The Life in Himalaya - Research Paper Example

 Life in the Himalayas Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 Introduction 2 Geologic evolution of the Himalayan Mountain range: 3 Himalayan life 5 Human impacts in the Himalayas – a challenge to nature 5 Peoples and cultures of the Himalayas 6 Himalayan people and their similarities: 6 Conclusion 8 Works cited 9 Introduction The Himalayan ranges nearly occupy an area of 2500 kms and has a width averaging from 320 to 400 kms. It is one of the longest mountain ranges and runs hemispherical through Bhutan and Nepal. To the north it ranges up to the Tibetan plateau. In the Indian subcontinent, the Himalayas run through River Indus in the northwest and in the east to River Brahmaputra. The formation of the Himalayas is due to a collision between Asian and Indian plates which commenced around 60 million years ago and continues till date. Along the entire stretch, there are a series of litho tectonic units which shows predictable and regular characteristics that developed as a result of burial under the Asian landmass (Foster et al 827-843). The Himalayan landscape consists of four parallel longitudinal belts. 1. Higher Himalayas or Great Himalayas or Himadri – Himadri or the Higher Himalayas is the continuous and longest ranges in the Himalayas. Himadri lies in the north of Himachal and consists of the magnificent snow – capped mountain peaks having an average altitude of around 2000 feet. In the north, Himadri is bordered by River Indus. Out of the 14 largest peaks in the world, 8 peaks are located in the Himadri region. 2. Middle Himalayas or Lower Himalayas or Himachal – Lying lower than the Himadri, in the north and south of the Shiwalik ranges, lie the Middle Himalayas or Himachal. These mountain ranges have an average altitude which ranges from 12000 – 15000 feet. The Middle Himalayas spreads to the northern part of Rawalpindi in Pakistan and covers Mansehra, Batagram, Pakistani areas of Kashmir and Abbotabad. In India, it spreads across Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and western part of Uttar Pradesh. Other than these, it spreads to the north eastern Himalayas and Nepal. This area is characterized by fertile valleys, forests, glaciers and gorges. 3. Outer Himalayas or Sub – Himalayas or Shivalik – The narrowest and lowest area of the Himalayan mountain range is the Shivalik. The average altitude of this region ranges from 3000 feet to 4000 feet. It barely touches north India and Pakistan and in some places has a width of about 16 kms only. The main feature of Shivaliks is that it has flat bottomed and long valleys. 4. Tibetan Himalayas or Trans Himalayan ranges – The Tibetan Himalayas or Trans Himalayan ranges stretches for about 1000 kms from west to east. The altitude level ranges from 4500 to 6600 meters above sea level. This region boasts of tourist places like Ladakh, Zanskar valley and Karakoram ranges. Geologic evolution of the Himalayan Mountain range: After the brief introduction of the Himalayan landscape, let us find out the evolution of the Himalayas. It is widely believed that the Himalayan mountain ranges consist of five important units. These are the foreland basin, Palezoic platform and the Indian basement, Sub – Himalaya, Lesser Himalayan Sequence, the Tethyan Himalayan Sequence and the Greater Himalayan Crystalline complex (Duncan, Masek & Fielding 75-78). The Lesser Himalayan Sequence consists largely of Proterozoic metasediments. The Tethyan Himalayan Sequence mainly consists mainly low quality late Eocene to Proterozoic sediments. The Greater Himalayan Crystalline complex mainly has high quality migmatite and paragneisses (Hodges et al 483-486). The Lesser Himalayan Sequence and the Greater Himalayan Crystalline complex is separated by the Main Central thrust in the Central Himalayas. But the scenario is completely different in the Western Himalayas. Here, the Main Central thrust is has Lesser Himalayan Sequence rocks below the Tethyan Himalayan Sequence of rocks (Webb et al 955-958). There are a number of views on the evolution of the Himalayas and geologists have emphasized on certain problems in relation to the evolution of this mountain range. a) The Himalayan Geosyncline versus, Caledonian Orogenesis, Platform The Geosyncline stage itself poses a problem, as a number of geologists refuse to believe that such a stage ever existed. Most of them look upon the Himalayas along with the Tibetan Zone to be a part of the Indian continent. However the Indian subcontinent has very less platform sediments. According to some geologists the answer to the end of the Geosyncline stage lies in the fossil sediments found in the Tibetan zone. b) The age of the Lesser Himalayan Succession There are three views regarding the age of the Lesser Himalayan Succession. i) Paleozoic age bordering the Chail – Shahi succession. ii) Other geologists believe that the Chail – Shahi series belongs to the Precambrian age iii) There is yet another group of geologists who insist that Chail – Shahi belongs to Precambrian age and the area bordering Chandpur – Krol falls in the Paleozoic – Mesozoic age. c) The Himalayan Crystalline Complex – its age Geologists believe that the Himalayan Crystalline Complex does not belong to the Precambrian age. Geologists determined that this complex is viewed as premetamorphosed; however there is considerable disequilibrium in the grouping of minerals. d) Alpine Orogenesis in the Himalayan mountain range The evidence of orogenic development has been found recently by geological excavations carried out in Ladakh. This explains a number of features and landscapes of the Himalayas. The continuous and significant ranges north of the sub Himalayan Mountains and the Great Himalayan Ranges. e) Global tectonics and the Himalayas Most geologists view that the evolution of the Himalayas is a result of collision between continents to continent. Initially a piece of Gondwanaland, the Indian Plate, drifted north and clashed into Asia. The Himalaya was formed by this unison and the two continents joined. On the basis of oceanographic study and paleomagnetic statistics in the Indian Ocean, it has been found that the Indian Plate belongs to the early Cenozoic and late Mesozoic age. Himalayan life Geographers need to give special emphasis to the lives of people residing in the mountains. The geographical knowledge, theories and techniques helps scholars to find more information about the society interactions – environment in the mountainous regions. We have already discussed the topography of this region. We further need to evaluate the obstacles faced by people and the natural resources available in the Himalayas. At the same time we also need to find out the impact created by humans living in these regions. Human impacts in the Himalayas – a challenge to nature One of the greatest challenges which are faced by mountain researchers today is to distinguish the changes caused in the environment as a result of human activities with that change which would have occurred without any interference by human beings. Slope failures are accelerated due to road building activities conducted by human beings. This holds true especially when such roads are constructed in the mid slope areas. Road constructions in western Garhwal and eastern Sikkim regions in an average cause at least two landslides per km of road construction (Marston 507-520). There was a myth prevailing that over population and poverty was leading to Himalayan degradation. However, this theory failed to recognize the disruptive elements like armed conflicts, government mismanagement, improper development of tourism and suppression of the minorities residing in the mountains (Ives 17-19). Peoples and cultures of the Himalayas In the varied and vast Himalayan ranges a diverse variety of people are found. The harsh climate and ruggedness is the reason for this area to be sparsely populated. Moreover people live in clusters and have therefore maintained differences in culture which otherwise may have faded. Also the mountains have formed a barrier working towards the great cultural divide. It has also been discovered that most people have delved into the mountains but have not gone beyond the mountain ranges. People can be easily categorized by means of language, race, religion, social, economic and political organizations. However it is very difficult to categorize the people residing in the Himalayan region. There has been very little research conducted among the larger groups of people and hardly any research has been done studying the smaller groups. Many a times, people belonging to the same category has been given different names. It is easiest to distinguish people by means of culture areas. Culture areas are those which explain life of the residents to be relatively homogenous and different. They display a different pattern of transmitted and acquired features. Most of these people have been categorized depending on the language they speak, their economic activity and the religion they follow. Himalayan people and their similarities: It has been observed that, most Himalayan people have derived their culture from one or maybe more of the main four famous traditions. These four traditions can be further classified into two separate yet related cultures. First, the Southwest Asian or Afghan – Iranian and South Asian or Indian traditions can be found. They have a common origin, which has probably come from Aryan traditions, depending on the dialects spoken. Some of the noted characteristics of the South Asian culture come from Hinduism, agriculture and Indo – Aryan languages. On the other hand, the important features of the Southwest Asian culture comprise of Islam, non – Indian Aryan lingo, pastoral farming and agriculture. In perfect contrast to the above pair are the Burmese and Tibetan traditions. These have common ties and are often referred to as Tibeto – Burmese culture. The notable features of the Tibetan Himalayan people are that they are Lamaistic Buddhists, speak Tibetan and the main economic activities are agriculture and pastoral farming (Berreman 289-304). In addition of the above characteristics discussed above, each of these four categories of people has distinct features of architecture, dress, political and social organization. In Ladakh, especially in the area outlined by high mountains, live people displaying Tibetan culture. These people can also be seen in the northern borders of Nepal, north east and west India, Bhutan and Sikkim. In the plain lands limiting southern rim of the Himalayan ranges live the people following Indian or South Asian traditions and rituals. One can also find these people in the lower Himalayas from Nepal to Kashmir. One can see the Paharis residing in an altitude between 6000 – 8000 feet. In the highest mountain ranges of the eastern Himalayas, one can find people displaying Southeast Asian traditions and cultures. The people residing in the Western Himalayas have similarities in cultures with those staying in Iran and Afghanistan. These people largely follow the Southwest Asian traditions and rituals. Below we discuss three main larger groups of people residing in the Himalayan Mountains. Kumbhu Sherpas: The Nepal Himalayas hosts some of world’s biggest mountain peaks including Mount Everest. The Kumbhu Sherpas reside very near to the Mount Everest along the Tibet Nepal border. The lowest settlement of this clan is found in an altitude of 12000 meters above the sea level. They have five approaches towards survival. These consist of mixed farming, swidden agriculture, pastoral nomadism, high altitude agropastoralism and middle altitude agropastoralism. Each of these methods has a specific time and is akin to a particular region. In the high altitude region, levels of subsistence are very limited and characterized by a short growing season; both pastoralism and cultivation. Only limited animals like goats, yak and sheep can thrive in this area. But the middle altitude region helps the Kumbhu Sherpas to tend to water buffalo, goats, cattle and sheep. Also at multi altitudes permanent agriculture is undertaken (Hill 94-96). Lepchas: In the highest mountain ranges of Bhutan stay the fully Tibetan people. One can find the Lepchas residing in interior Bhutan. They are mainly ethnic minorities and have a reasonable standard of living. They are used to the harsh climate and the main occupation is farming and cattle rearing. Paharis: In the Himalayas there are culture areas and in the most populous of these areas reside the Paharis; locally known as Khasiya, Chettri, Khosh and Khasa. They mostly reside in the low mountainous regions of Nepal and India. Pahari Hindus are different from the Hindus living in the plain lands. For example high caste Paharis also sacrifice animals. Marriage of people residing in the Himalayas has a system where the groom’s family has to pay cash to the bride’s family. This is contrary to the dowry system which is rampant in the plains. Conclusion The Himalayas constitute of ethnographically complex people. These regions have several ethnic minorities with their own share of culture and traditions. Also there is a diverse variety existent in the traditions and cultures displayed. Unfortunately, there has been very limited research conducted on the lives of people residing in these regions. However, the still maintain distinct cultures and traditions which is akin to their own culture area. Works cited Berreman, G.D. “People and cultures of the Himalayas”. Asian Survey, 3.6 (1963): 289 – 304. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. Duncan, C., Masek, J. & Fielding, E. “How steep are the Himalaya? Characteristics and implications of along-strike topographic variations”. Geology, 31.1(2003): 75 – 78. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. Foster, G., Vance, D., Argles, T. & Harris, N. “The tertiary collision – related thermal history of the NW Himalaya”. Journal of Metamorphic Geology, 20.9 (2002): 827 – 843. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. Hill, C. V. “Claiming the high grounds: Sherpas, subsistence, and environmental change in the Highest Himalaya by Stanley F. Stepvens”. Environmental History Review, 18. 3 (1994): 94 – 96. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. Hodges, K., Bowring, S., Davidek, K., Hawkins, D. & Krol, M. “Evidence for rapid displacement on Himalayan normal faults and the importance of tectonic denudation in the evolution of mountain ranges”. Geology, 26. 6 (1998): 483 – 486. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. Ives, J.D. “Himalayan perceptions: environmental change and the well-being of mountain peoples”. Himalayan Journal of Sciences, 2.3 (2004): 17 – 19. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. Marston, R.A. “Land, life and environmental change in mountains”. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 98. 3 (2008): 507 – 520. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. Webb, A.A.G., Yin, A., Harrison, T.M., Celerier, J., Burgess, W.P. 2007. “The leading edge of the Greater Himalayan Crystalline complex revealed in the NW Indian Himalaya: implications for the evolution of the Himalayan orogen”. Geology, 35. 10 (2007): 955 – 958. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. Read More