdu. The people of region are majorly Hindus, with Muslims being the second largest community; there are many Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Jatts too. There is a large proportion of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the region. The Balais, Raigars & Bairawas are important constituents of the SCs. The main tribes of the area are as follows: Aravali Range ( 3 )

4 Gurjar or Gujjar is a pastoral agricultural ethnic group with populations in Sawai Madhopur, Kota and Bhilwara districts. Bhil tribe is mainly concentrated in the areas around Udaipur, Dungarpur and Chittorgarh. Bhili language is an Indo-Aryan language and is the main language spoken by Bhil tribe. The description of Bhil tribe is also cited in Ramayana and Mahabharata. Garasias Tribe is found in South Rajasthan. The Garasia tribe is said to have been originated from Bhil clan and is looked upon as the most backward tribe in the state of Rajasthan. They reside in the areas of Sawai Madhopur and Kota. Dungri Garasia is a tribe of the Bhil clan and is found in the Rajasthan and Gujarat states of India. Dungri Garasia tribe of the Bhil community migrated from the Mewar district about 300 years ago, to run away from the forces of the Muslims who were attacking Maharana Pratap. Mewasi Bhil belongs to the Bhil clan and is found in Rajasthan. According to 2001 census, the Mewasi tribe was termed as the Scheduled Tribe as per the Government of India (GOI) reservation programme of positive discrimination. Tadvi Bhil is a Muslim community found in Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The people of Tadvi Bhil tribe are the Muslim converts from the massive Bhil clan. Bhil Meena tribal group is found in Rajasthan, India. In earlier times, Rajasthan was ruled by Meena dynasty which had the symbol of a fish. Meena name is derived from Meen. The Meenas claim to be the descent from the God s Matsya avatar Damor Tribe is an ethnic clan and are also known as the Damarias. The people of Damor Tribe claim themselves to be that of Rajput origin. They generally speak Gameti dialect of Rajasthani. Dhanka tribe are termed as an Adivasi clan of India. They are more than 400,000 in number. Half of the percentage of Dhanka tribe lives in the Gujarat state of India and some dwell in Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. These tribes share a deep connection with the Aravalis andalso depend on the forest for firewood for cooking and fodder for their cattle. Much before the starting of the so-called modern period, the tribals of this region were very advanced in their wisdom. A system of tree bartering was practiced among them, in which a tree of our choice can given in exchange for a service, as a gift, or in exchange for another tree; which shows the value they placed on their flora. Additionally, due to the abundant availability of medicinal plants, there is a wealth of knowledge among the people about what to do in case any illnesses. In fact, Dhosi Hill in the district of Jhunjunu, known as 'Chayvan Rishi's Ashram' was where 'Chayawanprash' was formulated for the first time. Culture: The types of dwellings can easily be classified into rural & urban houses. The rural houses are made of mud mixed with dried grass, bamboos grass&twigs.while the urban houses are made of stone, lime, cement and etc. The Mughal influence is reflected on the dresses & ornaments of the people of the area..the dresses for men included hoti, angarkha & pag or safa. Women s dress is ghagra, kanchali, odhani, etc. These dresses are very colourful. The people of the region are very fond of ornaments & traditional jewellery. Aravali Range ( 4 )

5 The famous folk dances such as Bhawai dance performed by Jatt, Bhil, Meena, Raigar; Chakri dance by Khanjar tribe; Chari dance Gujjar community; Gair, Garhwali and Ghoomarby Bhil are from this region.folk music is a large part ofthe culturerajasthani music also includes many activities too like dancing and story-telling through songs. Among famous folk music, Panihari, Pabuji Ki Phach and Maand are famous. Kathputli or puppet shows are another famous art from the region. Folk songs are commonly ballads which relate heroic deeds and love stories; and religious or devotional songs known as bhajans and banis which are often accompanied by musical instruments like dholak, sitar, and sarangi are also sung. Famous food items from here include Bajreki roti (millet bread) and Lashun ki chutney (hot garlic paste), Mawakachori, MirchiBada, PyaajKachori and Ghevar, Alwarka Mawa, Malpauas. Livelihoods: The rural people rely on agriculture, animal husbandry and forestry as mainstays of their livelihoods. All these sources of livelihood depend on water and soil. For their water, most rural communities still rely on rain. Agriculture and allied sectors are the main provider of livelihoods, even though it is becoming non-remunerative, due to continuous droughts. The cropping pattern reveals that cultivation of cereals is an important activity. Wheat, Jowar, Bajra, Gram, Mustard, Barley, Maize, Sesame, etc., are grown along with commercial cash crops like Cotton and Tobacco, and fruits. Vegetables are also grown, but mainly for consumption, with surplus being sold. Livestock rearing is the next biggest activity, with people keeping cows, goats, sheep, etc., but nowadays, people are switching to buffalos instead of cows due to higher milk production. However, due to large scale overgrazing, the region is not being given a chance to replenish itself. Which ultimately leads to soil runoff during rains. Collection of NTFPs such as honey, Mahuaoil seeds, berries, fruits, roots, mushrooms, etc.,is another major rural and tribal activity, however, because of Aravali range s vicinity to major cities and with urbanisation taking place at a mammoth pace, the forests are being cut for commercial purposes such as for building luxury resorts, hotels, homes; for setting up forest based industries such as logging, processing; for mining purposes, etc. People supplement their precarious livelihoods with labour work : low-paid work, often exploitative, usually a long way from home. Migration is also quite high among the people, due to declining livelihoods in the areas. Moreover, due to the presence of hundreds of mines cropped all over the hills, both legal and illegal. Poor people of the region work as miners, in spite of the risk associated with it. Tourism: Tourism is a huge industry here. Being the abode of the Rajputs and later, the Mughals and the British; the Aravali ranges are full of exquisite palaces and terrific forts. Moreover, there are many temples, museums and attractions, some of which are Amer Fort, Hawa Mahal, City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Nahargarh Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Jai Mahal, Rambagh Palace etc., in Jaipur; Jag Niwas Palace, Lake Pichola and the Lake Palace, Jagat temple, Ranakpur temple, Nathdwara temples, Kumbhalgarh Fort, Chittorgarh Fort, Ghanerao castle, Nagda, Haldighati, Japanese Rock Garden, located in the middle of the Fateh Sagar Lake etc., near Udaipur; Nakki Lake, an artificial lake set among the hills at a height of 1200 metres, the hill temple of Gaumukh, Toad Hill, the Sunset Point, and the famous Jain temple of Dilwara which is famous for its architecture; the holy Pushkar Lake and Brahma temple of Pushkar; sulphur hot springs, having medicinal properties in Sohna, and countless other tourist attractions. Additionally, the unique biodiversity of the ranges attract lot foreign and local tourists. Biodiversity: Due to its conducive ecosystem, the Aravali shave a wide array of plants, animals and trees. Many endangered species can be found here. The animals include Tiger, Panther, Deer, Chinkara, Antelope, Black Buck, Sambhar, Cheetal, Blue bull, Wild boar, Jungle cat, Monkeys, Sloth Bear, Striped Hyena, Leopard, Porcupine, Fox, Small Indian Civet, and Indian Pangolin. Reptiles including venomous and non-venomous Snakes, Monitor Lizards, Star Tortoise etc. Among the birds, Rock Pigeon, Babbler, Golden Oriole, Tailors, Weavers, Fly Catchers, Kingfishers, Aravali Range ( 5 )

6 Doves, Vultures, Wood Peacocks, Adjutant Stork, Spoonbill, Osprey, White-backed Vulture, Black Vultures, etc., are most commonly found. Other migratory birds include Flamingos, Floricans, Panted Snipes, Pintails, etc. The rare flora comprises Kadaya (giving medicinal gum), Gugal, Amla and Moosli etc. The main trees are- Khair, Salai, Modad, Dhavada, Khakhara, Timru. There are many national parks, reserves and sanctuaries in this region, such as: Ranthambore National Park Place:- Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan Best Time:- October/ March and April to June. Special Attraction:- Tigers, Leopards, Boars, Sambar, Chital, Nilgai, Chinkara, Jackals, Jungle cats, Woodpeckers, Indian Gray Hornbills, Cuckoos, Grebe, Eagles, Darters, Cormorants, Egrets, Herons etc.. Sariska National Park Place:- Alwar, Rajasthan Best Time:- October to April Special Attraction:- Tigers, Leopards, Wild Dogs, Jungle Cats, Hyena etc... Nahargarh Wildlife Sanctuary Place:- Jaipur, Rajasthan Best Time:- October to March Special Attraction:-Lions, Tigers, Crocodiles, Langoors, Monkeys, Leopards, Wild Dogs, Hyena, Jackal etc... Jaisam and Wildlife Sanctuary, the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, the Bassi Wildlife Sanctuary, Sitamata Game Sanctuary, Sultanpur bird sanctuary, etc., are some of the other sanctuaries. Industries: Apart from tourism, the main industries are mineral based, agriculture based, and textile based. Bhilwara is the largest city in suiting s production and export and in cotton and polyster in blouse pieces and rubia production and export. Several prominent chemical and engineering companies are located in the city of Kota, in southern Rajasthan. The Aravali range is pre-eminent in quarrying and mining in India. The Taj Mahal was built from the white marble which was mined from a town called Makrana. The state is the second largest source of cement in India. It has rich salt deposits at Sambhar, copper mines at Khetri, Jhunjhunu, and zinc mines at Dariba, Zawar mines and Rampura Aghucha (opencast) near Bhilwara. Dimensional stone mining is also undertaken in Rajasthan. Jodhpur sandstone is mostly used in monuments, important buildings and residential buildings. This stone is termed as "chittarpatthar". Jodhpur leads in Handicraft and Guar Gum industry. Many districts of the area are also a part of the Mumbai-Delhi Industrial corridor (DMIC), such as Jaipur, Alwar, Kota and Bhilwara. There are many types of small scale industries such as, Aaritari, Agriculture implements, blue pottery, charm mojadi, galcha, dari, hand block printing, handloom, lakdi, marble murti, painting and luhari Mining and deforestation: Aravalis have a vast presence of mineralssuch as Beryl in Ajmer, Bhilwara & Tonk. Copper in Jhunjhunun & Alwar. Micain Bhilwara district; Granite in Kota; Barytes in Alwar & Bharatpur; Soapstone, Talc, Steatite in Bhilwara & Jaipur; Limestone in Kota & Bundi; Glass sands in Bundi, Sawai Madhopur & Bharatpur. In addition to these minerals, ores such as Conglomerate rocks, Silica, Fluorite, and Tungsten& Gold are also found. Large scale mining and quarrying have been taken up in the area, employing lakhs of miners, even though it is illegal to do mining now in the sensitive environment of the Aravalis. Aravali Range ( 6 )

7 Due to deforestation for mining and quarrying purposes, soil erosion is taking place in a drastic way. The Aravalis are losing forest cover fast and are not able to retain the water. Many streams and rivers which used to flow round the year are now becoming just seasonal. Moreover, air, water, noise pollution is leading to health issues for people and animals in the area. Due to excessive greed of the mining industries, the drillings being done too deep inside the Aravalis, leading to all the groundwater in the surrounding areas to flood the mines and may even kill the miners; thereby, the groundwater levels in nearby habitations go down. Conclusion: Even though the Supreme Court has banned mining in Aravalis after a lengthy struggle by activists in 2009, the local people have reported hundreds of illegal mines are still working. Another major problem is the issues of encroachment of forest areas and poaching of endangered animals, which needs to be curbed by creating more joint forest committees. With the Aravalis continuously being exploited, there is a huge chance that desertification of surrounding areas will happen in the near future, if steps are not taken to protect it. The range has played an important role in creating India as we know it; in terms of geographical, environmental and historical consequences. It s a treasure trove of natural resources such as flora, fauna, water, mineral wealth, which it has selflessly and generously shared with its inhabitants, but it is now on the threshold of being razed to rubble, due to the greed of some people and is being devastated due to climatic changes. The repercussions of its decline, will be on the quality of life of people, who are dependent on it. Aravali Range ( 7 )