The Great Indian Desert (also Thar Desert, Rajasthan plains) extends through the Jaisalmer, Bikanir, Jodhpur, Barmer districts of India and Khairpur, Bahawalpur districts of Pakistan. The area of the Great Indian Desert is more than two lakh square kilometers.
Located to the south-west of north Indian plain and to the west of Aravalli Mountain the region is also known as Rajasthan plain.
One part of the Great desert slopes towards the west i.e. to Indus valley of Pakistan and the other part slopes down to south, i.e., Runn of Kutch, Gujarat.
Subdivisions: According to its diversity of relief there are three subdivisions:
- Marusthali: It is a desert with shifting sand-dunes. It is located in the west. The region to the extreme west covered with, rocks, sands and dunes is known as Marusthali. The dunes here are locally known as Dhrian’ and the blow-out depressions are known as ‘Dhand’.
- Bagar: It is a grass land. The region just east of Marusthali, i.e., along Luni valley, Grasslands with little sand, is known as Bagar. With the irrigation for Rajasthan canal, marked development of agriculture has started here.
- Rohi: The fertile flood plains of small streams originated from western slope of Aravalli is known as Rohi. It is located to the east of Bagar.
Salient features:
- The Great Indian desert is an extensive sandy plain.
- It slopes to the south into the Rann of Kachchh and to the west into the Indus valley.
- There are a few saline lakes such as Panch Pardra, Sambhar, Didwana, etc.
- The region experiences extreme type of climate.
- It rises over 325 meters in the east while drops to 150 meters in the west.
Suggested External Readings
1. Thar Desert Wikepedia.