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Land And
Topography
The Aravali outlines Rajasthan's most important division.
The Chambal River, which is the only large and perennial river in the
State, originates from its drainage to the east of this range and flows
northeast. Its principal tributary, the Banas, rises in the Aravali
near Kumbhalgarh and collects all the drainage of the Mewar plateau.
Further north, the Banganga, after rising near Jaipur, flows
east-wards before disappearing. The Luni is the only
significant river west of the Aravali. It rises in the Pushkar
valley of Ajmer and flows 320 km west-southwest into the Rann of
Kachchh. Northeast of the Luni basin, in the Shekhawati tract, is an
area of internal drainage characterized by salt lakes, the largest
of which is Sambhar Salt Lake.
In the vast sandy north-western plain extending over the districts
of Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jalor, Sirohi, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Ganganagar,
Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Pali, and Nagaur, soils are predominantly saline
or alkaline. Water is scarce but is found at a depth of 30 to 61 m.
The soil and sand are calcareous (chalky). Nitrates in the soil
increase its fertility, and, as has been shown in the area of the
Indira Gandhi (formerly Rajasthan) Canal, cultivation is often
possible where adequate water supplies are made
available. |
