The Western Himalayas refers to the western half of the
Himalayas
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 10 ...
, in northern
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
and northwestern
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. It is also known as the Punjab Himalayas. Four of the five tributaries of the
Indus River in
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising a ...
(
Beas
Beas is a riverfront town in the Amritsar district of the Indian state of Punjab. Beas lies on the banks of the Beas River. Beas town is mostly located in revenue boundary of Budha Theh with parts in villages Dholo Nangal and Wazir Bhullar. ...
,
Chenab
The Chenab River () is a major river that flows in India and Pakistan, and is one of the 5 major rivers of the Punjab region. It is formed by the union of two headwaters, Chandra and Bhaga, which rise in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul ...
,
Jhelum, and
Ravi Ravi may refer to:
People
* Ravi (name), including a list of people and characters with the name
* Ravi (composer) (1926–2012), Indian music director
* Ravi (Ivar Johansen) (born 1976), Norwegian musical artist
* Ravi (music director) (1926–201 ...
) rise in the Western Himalayas; while the fifth, the
Sutlej cuts through the range after rising in Tibet.
Included within the Western Himalayas are the
Zanskar Range
Zanskar, Zahar (locally) or Zangskar, is a tehsil of Kargil district, in the Indian union territory of Ladakh. The administrative centre is Padum (former Capital of Zanskar). Zanskar, together with the neighboring region of Ladakh, was brie ...
, the
Pir Panjal Range
The Pir Panjal Range ( Kashmiri: ) is a group of mountains in the Lesser Himalayan region, running from east-southeast (ESE) to west-northwest (WNW) across the Indian territories of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir and then Pakistan's ...
, and the
Dhauladhar Range, and western parts of the
Sivalik Range and the
Great Himalayas
The Great Himalayas or Greater Himalayas or Himadri is the highest mountain range of the Himalayan Range.Hussain, MajidGeography of India/ref> The world's highest peak, Mount Everest, as well as other "near−highest" peaks, such as Kangchenjunga, ...
. The highest point is
Nanga Parbat
Nanga Parbat ( ur, ) (; ), known locally as Diamer () which means “king of the mountains”, is the ninth-highest mountain on Earth, its summit at above sea level. Lying immediately southeast of the northernmost bend of the Indus River in ...
(26,660 feet or 8,126 metres), at the northwestern end of the region.
Rivers
The Jhelum river rises in the Pir Panjal Range in Indian-administered
Jammu and Kashmir, and flows northwestward through the
Vale of Kashmir
The Kashmir Valley, also known as the ''Vale of Kashmir'', is an intermontane valley concentrated in the Kashmir Division of the Indian- union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The valley is bounded on the southwest by the Pir Panjal Range and ...
before entering Pakistani-administered
Azad Kashmir and eventually entering the plains near
Mirpur. The Chenab river originates in
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several peaks ...
near
Chandra Taal
Tso Chigma or Chandra Taal (meaning the ''Lake of the Moon''), or Chandra Tal is a lake in the spiti part of the Lahul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh, India. Chandra Taal is near the source of the Chandra River. Despite the rugged ...
and forms the
Lahaul Valley in the state and the
Chenab Valley in neighbouring
Jammu
Jammu is the winter capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is the headquarters and the largest city in Jammu district of the union territory. Lying on the banks of the river Tawi, the city of Jammu, with an area of ...
before entering the plains near
Akhnoor
Akhnoor is a city and municipal committee, near city of Jammu in Jammu district of Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It lies 28 km away from Jammu city. Akhnoor is on the bank of the Chenab River, just before it enters the P ...
. The Ravi river which flows through the
Chamba Valley Chamba may refer to:
People
*Gilberto Chamba (born 1961), Ecuadorian serial killer
* Jessica Chamba (born 1981), European activist
Places Ghana
*Chamba, a town in the Northern Region
India
* Chamba (Vidhan Sabha constituency), Himachal Pradesh
* ...
and the Beas river which flows through the
Kullu
Kullu is a municipal council town that serves as the administrative headquarters of the Kullu district of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is located on the banks of the Beas River in the Kullu Valley about north of the airport at Bh ...
and the
Kangra valleys both originate in Himachal Pradesh state as well. The Sutlej river rises in Tibet, enters Himachal Pradesh near
Shipki La
__NOTOC__
Shipki La is a mountain pass and border post with a dozen buildings of significant size on the India-China border. The river Sutlej, which is called Langqên Zangbo in Tibet, enters India (from Tibet) near this pass. A spur road on th ...
pass, flows through
Kinnaur
Kinnaur is one of the twelve administrative districts of the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India. The district is divided into three administrative areas (Kalpa, Nichar (Bhabanagar), and Pooh) and has six tehsils. The administrative he ...
where it is joined by its tributaries
Spiti
Spiti (pronounced as Piti in Bhoti language) is a high-altitude region of the Himalayas, located in the north-eastern part of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The name "Spiti" means "The middle land", i.e. the land between Tib ...
and
Baspa, before entering the plains near
Ropar
Rupnagar (; formerly known as Ropar is a city and a municipal council in Rupnagar district in the Indian state of Punjab. Rupnagar is a newly created fifth Divisional Headquarters of Punjab comprising Rupnagar, Mohali, and its adjoining dist ...
in Punjab.
Ecology
Flora
*
Northwestern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows
The Northwestern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows is a montane grasslands and shrublands ecoregion of the elevations of the northwestern Himalaya of China, India, and Pakistan.
Setting
Northwestern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows cover ...
*
Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows
The Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows is a montane grasslands and shrublands ecoregion of Nepal, India, and Tibet, which lies between the tree line and snow line in the western portion of the Himalaya Range.
Setting
The Western Himalayan ...
*
Western Himalayan broadleaf forests
The Western Himalayan broadleaf forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forest ecoregion which is found in the middle elevations of the western Himalayas, including parts of Nepal, India, and Pakistan.
Setting
The ecoregion forms an area of te ...
*
Western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests
The Western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion of the middle and upper elevations of the western Middle Himalayas of Nepal, India, and Pakistan.
Setting
The ecoregion forms a belt of coniferous fores ...
Economic activities
Agriculture is the main economic activity in the area. The main crops grown in this region are
paddy and
wheat
Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...
. The region is a major hub of horticulture in the Indian subcontinent.
Apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, ' ...
s are grown in the Kashmir, Kinnaur, Kishtwar, and Kullu valleys, as well as the Hills of
Shimla
Shimla (; ; also known as Simla, the official name until 1972) is the capital and the largest city of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared as the summer capital of British India. After independence, the ...
. These regions, particularly Kashmir and the Shimla Hills produce almost all the apples grown in India and South Asia.
Saffron
Saffron () is a spice derived from the flower of ''Crocus sativus'', commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent in ...
is also grown in Kashmir and Kishtwar, while dry fruits are grown in several areas of the western Himalayan region.
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of ''Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of southwestern China and north ...
is grown in the Kangra valley. A large number of people from nomadic pastoral communities such as
Gurjar
Gurjar or Gujjar (also transliterated as ''Gujar, Gurjara and Gujjer'') is an ethnic nomadic, agricultural and pastoral community, spread mainly in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, divided internally into various clan groups. They were tra ...
s,
Bakarwal
The Bakarwal (also Bakkarwal, Bakharwal, Bakrawala and Bakerwal) are a nomadic ethnic group, who along with Gujjars are listed as Scheduled Tribes in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir since 1991.https://tribal.nic.in/downloads/CLM/CLM_1/17.p ...
s and
Gaddis
The Gaddi is a semi-pastoral Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic tribe living mainly in the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Overview
The origin of the Gaddi Tribe is Gaderiya ( Dhangar) they also additionally believe that ...
living in the alpine and subalpine areas of these mountains engage in cattle rearing.
Tourism is another major industry. The city of
Srinagar in the Kashmir Valley is famous for its
houseboats and
shikara
The shikara is a type of wooden boat found on Dal Lake and other water bodies of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir Shikaras are of various sizes and are used for multiple purposes, including transportation. A usual shikara seats six people, with th ...
s on the
Dal
In Indian cuisine, ''dal'' (also spelled ''daal'' or ''dhal''; pronunciation: , Hindi: दाल, Urdu: ) are dried, split pulses (e.g., lentils, peas, and beans) that do not require soaking before cooking. India is the largest producer of pu ...
and
Nigeen lake
Nigeen Lake (alternatively spelled as Nageen Lake) is a mildly eutrophic lake located in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is sometimes considered a part of the Dal lake and is connected to it via a narrow strait. It is also connected to ...
s.
Murree
Murree (Punjabi, Urdu: مری) is a mountain resort city, located in the Galyat region of the Pir Panjal Range, within the Muree District of Punjab, Pakistan. It forms the outskirts of the Islamabad-Rawalpindi metropolitan area, and is about ...
,
Pahalgam
Pahalgam (), known as Pahalgom (; in Kashmiri) is a town and a notified area committee, near Anantnag city in the Anantnag district of the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a popular tourist destination and hill ...
,
Sonmarg
Sonamarg () or Sonmarg (), known as Sonamarag (; ) in Kashmiri, is a hill station located in the Ganderbal District of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is located about 62 Kilometers from Ganderbal Town and northeast of the capital city, Srinagar ...
,
Gulmarg
Gulmarg (), known as Gulmarag (; ) in Kashmiri, is a town, hill station, popular skiing destination, and notified area committee in the Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is located at a distance of from Baramulla and from S ...
,
Dalhousie,
Mcleodganj
McLeod Ganj, also spelt McLeodganj, (pronounced ''Mc-loud-gunj'') is a suburb of Dharamshala in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is known as "Little Lhasa" or "Dhasa" (a short form of Dharamshala used mainly by Tibetans) because ...
,
Dharamshala
Dharamshala (; also spelled Dharamsala) is the winter capital of Himachal Pradesh, India. It serves as administrative headquarters of the Kangra district after being relocated from Kangra, a city located away from Dharamshala, in 1855.
The ...
,
Manali and
Shimla
Shimla (; ; also known as Simla, the official name until 1972) is the capital and the largest city of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared as the summer capital of British India. After independence, the ...
are famous
hill stations.
Amarnath and
Vaishno Devi
Vaishno Devi (also known as Mata Rani, Trikuta, Ambe and Vaishnavi) is a manifestation of the Hindu Mother Goddess, Durga or Adi Shakti. The words "''Maa''" and "''Mata''" are commonly used in India for ''mother'', and thus are often heavily ...
are important pilgrimage centres attracting several hundred thousands of pilgrims each year. Gulmarg and Manali are popular winter-sports destinations where activities such as skiing, snowboarding, sledding etc. are done, while adventure sports like paragliding are done at
Bir and Billing.
Several perennial rivers flow through these mountains which makes them ideal for hydroelectricity generation, and thus several hydroelectric projects are complete or underway in Pakistan and India.
Cultural significance
Many sites revered by people belonging to various faith and religions.
Pilgrimage sites
*
Amarnath Cave Temple
*
Gurudwara Shri Hemkund Sahib
Hemkund Sahib (also spelled Hemkunt), formally known as ''Gurudwara Shri Hemkund Sahib Ji'', is a Sikh place of worship and pilgrimage site in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India. It is devoted to Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708), the tenth ...
*
Jwala Ji
Jwala Ji ( Pahari: जवाला जी, pa, ਜਵਾਲਾ ਜੀ, hi, ज्वाला जी) is a Hindu Goddess. Alternative spellings and names for Jwala Ji include ''Jawala Ji'', ''Jwala Devi'' and ''Jwalamukhi Ji''. The physical m ...
* Vaishno Devi, Katra
See also
*
Aksai Chin
Aksai Chin is a region administered by China as part of Hotan County, Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang and Rutog County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet. It is claimed by India to be a part of its Leh District, Ladakh Union Territory. It is a part of t ...
*
Eastern Himalayas
]
The Eastern Himalayas extend from eastern Nepal across Northeast India, Bhutan, the Tibet Autonomous Region to Yunnan in China and northern Myanmar. The climate of this region is influenced by the monsoon of South Asia from June to September. ...
*
Himalayas
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 10 ...
*
Kashmir
*
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising a ...
References
{{reflist
.
.
Mountain ranges of Afghanistan
Mountain ranges of India
Mountain ranges of Nepal
Mountain ranges of Pakistan
Mountain ranges of Tibet
Mountain ranges of Tajikistan
Regions of China
Regions of India
Regions of Pakistan
Regions of Nepal
Physiographic divisions