Geographical Location
- Satpura range is a series of seven mountains (‘Sat’ = seven and ‘pura’ = mountains)
- It runs in an east-west direction south of the Vindhyas and in between the Narmada and the Tapi, roughly parallel to these rivers.It stretches for a distance of about 900 km.
- The range rises in eastern Gujarat state running east through the border of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh to the east till Chhattisgarh.
- The range parallels the Vindhya Range to the north, and these two east-west ranges divide Indian Subcontinent into the Indo-Gangetic plain of northern India and the Deccan Plateau of the south.
- Parts of the Satpuras have been folded and upheaved. They are regarded as structural uplift or ‘horst’.
- Dhupgarh (1,350 m) near Pachmarhi on Mahadev Hills is the highest peak.
- Amarkantak (1,127 m) is another important peak.
Rivers Originating
- Narmada River: Originates from north-eastern end of Satpura in Amarkantak, and runs in the depression between the Satpura and Vindhya ranges, running west towards the Arabian Sea.
- Tapti River: Originates in the eastern-central part of Satpura, crossing the range in the center and running west at the range’s southern slopes before meeting the Arabian Sea at Surat, draining the central and southern slopes of the range. Multai, the place of Tapi river origin is located about 465 kilometer far, south-westerly to Amarkantak, separated across by the hill range.
Geographical Significance
- Satpura Range contains some manganese and coal deposits in its southeastern flanks.
- It is largely forested, dissected plateau country, and it contains valuable teak stands in the west.
- In the upper Wainganga and Pench valleys of the Mahadeo Hills, there is some agriculture; on the higher hills, Gond hill tribes practice jhum cultivation.
- In Madhya Pradesh, Pachmarhi is a resort town and Chhindwara is a city.
Ecology
- Most of the Satpura range was heavily forested; but the area has been subject to gradual deforestation in recent decades, although significant stands of forests remain.
- These forest enclaves provide habitat to several at risk and endangered species, including the Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), Barasingha, gaur (Bos gaurus), dhole (Cuon alpinus), sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), chousingha (Tetracerus quadricornis), and blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra).
- Several protected areas have been earmarked in the area, including the
- Kanha National Parks,
- Pench National Parks,
- Gugamal National Parks,
- Satpura National Parks,
- Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve,
- Melghat Tiger Reserve
- Bori Reserve Forest.
Source: Britannica
