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UPSC Prelims 1994 · Indian Geography · Rivers, Lakes and Dams
The Himalayas are formed of parallel fold ranges, of which the oldest range is
- (a) The Siwalik Range
- (b) The Lesser Himalayas
- (c) The Great Himalayan Range
- (d) The Dhaula Dhar Range
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (c) The Great Himalayan Range
The Great Himalaya (Himadri) is the oldest range.
The idea
The Himalayan belts were built during successive phases of mountain formation. In the school-level sequence tested here, the inner Great Himalayan belt is older than the outer belts. The age of a named belt is different from the age of every rock exposed within it.
Why the others are wrong
(a) The Siwaliks are the youngest (outermost).
(b) The Lesser Himalaya is in between.
(d) The Dhauladhar is a Lesser Himalayan range.
Also know
Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar belong to the Lesser Himalayan region. Duns are valleys between the Lesser Himalaya and Siwalik belts, with Dehra Dun a familiar example. Karakoram and Ladakh lie in the Trans-Himalayan region and should not be inserted into this three-belt sequence.
🔒 Himadri (oldest) → Himachal (Lesser) → Siwalik (youngest).
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