Satpura
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R) |
Satpura (सतपुड़ा) is a range of hills in central India. The range rises in eastern Gujarat state running east through the border of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh to the east till Chhattisgarh.
Variants
- Satpura सतपुड़ा (AS, p.931)
- Satpura Range (सतपुड़ा पर्वतश्रेणी)
Location
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. The Narmada River originates from north-eastern end of Satpura in Amarkantak, and runs in the depression between the Satpura and Vindhya ranges, draining the northern slope of the Satpura range, running west towards the Arabian Sea. The 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. The Godavari River and its tributaries drain the Deccan plateau, which lies south of the range, and the Mahanadi River drains the easternmost portion of the range. The Godavari and Mahanadi rivers flow into the Bay of Bengal. At its eastern end, the Satpura range meets the hills of the Chhotanagpur Plateau. The Satpura Range is a horst mountain and is flanked by Narmada Graben in the north and much smaller but parallel Tapi Graben in the south.[1][2]
Satpura Hills (or Satpurās)
Satpura Hills (or Satpurās). — A range of hills in the centre of India. The name, which is , modern, originally belonged only to the hills which divide the Nerhudda and Tapti valleys in Nimar (Central Provinces), and which were styled the sāt putras, or seven sons of the Vindhyan mountains. Another derivation is from sāt puras (seven folds), referring to the numerous parallel ridges of the range. The term Satpuras is now, however, customarily applied to the whole range, which, commencing at Amarkantak in Rewah, Central India (22° 40' N., 81° 46' E.), runs south of the Nerbudda river nearly down to the western coast. The Satpuras are sometimes, but incorrectly, included under the Vindhya range. Taking Amarkantak as the eastern boundary, the Satpuras extend from east to west for about 600 miles, and in their greatest depth exceed 100 miles from north to south. The shape of the range is almost triangular. From Amarkantak an outer ridge runs south-west for about 100 miles to the Saletekri hills in the Balaghat District (Central Provinces), thus forming as it were the head of the range, which, shrinking as it proceeds westward from a broad table-land to two parallel ridges, ends, so far as the Central Provinces are concerned, at the famous hill fortress of Asirgarh. Beyond this point the Rajpipla hills, which separate the valley of the Nerbudda from that of the Tapti, complete the chain as far as the Western Ghats. On the table-land comprised between the northern and southern faces of the range are situated the Central Provinces Districts of Mandla, part of Balaghat, Seoni, Chhindwara and Betul.
Source - Central Provinces District Gazetteers Narsinghpur District by R.V. Russell, 1906, p.232
History
Satpura is originally derived from Sanskrit word "Satpura" (Devnagari: सतपुड़ा), which means "Seven Mountains."
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 [3], gaur (Bos gaurus), dhole (Cuon alpinus), sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), chousingha (Tetracerus quadricornis), and blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra).
However, Satpura is now famous for numerous tiger reserves. Once upon a time, it was ruled by wild Indian elephants and lions[4]
Several protected areas have been earmarked in the area, including the Kanha, Pench, Gugamal and Satpura National Parks, Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve, Melghat Tiger Reserve and the Bori Reserve Forest.
The Satpura Foundation, is a grass-roots organization that coordinates conservation efforts in the area, which continue to face challenges from development and infrastructure projects, logging and poaching.
Mythology
According to Harivamsa Purana 2.74.43 ff. there is an underground city of the Danavas (Daityas) under that mountain called "Satpur". Sri Krishna locked the doors of that city to prevent the Danavas (Daityas) to come out.
सतपुड़ा
सतपुड़ा (AS, p.931): विंध्याचल के दक्षिण में स्थित महान् पर्वत श्रेणी है। 'सतपुड़ा' शब्द 'सप्तपुत्र' का अपभ्रंश कहा जाता है। कुछ विद्वानों का मत है कि सतपुड़ा पर्वत की सात श्रेणियां हैं, जिसके कारण ही इसे 'सप्तपुत्र' का अभिधान दिया गया था। महाभारत में इस पर्वत को नर्मदा और ताप्ती के बीच में वर्णित किया गया है।[5]
External links
References
- ↑ Valdiya, K. S. (26 November 2015). The Making of India: Geodynamic Evolution. Springer. ISBN 9783319250298.
- ↑ Valdiya, K.S.; Sanwal, Jaishri (1 January 2017). Satpura Horst and Narmada–Tapi Grabens. Developments in Earth Surface Processes. 22. pp. 237–247. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-63971-4.00010-4. ISBN 9780444639714.
- ↑ "Exploring the Jungles of Satpura"
- ↑ .www.banglalive.com
- ↑ Aitihasik Sthanavali by Vijayendra Kumar Mathur, p.931