l 

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····.·PART A· \, . . 

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CHAPTER .J 

. \ Introduction I 



. : 3 .. ·• 

In its strictest sa1sc. the meaning of' geoPlorphology 

a.s derlv~d rroa its th~ee th.'eeJ..t ·roots is o. discourse on mxrth 

f'orms or the science of ltmd foms crnd is ocncemed. 'Hi th the 

.Jj-- study or the form ·Of the ear~h. In praetiea bo't';eve:r; this 

simple definition is too all~embrae1ng. ~he study of 

mae~features like shape of tho earth body, form and origin of 

mountain systems, shape and distribution of eontinent~l lru1d. 

masses ete. belong to ·tie dom~in· ot geodesy, geology .anft physics; 

whereas ge.omorp~1o1og:ts ts are aoa tly eoneen'le d' -;.11th tte study 

o1' srooll--scale landfoms, sl.:lch as l'h?ainage bt1tJlns1 a-ceas of' . - . ' 

uniform '!"Ock•type, !.ndiVidual r!.ver valleys or the hill-side 

slopes ot a small a.r-oa. 

J:.t is thus ele:itr th~t the study of the ~arth's sur.faaG 

forms (pai'tieula:rly of smallel' dim~nsione) and of t.he processes 

·that shape them, con.etitr:Gte the field o:f geomorphology. Geologists 

r~d ge9graphers h~ve long baen·ooll~bor~ted to develop n field 

thn.t is seldom confined to only one discipline. Geomorphology 

bets c.t different time.s and in different countries 11ud a 

different scope, and t.he contribution of geographers and 
. . 

geologists have complemented eaeh ·other in varying puttems. 

Geologists are mainly conoemed W1 th ·;the ::d.gnificar:.ce of: rock 

~ structuro and earth his tory .f'or landscape evolution 'Hhe-re::us 



'/ 
I; 

geographers emp'ho.sised mainly o:n. the nature or surrace 

forms and the relati enship bebreen forms and proee~ses -

and in recent years they hn;ve shown paPticular interGst in 

nssessintl the role or mn:n as a gaomorph:Le agent and a.lso 

111 applying tlle knowledge o.t' landform to ti'le pX'oper 

ut1l1sat:ton of land for man~ s benefit. 

S.omet1mes the geomorphologists are reluctant to 

conc~trate suf.'f'iei~tly on careful l.undscape description, 

o.nd over-anxious to explain t-he origin of londi'oxms :lbout 

which io.1.Hlf.fic1ent bn.sie 1nformt1.tion has been obtained. 

An ex.3.mple lies in the wot'IA of w.M. DaVis, who made 

suggestions on 'the evolution oi' slope 'tlfi thout d.et!liled 

measurement of slopo protilezs in the field or net~~ 

study of tlle processes or weathering ood transporta.t1on at 

t~orit on slopes. His hypothesis 3.s l/'.n. e~ample of deductive 

reo.aoning ; he mudc ce,.,tain assumptions (ns rego.rds ·tectonic 

movement und· e~temo.l process) and argued logietUly f~om there. 

If the assumptions are w~ng, hOiJeve~, the hypothesis :te also 

incorrect. Other similar exa.'Ilplea of deductive approach. ure 

the wot·l~ of ,enck (1953) 3J'lti Wood ( 1942) on slope development 

ana I..a~1son • s ( 1915) eXpl.o.naoion. of: rock pediment. 

Gene~~o .. .:I\.E:el'oac~e!· 1 

. One or the major aims o:f geomoTphology is t> explain 

bow 1ndi vidual landforms, end more .part.iouJ.a:rly landform 



assem.blages, ha"'~Te or1g1nated~ Ho9ever,. most lnndto:rma twe 

so eo..--r~plex and p0$0 sueh a variety of proble~s tha.t severa.l 

·genetic approaches mny be t~en up i'ot• their pToper 

interp:r~tatiaa ond eJtp.ltmn.tion ; 

{a) Geomorphologist$ may be eo.ncemed with es.tablishing 

fundamentnJ. relutlonsbip~ which oxist between lrro.dtorm., 

structure .:;md proces~·· 

(b) Others may o.pp·roaeh lDndfo:rm ·study from a 'PJ.storicol' 

point of view, and. demarcate the v~r.Leus st~gos or evolution 

which the landscape hr'ls passetl through before attaining its 
' ' 

present tom'~ Xh!s is what m~y be called f;Jnviaian appro.'leh. 
' . ' 

The m.~d.n objective o£ such app:roaeh is to. 1dentii'y, dr:.tte ond 

interpret plan~t'ien surfaces developed in past 'cycles' and 

'su.b-o-cyclos.' of erosion. T.h.e idea is the basts o:r •denudation 

chronology' or the bistory ef' o.msion and developmcn·t or 
lalldfon:n,. In tvo:dt of this 1t111d there 1 s a vi den tly much overlap 

wi tll geology., for many of the surfaces prose!'V'ed in ilea prasent 

landscape may date bacl!t to P-liocene, . .4ttocene or even. eat-ly 

Tertiary- times. imot!ler impo'!'tant atm of denuda.tioo chronology 

is t> stUdy t:ho manner in tlft4. ch the dl'a1.nage system ot an aren 

hn.s 'gradually QVolved. Tht:'ough t}l.e itientifiea·tion of subsequent 

stro~s ~1c1 the inte:rp:ret·a.tion nnd dating of river captures• 

tha onginG.l consequent pattern :i.s I>IS'lccnstruotud and the 

pos$1 bi11 t;y ·of suporlmpos.! t:ton, an t®caclence ete. investigated. 



• .. 6 ' 

The above method is highly specUlative ®d eontroversifll 

and hence• ie subject· to crl t1c1sm by modern geor:iol'phologists. 

First, tho old surfaces are usuo.Uy so modif_ied by !iUbsequent 

erosion th,~t their original rom and height conr1ot ba easily 

inte:q,rated. Secondly·, the geological ev1dalc-e needed to dnte 

the surface is often misb'ing~ .~a suoh1 widely differ-ing uges and 

different modes of origin may ba suggested erroneously :f'o:r a 

_!fr single suTface. 

Moreover, the denudation chronology appro3cb suceeed$ 

in explaining directly only a. vel?Y small proportion (not~ oven 

exceeding· about 10 per oent) of ·tru3 .existing land surface, mo.in~y 

the fragments of :f'cnmer surtaees wtlieh have boen dissected and 
almost totally des'troyed in soma oases by sore recent erosion. 

Al$0 the fragments may he visible in the :fialfl only to tme very 

experienced obs·erver~ 

not.;nbly in the .. u.s.~ •. , is tt.tat concen'l.ad t.i th t1e investigatien of 

the relO.tio.nsbip be~wean process and form~ Xhis involves 1n ti'ie 

first instance a cat•oful analysis of tfeathering, erosion (.md 

deposi ticn, both as :regards their mecl4'\nism a$ well as .rC\taa of 

opGration~ Seeon.dly, Ofl at:tempt must be made te> roltlte, in o. 

ca,ueal way, indi vidm1l processes and gToups o:f p:rocesses with 

pn.rticular forms ond assemblase of fo·rms4 :For example, in the 

·case of valley .. aide slopes one ,b3.sic element xnny be attributed 

to the action of one process and nnothar basic elsme11t to tmother 



pmcass. ~b.us a concavity or profile lllllY be attributed 

to rt\i:n~\,asn wh1l,e a convexity to the action of soil creep-. 

';l;here Sl'¢ many difficulties in tile way Of the. 

~ro¢ess-Fom o..pp.rQt!eb, l>lt::mY of the processes aet only 

1ntexm1 t~ently ( sueb. as rain-wash and certain types _oi" mass.· 

movement) "lthe:reas others Q.Ct ver-y slot'71Y or almost imperceptibly 

(such t"t.S chem,iea.l weo.thet'ing' · ond aoil creep)-~ As such, patient 

and preel·se meo.surament and lori.g•tem aont!n.uous observation 
. . \ . 

are needtr:d f'o~ ara:wmg a scient1:t'io conclusion, 

Another tundamentlll problem is the difficulty in 

providing a oa.uaal ro:tat1o:nship be.tween a p roeess and f.' om~ 

It is almost.imposs.ible to demonat:rQ.t~ conclusively that a 

purticl4~ir process rest1lta in_ r~.· part:toul.a.r fonn,. Also it is 

dif'i'ietlltl to ~soltlte one process for ~tud.y, sines 1n. na.ttre 

1 t i a ua'I.Mil. tor several p :rocesses ~ucl1 as c'hemtcfll o.nd 

mec.banie~ wot.lthar1n{h so1lol'e<l1p and othe~ !llll$S ~ovements, 

ooncentrated D.nd tmCQUeent:rated i"Ul'l.•Off ete., to !Ct 
. . 

Sltnultatl(t30USly Q!'l landi;Ol'mt Md to be, to . a greater or 

lesser axte;nt, mu:tu..'ll.ly interdepoo.den.t~ Even if one could 

:reln.te Ol"l.Q process to~··9Jle tom., Sf.\Y1 soil cTeep to eonven t1 

of slope pl:"ofil£i., 1t-.-is not cltBta.r "t<The_ther the process resUlts 

in ma £o:m or vice ver.sa". __ ........, 



. 
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~ 8 l 

In ·the study of pr~aesses, the geomorphologist is in 

sane instances able ~ un.derta.'f{:e expenments, both in the 

laboratory and in tha field • .Laboratory experiments a~a 

rende:rad largely invalid by problems or EJcnle. It is obvious 

that, ~1hero pract1eQ.ble, field e:A-pertments o.rll" usually more 

4r -- sa.tisf'aetory than those attempted in the laboratory. 1!'ae 

opportmi ties are, hotJe-ger, very much }.imited, if only because 

of the ln.rge -scn.le, or estremely sl0111 speed of. most 

geomo~holog1enl processes~ 

.Recent I d.eO;s ·• 

In ft;.tct, Dav!sian ~eomorpllology died a d.en.th of ste-rility 
. 

sevel.'Zll decndes ago :.U tnougt'l 1 t in!l.Y be mentioned that .a ~c.rge 

number of Indian geomo:rphologtsts and ttt'li te· n fe:tv in the uestem 
I 

tio.rld still tend tcrs coneeo.trate their t;rork Oil re•eonstructi."lg 

the history of evolution or landform through sueeessive sto.ges 

ond feel sati.S:.fied if successfUl in 1 detecoting 1 multiple 

planation surfaces even ·ra tt1in a relatively smt'l.ll area. ~hem bury 

.himself h.as cautioned such geomorphol05!sts by stating ... ft •.JJ;f 

':Copographie surfaces helve many o:t"igins .. •·• Before interpreting 
- ;t ---

, anY topog:rnpbia surface o.s o. peneplain the geologist shoul,d first 

take a:tl·pos.sibl~ precaution to malta sure thnt tm surface is not 

rel.o.ted to 11 tholog!o or structuraL. control or a produc't of some 

other geomorphic pl'oces~. If thi~ is dono, m3ny f€nver peneplains 

k 'Will 'be suggested" (3969, p.~205),, He has also pointed out nLack 



ot a proper appreci.,~tion or the differential lo,ifering of 

peneplain ·su.:rtnaes. h!J.s baen. responsi~le for mUlt1plieat1ol1. 

of alleged :pen<iplaine. ~ben ooe notes eight or ten peneplain a 

deScrl bed. in an area, o,s has been dorJEt ha will not ooly ba 

skeptical of there being so many bu.t :will p:t:'obnbly wonder 

11· even one is prasentt• (P. ·1£~) • 

Product1 ve l'asea:rcllers in geooorphology today huva 

~~. shied away from sy.nthesis, while the majority or field woxkera 

~re pra.gmat:Lste • this is no doubt a good sign since it has 

served to a great extt--r1t to clear the air of coo.f'us:l.on. In the· 

mean time a. surge of intensified field stuf.de:e and experimentation 

in new ·teeh.ll!qims hn.s been unimpeded by theoretic& b;Ulnst. 

Mert<S refined muthezna.tical o.nd statistical concepts k\ve been 

applied nnd found to be ot inerensing ~alue • 

.tGven after considGra.tion of tlll the a.bove !acts one 

should keep in mind that geomorphology 1 s basically 0l- field 

science. One bas to observe the lan.dfoz'-!1 and processes 1n the 

field ant\ denve eoneluaions en tn~. evolution of landform, 

partioUlarly 'Y1herl mtcro-.fen.tUI'\-2$ are COncetned, mainly on the 

basis of. b:ls observations in he field. 1-k\themntd.c.o.l and 

stn.tieticml methot:ts of analysis ns "trell liS la.bora.toi~Y method~ 

are nothing but aids to drn.w such c:onclusions. 

1:he Attthor•'s &.-ppro-:teh ~ 
l'aa•. -~• • 

Keeping in viaw the above facts o.nd the llmi ta.ti.ons 

of different ·approtl:i!~les and metnous it may be sm. a. tbat 



I 10 I 

neither descripti<.iri not' explunation, neither tom. nor process, 

neither structure nor climate, neither the pre~ent nor the 

past~ is by 1 ·tself' adequn.te or complete. Each deserves 1 ts 

proper place i eaeh is thought. provoking in its own right. 

,. 

In the 11gb.t or th~ .approaches which have so faT been· 

discussed, the author f'Qols that these approc\ches ann be 'fused • 

together when a. partioult;tr geomo:rphol.ogtetll problem is being 

_.--- taCkled. thus, :l.n order to study the geomorphology of an a.raa, 

one shoUld study. first the lit!'lology and struc:tur~ ; tlle:m 

i .-

~-

he shoUld study the climate in order ~o una.ers tand the processes 

~ t wol'k ,J then aatelli te imageries may be consul ted for an 

unde.t:$~an.ding of the macro-features of lundform while aerial 

photog!'o.phs and topographio maps mn.y be studied and analysed 

for a more detailed study of' ··l&ndfonn. Various methods of 
. - ' 

morph~metr!c· analysis mr~y be dono in oroet- tc have a b~~:tte.r 

understa.11ding or the landfol'f!l ch-!lraeteri.stios and: tina.llYt 

problem areas may bo se]..eeted.on thG. b.~a1:,s of the above stUdy 

tor. detailed field work, mainly with the purpose of micro­

gecmol'{)hO_log!eal investigation und .:llso for the stucly -o.f the 
" • • > 

fin¢llJ.y1 an approach to de.nudrl-tion chronology may be 

taiten -up on the basis oi' the .field study o! the g~omorphic 
' 

pl"ocesees aeting in ttle aren.,. However, the proeess.os \fb1dl 

mould the ltllldform are esst.lfltially destructive in nature and 

henc~ sUQh study su.i"f'ers badly from c.. ahol~tng;e of field eVidence~ 



; 11 • 

f.\s such, .mathetno.ticnl unaly$1S has to bG n.dap ted in stud;,.-ing 

the characteristics of existing landform features as well as 

in reconstructing oorto.in lnn..:l.form f·eutUT'-=JS which ~nsted 

· in the past. 

In add.i tion to the a·bove, ma:o.' s interaction t'titb n~tu:re 

has to be ~tudied D.nd f1no.lly suggest!o.r1s be made. on ~he a_ppl~ed, 

aspects i.e., how the JmO't'llodge derived from such studies could be 

utili sed for mnn t s benefit. 

l'he present author tberefore p-roposes to tn.ke up an 

urea which ·may be ecnsid.ered a tGe.OIDOXl;lhiC Unit' and adopt thQ 

l:'(f;le.vant '~ppro~ches 1 and •metb.ods' ~ith a view to describe, 

annl.yse and ~tG:vp:ret the ~~ro2; .~~~.2 ME;:1 ~9.t:O features of 

i®.dfo:nn inc1:u.ded .1n 1 t, 1nai~...ly td th the help of geological, 

topographical and o·ther maps including sn.telli te imageries rmd 

+ ae:rial photographs, aupplemen tod by' detailed field WDrk. 

Tb.e ne·ad for o.~cura.te description of the geo111etry of 

landfonns, mainly those or i'luvi~ origin has bean or pr-ime 
\ 

importance 1n g~omorphology;. ·~d one o:r the most impo:ftunt 

part of 1 t ha1;S b~an the i.dentifiant:ton ot the basi a areal 

unit within wbieh tne~e dc.ta coul.d be collootud, org~l"lised ru1d 

ano.lysed. ~he conce~tions of the nature wd character o.f the$e 

units have beel a. product of th~ methodological appro~ches 



/ 

' 12 * 

l:he first approach depends on regional delimitation 

based mainly on structural geology o.s is done by Fenneman (1914). 

Th~ second approach aimed. a.t the identificat:l.on of the 

physiographic o.·tcms (i.e.,, t11e !~~ets of' '·.f'lnts' tmd •slopes• 

forming the tnterseeting surraees. e~~acteristic of polycyclie 

landsco.pes) out of "'hieh the mntter of regions is built 

(t-looldt>iclge., 1932, ·pp. 00•3$). lbls defini t:ton has later 

Qn been modified and extended to· include segcmnts or $Dlootl1ly 

·curved surface (S~VigeQr, l965} and to <llcw grouping_ of tacots 

into landscape· puttems. i'b.is o.ppronoh b:l$ l1mi tad uset't1lnass 

because of 1 ts genetic ovG:rtcnes nnd subjective character~ 

The thi l .. d npp ron.eh is h'lsed · on tle typi col unitary 

re~tu.re of geometry t4S -z.rell as of process axi'bitad by the 

d-rainaze basin, OJ> 1,eeogn:tzeo. by Davis (l.89S) and. P1ayi'air 

(Cl'lorleY et Ill l9649 pp,. 61·63), i'l.luertratad by norton (1945) 

and eiabo:ra ted by t$ trcilile1• ( 3964) ~ .. 

The pre sen. t author, ho~·:ever, prefers to delimit the 

prtmn:cy bound~ry of' o. geomorphic unit by folloWing PenneZ~Drn 

although 1n a sometorhat modifiod. "':n.y. f1.'l<l m~n tl$peot or l;he 

o.l,ea should be br.v.sed ox1 geologioal and geomorphological 

unity a_s depicted f#;r the lithologie, atr~wtural nnd · 

physi.ogr;:tphic tmif'orznt ty ao uoll as by the ~h1-rpness 



of the eon tras t of the s~ elements with those of' the 

surrounding areas. !he sub-divisions of these un1 ts may, 

however, be b-::tsed on <l~n.age basin boundo.r.i.es 't<Jhieh are 

inoluded 1n ·the ~rea ; these sub-divl$ions O.l"e "hosen 

ma1nly tor t;he application of various mathods of 

morphomett"'ie analy.sis of l.nndfom ~n ord~r to colleet 

quantitative infOI'.m!ltion ao that a Vivid description of the 

l~~dfom is a.vailable, w~rl.ch may be used for the tilterpr€tc.tion 

of' 1 ts b1s·tory of evolution ns ·W'ell,4t Examples of such 

ge.omorpbic units o.:r~ plenty in nature such as the Dlack Rills 

of t-testel?n U.S • A. or the Massif Central of France. In Indt u., 

)'lpt;ever1 there are several such areas like tne My:so:ra- Plateau, 

I~anipur basin, !tleghuluyo. -~'lo.teau or the I4ayurbh..~j Upland 

which stand in sbo.:rp eontmst "ld th the surrounding ~reas 

in ll :§hology 9 s trueture and topography~ 

The cho:toe of the· gecmotpt.dc tni t for the present 

study is the !-!ayu.rbhanj Uplnnd of' Orissa vTbich v1as first 

visited by th~ author in ~62 ~Jben he f..'t\9 St4rprtsed by the 

abrupt ris~ o:r tue hill COlJn·try £:rom bhe plain$ o.f Ba.ripada 

on th.e east. The sUdden ehe>..nge or the- geologic eha.racter us 

1i'e;l as the dense forest nppe~:r·ed in striking contrast 'ldth 

the surrounding., The f.~:rst sight of ~he at'ea impressed the 

author so mueh that he decided to take up the detailed 



; 14 : 

study o£ the area f~Oitt t11e geomotphologieal point o.f Vib'V• 

During l992-G3 the author had tb.e opportunity to do field 

't'JOl'k in the !-1a.ssii' Central of l!"rance under the gu1d~ee ot 

Professeu't. J"ean Tlicart of Stro.sbourg who also encoul~aged 

l'd:m to study the geomorphology ot the Mayurbb.an3 Upl,und 

1-1hi..ch resembled very much t:bo Ho.ss:l!' Central. of Frnnce 

in topOg-taphy and geology •. :!!he st~dy however, t-1a.s not n 

eontinu.,l')t.ts one ; only reoen tly 1 t ha-$ b_een taken up mo:ra 

seriously. by the autl1or f.or a Ph.D. deg~ee~·-

' 

~he 1·iayu;rb1nnj Uplund ; A. Gean.or.phi~ Unit ; 

~a M.ayuJ?bh':lnj Upland represents a oompo.ct phys1ctll, 

geological and obviously a geo!norphologico.l tLTl1 t.· The physical. 

1:m:i.ty is npptlrent in its distinct boun.dn.ry fomod by th~ 

450 metre eon tour line ~rhich separates it from the $Ur:co~ding 

J.o·H.-..lyil.lg nnd gontly undUla.t~ing aouatey side1 especially in 

t.P.e east~ 'nle g¢ological unity 1s prevalent in :1 ts S';ynclina.l 

b,:1sin structure made up or rocks mostly belonging to 

:preo-C.ambl'ian ae;o •. PUCh unity in structure QD.d topography 

qv ... ~lii'1e$ the area ns a. dis.t1nc.t. geomorphic unit .• 

General Info:t-m.~tion ; 
....,, . ' ""'IIJI3 

Location 1 CJf."le ·area is located between ~ati tudes 

21°10' N and 22°L)J.)* N,_ and as<>os• &. ond 00°48• ~~ 

Adm.:JJU,a:trativel¥ it belongs to th~ ~ayurbhnn3 district of 



~-

\ 
v 

·-
.:.ll:IHA R 

.'ORISSA .BAY ()F .BENGAl 

KMJOO 50 0 100 200KM .. 
.~ "! I . 

I 
I ' I I 

I 

tO t5 0' 10 ·100 ~ll.es 

84.£ 860 

~----~~~-io~_of the Mayurbhanj. Uplazn in Eastern ~dla ___ j 



; 15 .• 

Orissa nnd lies in the northeastem. part of the State 

adjoining the border of Bih-ar in the North and 

Nest Bengal in the northens.t~ the a::real ~x.tent of the 

Upland is about 3.000 sq •. miles ()r 2S10 sq~. kilometres (Figetat). 

~.ccess!b~l~ tz • fhe nearest township 1s J aship~ 

on ·the ve3tem margin <>f the Upland vh1oh is loeated on &e 

main l'oad from calcutta to KeonDh..'lr at a distance or about 

288 lun trcm Calcutta. Ba:npa.aa, t!'>..$ hendquurtar of the 

Mayurbhanj distriet, is located at a distance o£' about 

75 .km f'rom Jaslupur and lles on the eastem side of' ~m 

"UPland. The nearest important rail\1t:a.W station is Balasore 

on the Southeast.em R!Ulway. l ts distance trom Calcutta 

!s 312 km by ra.tl\Tay ,r..nd 91 h'11l from. Jashipur by roo.d.. 

Jashipur is tle m;Un entey-poin.t to t!',.o Upl.m:ld. ~bich 

remains 'Virtually :inaeoessibla to vehicles o.lmost :tor about 

six months dul'ing the s,um:mer boea.use of: bnd road conditions 

whieh detertor~te with the M•set ot tht1 Monsoons •. The bast 

season for n. Visit to tlf.: O.:rea 1 s duTing Mnr~h""Apl'il when P., 

eool, dry weather prev:;d.ls :Ln. the· interior of tm Upl®d,; 

also durtng this time o.f the year tho discharge of the 

streams is at the lowest and the roads C\.nd .toot-.tracks 



tr4.­-Fl 

S4° 

':* 

I<M25 0 50 ,00 KM 
& I ,• 't' ,• I I I I I I t 

-·~o to o zo 40 60Mil 

\)( 

8 

EEE.I 
'N DE X HEIGHT Iff 

METRES 

2. ~53 fY)'555SI#I 900 

(9.08 600 

. 984 300 

.--- ...... 
0 ' , ' ~,~ 21t :::, . - _____ _..,.,. I 

~(_.. .... -EASTERN ,/ 
I"-='-' I 
~ I. I 

~ / ...-·:· .. ···· .... ~···· .. \ 
/ : .... 6AR.'1HAT 1 

<:. I PLATEAU. HILLS ' 
o ~ I ;-- ,.. ..... / 

:10 CJ I I '- ,.. ,~ 
"-- I . / J \": 

lijl : ~-~ 
Q I ., , · BAY OF 

\ ,.,.... "' BENGAL 
\ ( , .... 

S'to 
. 9 I~ 2~01<H 

. 88°-

1
_ Location of the _Mayurbhanj Upl:m _in Eastem Oris:~ 

~ 

~J.. 



-6 . 

# 16 = 

mny be det$cr1berl as an tJplo.nO. or plateau which h~s a 

flattish level surface at an elevation of ~bout 3500 ft 
( 1067 m) in the interior 1rl tb highly dissected mnrginal 

a.rerls~ Xhe f'latt:f.sn terrain in the inter-lor i.s a gently 

rolling Upland w1 th a f{2)w t'idges of resistant rocks. 

!he highe$t elevation 1$ fotl!ltl ln the sout'h-central 

part of the Up~and whe~J the Megoos1n1 Peak reaches 

a height or 3823 ft ( 1-165 m). 'Xbe e.entratpart or the area 

is d:ra.inad by a number of streams -of lih:J.cn the most 

important is the Burhabalang fliver. ~he streams originate 

in the interior of tl".l.e Upland and diverge 1n all directions. 

EsearpGlents on the. hill-sides and gorges and water-f:n.lls 

on tb.e streams a.ro eommon aitea in tr.:e ar~a. 

Climate a Climaticn.lly the ·!lt"ea belongs to the 

fropical So.vanna ~~e of" toppen ood aub.wHumid type of 

l:hom thw~ te. sunmar· Monsoc:ns bring rain to 'the~ area. drni.ng 

May to flkugust mainly. there is no permanent meteorologicQ.l· 

station ill th~ ares and 1. t is difficult to guess tile actual 

. amount of precipitation. o:r the va.~ia.ticn of t€mpero.tu:re in 

the interior o1~ the Upland. Yne !nter'ior remains cool even 

in. the Summer because ot· the elevation. Nearby meteorological 

stations indicate that tbha monttJ.y average temperature vnr!es 
0 0 

from 15 to 31 C while the total. annu..'\1 rainfall is 

about 127 em_. 



_, .IJ .. 
. I 

HEIGHT-
!.'f' MCI~oi;.l 

... ~­
, ~-

(~ 
·' 

I 

'l¥ 
··..;! 

':4 . 
. . C.M! INCH£&· ·. 
,. i5o 6o··· .. 

f2S.- .50 . ------- . ~ 
---------------------~--100 40·· 

75, .30•: 

50 20-. 

'25 10 ,: . 
_______ _:__:_~o· .-

. 8'· 

1 Relief and Rainfall- 1 . I . . . 
----...........-· -· ---... -=-----~-

J; 

' 



• l? : 

varieties of plants 0 1t!d animals. lfhe most importn.nt 

e~ercial tit'lber is ~al (Sho~a robuata). llll undergrowth -ef Sabrd grass is also foun,cl deap into the tnterio:t" of the 

araalt :ellepnan·ts, tiger$, dear,~ pe.!lcock, bear, ood a large 

variety of other animus tand bir(ls along ·wi. th poisonous 

snakes are found :in abundance in the · o.raa. 

mainly because of tho less ·developsd transport imd 

oommlm.ieation, rup~eu terrain, dense forest; nmerous 

f~l'Ocioua snimells tt.nd infer·tile soil. i-4 few V1llo.ges hu.ve 

developed in tb.o t':\llu.vial. flats of, the Upland wh.ere people 

depend mntnly on ~grlcul tttra nnd collection of· :forest produce. 

Some impo~tnnt Villages in tte nrea tll"~ Gurguna in the Khairi 

val.ley, et1mlip{llga.rh in the Unkua valley, Khaj url in th$ 

Pi ·tnli s:il valley and Kadali barl and .Oudhia.ni in tt1e neo 'Valley. 

~tat us of. r~ev~o~ Wor~ t Very 11 ttle i~lfo;rmo.tion 

on thg geolegy ot· the M&iurbhan~ Upland and 1 ·ts surrounding 

areas are evtd.lubl~ except from. the publication of' the 

Int~rno.tional GE!ologieal Congress (1964) by Iyangar ~ltld 

n~.nerj eG~ .Some scattered ref'ar~t:tce on geology of the . 



K:rJ.shnan ( 1936) and Dunn m1d Day ( 1942) but thase do not 

g1 ve an:y information on the geology oi' the area c~;moemed~ 

ao .f?a1· as the geomorphology or the aree\ is concemed, the 

only reference to the nrea may ba hnd trom the brief 

publication o:f' the lntemational GeograpbiQal Congress 

by Iia(!Ue ( 3968). It was thel:efore not poasibl.e f'or ·the 

present aut110:r to collect infom!ltion on various aspects 

of landform of tbe area frOJU the eXisting 11 teratu.re •. 
'· 

As such tho author ho.d to depend mainly on primary sources 

like autclli te Imageries., Tcpogi!'a.ph1.cal Maps, .Aerial 

:Vhotogro.pbs et~~ for ·the eolleot:ton of data on the subject 

coneerned. 

Objoetive of the Present Work ; Certain 
-............... ·-

characteristic f'ea.tures of the Mayurbhanj Upland uttraoted 

atten.~ion. of the author when he Visited the area tor tl1e 

f'irs.t time. fuese are as follOws J 

( 1) Sim.rp rlso of the hill-coun.tey f'rom th~ 

surrounding lari.d. which Ues ~t n mueh lOi*Jer elev4t:to11. 

(2) Mo:re abrupt rise of :tbe Upltmd on its easter.a 

(3) Extensive flattiah te:rra.in 1n the interior 

of the Upland. 
• .. 



(4) Abrupt r-lse of hoth linear and lll'Ct'LJ.te 

hill-ridges above the Upland~ 

(5) C!reUlal" pn.ttem of drainage developed in tile 

interior of tho UpltJnd• 

(6) ~'\lmost vertical escarpment slopes along oet>~'lin 

rivers and 

(7) Straight segments mtb abrn.pt change in 

direction shown ey a number of streams with strikingly 

pa~lel courses of streams in oert3in ar~as. 

~e above Qhat'acte-r!sties of the lQndfom needs 

~xplnna.tion .~d the sueeess of an attempt for a proper 

eltplnnation of' the observed. faa:tul?ea d~pends to a great 

extent upon a p~oise deser1ptioll of the ~-:1.lldfom 1 tself 

o,s well 'OS of the lithology, stroeture tma the· geomorphic 

p l~oeease~ acting in the a.rli.%\~, ~e ll\oin pu.:rpose or the pro sent 

\~ork is therefore to study in de·toils tlle lrdld.!ozm of the 

al:'ea along td. th lithology,. mtruc'ture. and pr-oaesa which a.re 

the ma.3or controls of ltmdtorm. With this ViOlA in mind the 

author adoptod the followillg methodology tot• ttte present work • 

1~ Consultntion of the e~st1ng literature : At first ... * ... ~ ........ ~ ·~ ...,._. .. 



a bibliography uas prepur~d which included ~he eld$t~g 

literatura on geomorphOlogy'and allied branehea of 

g~og:rapby such as eli'tnete, soil and naturaL vegetation 

as welJ. as g~ology Wlio.b. nave a direct 1l'JI..paet Q."l the 

landfom of tb.o area. Also it included the. books and 

3oumols. p'Q.blishetl in d1f.ferent pnrt$ of t;he wol'"ld wl'litlh 

dealt with the development of the surfa~.e :featur-e$ of the 

earth un~ler aimilar eo:viroo.J.nent!-ll eondi ·tions. 'rae above 

li teratu'l;'es vrere· studied oorcf'ully t~nd tho relav<ll'lt . \ 

!nf'onne1tiM collected.. ~echniqtros Md methods adopted by 

gaomot-pbolog:i.sts tn. d1f:f'o:rent cowtnes f'or s1mil·nl" 

anaJ.·ysis were nl.oo sl~udied carefUllY• 

~ Coll~ction c.nd nnalysis ot· topogt>o.ptJ.eal maps 1 
~ -• • . ..........,. .........,__.. 1 et -u . .,.._.. ,..... r .. ,.... •.•il. 0"~ 'TTL ...,. 

:rhe nex~ step ~1as colloetion a...'l1.d nnnJ.ysis of topogrtlpllicoJ. 

maps prepared by the Su:rrvey of Ind.i.a... OnVJ inch to a. mil~ 

(fl., F. la631 300) and 1:_00,000 maps were tbe most sUi tllble 

ones for the prosent s·tudy sinco mOl."e (ietailed mnps ware not · 

a.vaila.ble. In fact •ona Inc11• maps -.1e:t>a more nseful for the 

analysis of tha tarroin since it i~V'G a . grea tar dErtails 

of :r~liet (50 tt or ubout 15m) than the other one i.e. 

J.:so,ooo map which gave an amplitUd.e o! 20 me'l-;r~::.s or 

66 £t., Al.so •·quartet· Inch1 
( 1:253,440) raups ''ere consulted 

for the prepatatio..'l'l o:r the outline of the o.:rea an·d the study 

of tho shape and form. of' th!Ci: region as o. "t.rb.olo • .Different 



' 21. c 

types of relief' maps, slope maps, curves ~d diagrams 

representing ·the various aha:raetgf'lstiea or .the lnnd:torm. 

"ti1<;;re prGpared by- annlysing thG contour pa.tt~m or the 

topographical mapa. Also selected dt~aino.ge basins were 

delineated on .tl:J.e topographical maps. and various 

morphometrie technique~ applied. in order to colleet neees~~ally 

data for tlle analysis of tb.a ebaracte.rrlsties ·of ·tna basins • 

. 3 •. Collection nnd analysis of gaologieal maps 1 
.Jm n 1a wa21....,. ~ ....,.. ~· .. ~ · ~·-· ,.....,..,._. 

' \ 

~e geological !lU')pB or the area wGre collected trom the 

Geologica.l St:trve~t of India :md the eho.raeteristios a.ncl 
,' 

distribution ot va.l'ious geological f'onnations 't'!C;C'a.'· studied 

caJ>efully• l~lso t~he structural peotllio.rities and particularly 

the locution Qnd al~gnmont of: faults t;rere .notedf1 !hese · 

chn.racteriet:Les were then corJparf:d t-11 th tle topo8;.~u..,tdc 

cho.racteristios ns depicted by the morphometric Md other 

maps prepared trem tho topographic maps. 1m t'l.ttempt 1-m,s made 

to explain t..~e tet>rain charaeter!stics in te.rms of gaolo~cal. 

charectertst!es. Certe1.in discrepancies were noted '~here the 

topographical fat\tu:res did not prop .. crly reflect tb,e geological 

cb.at'a.cte:;dst!cs 111\.r: 11 th.ology and str'l.teture. Those areas were 

then mu1'ked. ·cure fully for fit.tld verification. 

4• .Analysis ~ Satelli.te Imageries ~ So.telli te i:magorl.es 



• 22 ' 

qoverln$ t~he 14ayurbhanJ Upland ond_ its . surroundings t-Jere 

consUlted for studying the gecmorpnological env:t.ronment. 

!rbis includes the major phy$iogmph1e Ch9.racter!stie.s 

of tht~ area ns ~Jall i.\S tile cllo.ractertsties of the lo.ndfom 

tmd <.train age of th£? surrounding art.w.s \>Thi ell have f30me 

definite ~elationship ~th tns area selected for the 

p'Ce~cnt study. I~OI"~over, the geo-morphic unit~ or the study­

area, partiuUlo.rl:t i ttl major di -vi.sion.s &ld the~ r 

inter-l:'elatlonships trore depicted more p1"001nentl~t on 

s~t~lli te lmage1"1es tiuln on more detailed large sonle m&ps 

like topogropb1en1 m~ps and ao~1al. photogl?a.phs. 

s. AnalfSi_t! o£ ;ae;r~~- pJ,lotos:~P.J!! ; Ael'1.al photographs 

were consul ted fol' ·studying the mino:r geomorpllic feat~lres~ 1'he 

escatpments, ridges .::md Valleys, ltill•$ide slopes ancl even the 

smaller i'oa;tu:ros like rille,. gullies wd ba.dlo.nds o.pp~;aa:red 

prominently ~-1hen viGwed thro1dgh the stereoscope. i~lso aa:d.al 

photopairs helped t.he aut11or to identify eortaip features of 

geologie importtmce 11kc £a.ul ts etc~ as '\vell as lithologie 

variations ~ci thus the work ap~ably reduced the necessity 

of' :field '(tJOrk in those areas'\ 

6. r,ia~!, !!?.:!t ; (i) A traverse of the arao. t~as made 

· in ordel" to see --the gener!U layout of the ll1lla, Ve.ili~ys tmd 

plains., Tl1e ch~l'acteristi.ca of' the lLuldf'orm in gener~l 

were obse.rved. 



(U) Se~eo't.ed areas td. tb. topogrophy .. geology discrepancies 

t;.?al'e visi.ted in order to understn.nd the. ntttu.re ond cause. of 

the diserepoocy ~1nd the :real reason for it was detected. ln 

seve1•al C3ses it '(,Jas detected thr1t 'the available ge¢.logical. 

maps were lucking in details of geological. variations and 

benee the discrepancies arose~ !Unoa? variations of geology 

sueb. as occUl'·r~e$ of faults· eta .. , \'111ieh ti1o:tre not shown 1-n. 

the geological maps ttere then surveyed m:~d plotted •. 

Geoao:tphological study thus helped geologi~al mappin~ of tbe 

ar0a ~mien supplomented the work of the fieolog1(!a1 Su:rvey of 

lnditt. 

(:lii) tieve?al instruments lik\:l ehiStin and tt~.pe,, Prlsmatie 

ComJHlss, ~sray COOlpt~ss,. Cl:t.~oma tGr, .i\bney' s i.~evel and Dumpy•a 

L~vel ~ere u~od in <Some selected o.'.t'cas in orde1" to study the 

miel"'•geamo:rphologicHlJ. cba%acter:t.stic_s of tb.~ area:, p-as-tioult,l.X"lY' 

the location, extension and pattern oi" rills,. gpJ.Ues and 

badlnndslt( The sa we:re mapped on a large s.enle· tJld. the nn tu:t"e and 

evolution of the bn.dlaridS V.J'S:f'e stndiad. ~fue same in~trum.ents 

were also us~ 1n ~he measurement or Slopes t.Uong and across 

seve1~a1 hillocks including t~h.e orest-slo.P&t middle slope rmd 

h:1se slope as "..rell as ta1e pl~n lytng in between the bills 

3lld ~he streams w:t4eh. dro.in the area~. 



t 24 I 

s1gn1f'ioanee suoh o.s bill slopes, gnllie.a ~d brsdlnnds, 

outcrops o£ l'esistont rocks ood "t:7ttter .falls, 1·;ere t6Jeen in 

oroer to give visu:o.l evidence of t~ha val?!at1on of tbe 

gsomoTpbic feature$• 

collected 'fran the field \17ere studied 1:n the ltlboratory• 

First, each stlmple ;1as e1evad and ths amount by weiu.;ht of 

cu.rrerent grain• size t~ore .moa.sutet.i• Each of the sa.-nploa 

-·~ 

vere then· rep-resente<li~ldiag'.rams to show th~r oha.rectcal'istica• 

i'ha s1Z9 o.nd shape of the pebbles and granUles ware studied 

co.retully in the laboratory tdth JSpeoial reference to their 

pett>og!'aphie cho.raetenstica. tis a:nnlysi$ helped i,n 

understanding the physical ohc\raoteclatics of the samples. 

8. !>fr! ting 3l .2£, ~- tllG~iS t 0n tbe baSi$ Of tho a.bOVE.'t $ tu~y 

the fin~l1~gs vere then written tn n ayst~tic orde~·tn 

different parts and. chap tars "ttrhiob mny 'bo sto.ted as .follows a 

~e thesi.s eontains four. po.x·ts of wbiah ·the first po:rt 

i ... e. Part .A. oontoill$ f!va ehapt:ara which give the background. 

info~at!on on the.area selected tor stUdy. 

In the in.·troduotoey ollapter (Ohapter • l) th.G concepts. 

and. trends in the l.rtoader aspects of ge~orph.Ology,. ba~is for ,, 
.~ .. 



the $eleation of: the area., objectives Qlld methods adopted 

o.ro stated in brief. t.n Ch11pter - II o. brief' daseription 

of the climate, natural vegetation and soil is given since 

a background kno~ledge oi' the above ele:mt:n ts of phys1.eal 

an"~ronme·nt helps one to understand the eh:~u:ricter and 

1ntone1 ty of the physio:tll processes working in 2.thG area tor 

scUlpturing the landform~ In Ch:"lpter Ill the general geology 

of the- area is described~ :i.bis pn.rticu.lar factor appeo.ra to be 

the most important s-lnEle ·1 tGm. in.flu£-ncing the geomorphio 

cha.racteristics,·of tlle areq. under :tnvest!.g~tion. Coopter IV 

gives the general description of' t.he topographic oburaoterist1cs 
' . 

of the area. wb1le Chr-~ tG~ V deals with '~thG· drnintA.ge 

ob.o.rac.toristics '~,iJhic'h o.ra Q.1:reQtly related to the: geologie 

chtlracteristic$_~ 

fnt:t ll of the thesis deals "l'ii th the collection and 

analysis of data. from topogro.pbio<U tnaps1 it contains two 

·Obo.pters viz •. Chapter ·v.t ~r.hicl'l givae the :results of the 

quru1:ti ta.ti ve n.nru.ysis of lnndf"om or the tlrea as a. whole ®d. 

Chapter VII deals wi tb tbe morp11ometne onru.ysis of s~leeted 

cl"rainn.ga basitlS•: 

Part. C eonto.tns three chapters Vi2• Coopter VIII which 

describes the ras'Ul ta of analysis of the So.tellit.e 1mngertes 

n,nd. aerial photog:ruphs, Cho.pte.r IX gives the summary of 



,-k, 
. '--- . 

observatlon in the field' lsthile Coopter X desert bas· the 

procedure for tile prepn.ra't.ion of seomorpholo&:tea.l maps 

on tn~ro o.a well ns lniero-acru.ee 'fhe map 1~ bas.$d on the 

findings of the pYoVious ttfo ohapttal"S although some basic 

infonnation h'lVe been borrowe4. from some other chapters, 

parti eUlariy from tll.e oht~p te·r on geology~ 

ftu?t D eont9.ins tour cl'l!lpters vit•.: Chapter XI on 

t\enuO.ation chronology and ~~ on Jlhysical diNi~ons wbicb 

reeUl t directly from tbe stuUes mnde in tho previous cht~pters, 

while Qh$.pter XIII describes in brief the human o.sp~et of the 

prob~em in relvltion to tie geomorplwl-ogico.l ch::J.ractanstics ·of 

tbe t1.1*ea and finnlly Cnapter UV gives the sll.!.ilmo.r~ and 

conclusion @.rawn t~om the whole stu~y:i.,_ 
'·