Gujarat: Relief and Structure

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The state can be classified into three regions, based on geography:

  1. Saurashtra Peninsula
  2. Rann of Kutch
  3. Fertile Plains
  • The Saurashtra Peninsula

The Saurashtra Peninsula, which is a rocky region interspersed with low lying mountains.The peninsula is sometimes referred to as Kathiawar after the KathiDarbar who once ruled part of the region. Sorath forms the southern portion of the peninsula.

Saurashtra peninsula is bounded on the south and south-west by the Arabian sea, on the north-west by the Gulf of Kutch and on the east by the Gulf of Khambhat. From the apex of these two gulfs, the Little Rann of Kutch and Khambhat, waste tracts half salt morass half sandy desert, stretch inland towards each other and complete the isolation of Kathiawar, except one narrow neck which connects it on the north-east with the mainland of Gujarat.

The Saurastra region comprises the south western part of modern Gujarat state and the districts included in this region are Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Bhavnagar, Porbandar, Amreli, Surendranagar, DevbhoomiDwarka, Morbi, GirSomnath and some portions of Ahmedabad and Botad Districts also fall under this area.

The region also historically encompassed the Diu district of the Daman and Diu union territory.

  • Rann of Kutch

Kutch, located in the north east of Gujarat, is a barren region with rough, rocky terrain. It is where the Rann (desert) lies. The Rann has two parts: the big Rann to the north, and little Rann to the east.

The Rann of Kutch is a seasonally marshy saline clay desert located in the Thar Desert biogeographic region in between the province of Sindh and the state of Gujarat. Situated 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the village of Kharaghoda in the Surendranagar District and Pakistan’s Sindh province. The name “Rann” comes from the Hindi word ran meaning “salt marsh”.

Kutch is the name of the district in Gujarat where this region is situated. The marsh covers a huge area of around 10,000 square miles and is positioned between the Gulf of Kutch and the mouth of the Indus River in southern Pakistan. To the northeast corner of the Rann of Kutch lies the Luni River, originating in Rajasthan.

 

  • Fertile Plains

Mainland, which is a fertile plain composed of alluvial soil. The Mainland lies between the Rann of Kutch and the Damanganga river. Narmada, Tapti, Mahi, Sabarmati are the major river which drains these plains. Due to these rivers the soil is very fertile. The topography of this region is very homogenous. These plains provide a good ground to grow diverse crops with irrigation availability through out the year.

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