EARLY INDIA

TI

islands of the Laccadive and Maldive groups. The
Western Ghats, facing the Arabian Sea, are of quite recent
formation, exhibiting some of the hydrographic phenomena
which are common to mountains belonging to similar
periods, with rivers cutting their way back from narrow
and steep-sided valleys, and still changing their features

INDIAN EMPIRE
RIVER BASINS
Noun oceav[ITF
CHINA SEA ==NLAN
 BASINS 7
0 100

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i k

MG.

from day to day. From the Western Ghats all the
peninsular rivers of India run eastwards, with the exception
 of the Narbada and Tapti. From the edge of
the Tapti basin to the extreme south, the Western Ghats
form the main water parting of the Indian continent.
If from the story of the rocks we turn to the uncertain
 records of early Indian tradition, we find nothing
'o enlighten us as regards the physical conformation of
the Country, and little to illustrate the geographical dis-