Hills of Rajasthan
The Aravali range has been considered to be perhaps the oldest mountain range of the world. This has been ascertained by the absence of any fossiliferous rock in this range. It intersects the State diagonally from one end to the other. Their average height ranges from 400 meters to 900 meters with Guru Shikhar (1722 m.) being the highest peak in Mount Abu and the highest point between the Himalayas and the Nilgiris. They have a steeper gradient to the west sloping down from 750 m to 450 m within a short distance of 100 kilometers. The Aravalis are broader in the southwest with their confused extensive ranges in Sirohi, Udaipur and Chittaurgarh districts but become narrower in the north upto Ringas. As the Aravalis approach Ajmci the continuous chain breaks up into separate hills in the midst of which is located city of Ajmer on an open table-land, which slopes gently in all directions. From Ajmer the Aravalis’ trend changes to north – northeast and gradually the ranges get lower in elevation represented by some low residual hills. The ranges other than the Aravalis, though numerous, are comparatively insignificant. However, they surround many of the cities in Jaipur and Alwar districts and do not provide any formidable barrier to influence the climate, transport or the economy of the State.
In Bharatpur there is a range of local importance. Its highest peak Alipur is 414 m above mean sea level. South of these are the Karauli Hills, the highest of which nowhere reaches 490 m and to the southwest is a low but very well defined range, running from Mandalgarh towards northeast across Bundi to near Indergarh in Kota. These hills present a clear scarp for about 50 kilometres on their southeastern face and give very*few openings for roads. The best pass is that, in which lies the town of Bundi. From there, they are called the Bundi hills or Arabala range (620 m) of Vindhyan formations. This range runs in double line of hills and divides Bundi district in almost two equal parts. In its northeastern extension it is cut by the Mej river near Khatkar. Beyond Indergarh it disappears for a short distance and reappears at Balwan to enter into Sawai Madhopur district. It is through this gap that the Western Railway (Kota-Sawai Madhopur) gets a natural pass in this complex area. The Mukandara range of over 500 m in height runs across the southwestern part of Kota district to beyond lhalrapatan. Like the Arabala range it also has a curious double formation of two separate ridges. It forms the western boundary of the Harauti region. At Tolanpur it is cut across by the Chambal River and further south by the Kali Sindh. Between these two cuts there are two gaps, the Ghatoli gap and the Mukandara gap, only 13 kilometres apart. The latter was considered to be the most strategic and vulnerable point in historic times. All the southern districts are more or less hilly specially, Banswara and Dungarpur.
Most of these hills have provided natural sites for innumerable forts and fortresses built by the rulers through the ages. The Chittaurgarh fort built at the top of a flat and long hill range is of historic importance. These monuments are now attracting large number of tourists from all over the world.
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