The Deccan Plateau
Definition of Deccan
The Deccan is a peninsular plateau located in central India
that includes inland sections of the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra
By this definition, the Deccan Plateau makes up most of
central and southern India.
A more restricted definition limits the Deccan Plateau to
the high tableland between the Narbada (Narmada) and Krishna rivers, where
remnants of lava beds are to be found.
Its name is derived from the Sanskrit daksina meaning
The Deccan is delineated by the Western Ghats on the west,
the Nilgiri Hills on the south, the Eastern Ghats on the east, and the
Aravalli and Chota Nagpur hills on the north.
This upland is drained by a series of rivers, notably the
Godavari, Krishna, Penner, and Kaveri (Cauvery), most of which start near
the Arabian Sea and flow eastward to the Bay of Bengal.
The river valleys are densely populated, but the dry areas
lying in between the rivers are often lightly settled. Irrigation is uneven
because the rivers are rain-fed. Nevertheless, the volcanic soil of
the north lends itself to cotton cultivation.
Other cash crops include millet, oil-seeds, and wheat, and there are tea and coffee plantations
in the south. Among major Deccan cities are Poona, Hyderabad, and Bangalore.
of typical Deccan Plateau scenery: