Studies in Geography of Jammu and Kashmir

Book Details:

• Author: A.K. Kaul

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Binding: Hardcover

• Number of Pages: 328

• Release Date: 01-09-2014

• ISBN: 9788131606605

• Package Dimensions: 9.0 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches

• Language: English

About the Book:

This book provides a comprehensive geographical account of the Jammu and Kashmir state, located in the western Himalayas. It highlights the region’s diverse physiography, which can be described as a terrace with three distinct steps of increasing elevation:

• Lower step: Sub-Himalayan Jammu, mostly hilly.

• Middle step: Himalayan Kashmir, a sizeable plain surrounded by mountains.

• Upper step: Trans-Himalayan Ladakh, characterized by towering landforms.

The book explains how each region’s unique physiography creates different environmental assets and constraints, with varying climates from subtropical to temperate and even a cold highland desert in Ladakh.

Key Features of the Book:

• Political History and Geological Evolution: The book includes an introduction to the state’s political history and the geological processes that shaped it.

• Physical Features and Drainage: Detailed chapters describe the physical features, drainage systems, and natural vegetation of each region (Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh).

• Weather and Climate: In-depth analysis of the weather and climate at both regional and sub-regional levels, emphasizing the variations between Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh.

• Geology: The geology chapter delves into the stratigraphy of Jammu and Kashmir, covering the geological evolution from the Pre-Cambrian period to the recent times.

The book is based on the author’s extensive research findings, fieldwork, and decades of experience in teaching and textbook writing. It is an essential resource for students, researchers, scholars, and anyone interested in the geographical and environmental aspects of Jammu and Kashmir.

Contents:

1. Jammu and Kashmir State: Its Founding and Fragmenting

2. Jammu and Kashmir and the Himalayas

3. The Sub-Himalayan Jammu: Physical Features and Drainage

4. The Himalayan Kashmir (I): Physical

5. The Himalayan Kashmir (II): Drainage

6. The Trans-Himalayan Ladakh: Physical Features and Drainage

7. Weather and Climate: A Systematic Study

8. Weather and Climate: Subtropical and Temperate Jammu

9. Weather and Climate: Temperate Kashmir

10. Weather and Climate: Cold Highland Ladakh

11. Jammu and Kashmir: Geology

About the Author:

A.K. Kaul is a Senior Grade Lecturer who taught in government colleges in Jammu and Kashmir for nearly thirty years. He completed his M.A. in Geography and Ph.D. from Panjab University, Chandigarh. Kaul has authored two social studies textbooks for the Jammu & Kashmir State Board of Secondary Education and several B.Ed. textbooks. He played a pivotal role in introducing NCERT geography textbooks in Kashmir and has conducted numerous seminars and workshops to promote geography education in the region. Kaul was also a regular contributor to Radio Kashmir and Doordarshan Srinagar.