RAS question
The Thar Desert in Rajasthan is bounded on the east by:
Correct answer: (A) Aravalli Range.
The Thar Desert in Rajasthan is bounded on the east by the Aravalli Range.
Explanation
The Thar Desert, also called the Great Indian Desert, lies in western Rajasthan and is bordered on its eastern side by the Aravalli Range. The cited NCERT/SATHEE text supports this by placing the Indian Desert on the western margins of the Aravali Hills, which means the hills form the desert's eastern edge. This boundary matters geographically because the Aravallis separate the sandy desert tract from the more eastern physiographic zones of Rajasthan and help explain why western Rajasthan remains dry. The desert is described as an undulating sandy plain with sand dunes, very low rainfall, sparse vegetation, seasonal streams that disappear into the sand, and the Luni as its only large river.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) The Western Ghats belong to western peninsular India and mark the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, not the eastern boundary of Rajasthan's Thar Desert.
- (C) The Satpura Range is associated with central India and the Deccan Plateau, so it cannot bound the Thar Desert in eastern Rajasthan.
- (D) The Vindhya Range lies to the south of Rajasthan and is linked with the Central Highlands, not with the eastern margin of the Thar Desert.
Concept
This tests India's physiographic divisions, especially the location of the Indian Desert in relation to the Aravalli Range. It recurs in RAS because Rajasthan geography often asks boundaries, relief features, drainage, and desert-region basics together.