The Himalayas are a great climatic barrier. They save our country from the cold and dry winds of Central Asia, It also prevents the rain-laden monsoon winds of Indian Ocean from crossing over to Northern countries and causes heavy rain-fall in the Northern India.

It is also called the Himachal or Lower Himalaya. Lower Himalayan ranges are 60-80 km wide and about 2400 km in length….Middle or the Lesser Himalaya.

• Trans-Himalaya. Trans himalaya is created due to the collision with the Eurasian plate.
• Pir Panjal Range. To the south of the main Himalayas lies the Pir Panjal Range at an average height of 5,000 metres (16,000 ft).
• Dhauladhar Range.
• Zanskar Range.
• Ladakh Range.
• East Karakoram Range.
• Shiwalik Hills.
• References.

There are over 100 mountains. Of the fifteen highest mountain peaks in the World, nine of them are in the Nepali Himalayas. The word “Himalaya” means House of Snow in Sanskrit, an old Indian language. The Himalayas are so high that they kept the Indian and Chinese people separate from each other most of the time.

The Himalayas play a very significant role in influencing the climate of India. By virtue of their high altitude, length and direction, they effectively intercept the summer monsoons coming from the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea and cause precipitation in the form of rain or snow.

Because of its many beneficial uses, Himalayan yew has been exploited to the brink of extinction.

Himalayas play an important role in economic and cultural development of India in the following ways: The Himalayas act as a barrier to the South West monsoon winds. Himalayas are known for their scenic beauty and are visited by tourists all over the world bringing much needed foreign currency into the country.

The Great Himalayas Between the Great and Lesser Himalayas are several fertile longitudinal vales; in India the largest is the Vale of Kashmir, an ancient lake basin with an area of about 1,700 square miles (4,400 square km).

The Himalayan Mountain range provided a barrier between the Ancient Indian civilizations and the rest of Asia, providing protection from invasion. Water from rain and melting snow in the mountains also flowed down in the form of rivers, namely the Indus and Ganges, providing rich soil.

The agricultural lands are irrigated by the water of these rivers. b. Rains – the Himalayas prevent the rain-bearing monsoon winds from escaping to Asia continent by obstructing its path and forcing them to rain in India. Monsoons are the main source of water/irrigation in India.

The Himalayas save our country from the cold and dry winds of Central Asia. It also prevents the rain-laden monsoon winds of the Indian Ocean from crossing over to Northern countries and causes heavy rainfall in Northern India. Almost all the great rivers of India have their sources in the Himalayan ranges.

The Himalayas have a profound effect on the climate of the Indian subcontinent and the Tibetan Plateau. They prevent frigid, dry winds from blowing south into the subcontinent, which keeps South Asia much warmer than corresponding temperate regions in the other continents.