RAS question
Which of the following ranges is also known as 'Himadri' and contains the highest peaks?
Correct answer: (B) Greater Himalayas.
The Greater Himalayas are also known as Himadri and form the highest, most continuous Himalayan range, containing Mount Everest and other major high peaks.
Explanation
Himadri is the Greater Himalaya. NIOS describes it as the northernmost and highest Himalayan range, and the only Himalayan range that maintains continuity from west to east. The Greater Himalayas are the innermost, most continuous range with an average height of about 6,000 metres. The range extends between Nanga Parbat in the west and Namcha Barva in the east, and Mount Everest lies in this range. Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Dhaulagiri and Annapurna are also among its peaks above 8,000 metres. Therefore, for a question asking which range is called Himadri and contains the highest peaks, the only correct choice is the Greater Himalayas.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) The Shivalik Range is a separate Himalayan range and is not identified as Himadri, so it does not match the range described as the highest and most continuous.
- (C) The Middle Himalayas correspond to the Himachal range, while Himadri is specifically identified with the Greater Himalaya.
- (D) The Trans-Himalayas lie to the north of the Himadri in Jammu and Kashmir, so they are distinct from the Greater Himalayas called Himadri.
Concept
This tests the physical divisions of the Himalayas: Himadri, Himachal and Shivalik. RAS repeats this concept because range names, relative location and major peaks are basic map-linked facts in Indian physical geography.