Punjab Topography

The state of Punjab stretches from 29º32' to 32º32'N latitude and 73º55' to 76º50'E longitude, occupying a land of 50,362 sq. kms in the north-western part of India. It is wedged between Pakistan on the west, Jammu and Kashmir on the North, Himachal Pradesh on the north-east and Haryana and Rajasthan on the south. Physically, the topography of Punjab can be divided into the upper portion of the sub-Shivalik area and the rest of Punjab is situated on the Sutlej - Ghaggar river basin. The Shivalik area at an altitude of 400 to 700 meters above sea level is made up of fluvial deposits of conglomerates, clays and silts-all.

The low Shivalik Hills demarcates the Himalayas from the plains. Ropar, Hoshiarpur and Gudaspur districts falls in this zone and runs like a wall from north-west to south-east, dividing the Himachal valleys of Sirsa and Una. Topographical changes due to the formation of Himalayas in the recent geographical past gave a basin-like structure to Punjab. The plain lands of Punjab lie between altitudes 180 meters and 300 meters above sea level. The gradient increases from west to east.

The word "Punjab" literally means five waters as the fertile plains of Punjab is drained by five rivers Indus, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej and Ghaggar. Mythologically, however, Punjab was known as Sapta Sindhu, land of the seven rivers, namely Sindhu (Indus), Vitasta (Jhelum), Asuhi (Chenab), Purshin (Ravi), Vipasa (Beas), Satadru (Sutlej) and Saruri (Saraswati). Saraswati now flows in traces with seasonal streams that flow near Pehowa in Haryana.