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    "source_title": "Encyclopaedia Britannica (1911)",
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    "chunk_id": "1911:himalaya:5e88dcadf6df",
    "title": "HIMALAYA",
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    "verified_text": "himalaya, the name given to the mountains which form the northern boundary of india. the word is sanskrit and literally signifies \"snow-abode,\" from _him_, snow, and _alaya_, abode, and might be translated \"snowy-range,\" although that expression is perhaps more nearly the equivalent of _himachal_, another sanskrit word derived from _him_, snow, and _achal_, mountain, which is practically synonymous with himalaya and is often used by natives of northern india. the name was converted by the greeks into _emodos_ and _imaos_. modern geographers restrict the term himalaya to that portion of the mountain region between india and tibet enclosed within the arms of the indus and the brahmaputra. from the bend of the indus southwards towards the plains of the punjab to the bend of the brahmaputra southwards towards the plains of assam, through a length of 1500 m., is himachal or himalaya. beyond the indus, to the north-west, the region of mountain ranges which stretches to a junction with the hindu kush south of the pamirs, is usually known as trans-himalaya. thus the himalaya represents the southern face of the great central upheaval--the plateau of tibet--the northern face of which is buttressed by the kuen lun. structure of the himalaya. throughout this vast space of elevated plateau and mountain face geologists now trace a system of main chains, or axes, extending from the hindu kush to assam, arranged in approximately parallel lines, and traversed at intervals by main lines of drainage obliquely. godwin-austen indicates six of these geological axes as follows: 1. the main central asian axis, the kuen lun forming the northern edge or ridge of the tibetan plateau. 2. the trans-himalayan chain of muztagh (or karakoram), which is lost in the tibetan uplands, passing to the north of the sources of the indus. 3. the ladakh chain, partly north and partly south of the indus--for that river breaks across it about 100 m. above leh. this chain continues south of the tsanpo (or upper brahmaputra), and becomes part of the himalayan system. 4. the zaskar, or main chain of the himalaya, i.e. the \"snowy range\" _par excellence_ which is indicated by nanga parbat (overlooking the indus), and passes in a south-east direction to the southern side of the deosai plains. thence, bending slightly south, it extends in the line of snowy peaks which are seen from simla to the famous peaks of gangotri and nanda devi. this is the best known range of the himalaya. 5. the outer himalaya or pir panjal-dhaoladhar ridge. 6. the sub-himalaya, which is \"easily defined by the fringing line of hills, more or less broad, and in places very distinctly marked off from the main chain by open valleys (dhuns) or narrow valleys, parallel to the main axis of the chain.\" these include the siwaliks. interspersed between these main geological axes are many other minor ridges, on some of which are peaks of great elevation. in fact, the geological axis seldom coincides with the line of highest elevation, nor must it be confused with the main lines of water-divide of the himalaya. the great northern watershed of india. on the north and north-west of kashmir the great water-divide which separates the indus drainage area from that of the yarkand and other rivers of chinese turkestan has been explored by sir f. younghusband, and subsequently by h. h. p. deasy. the general result of their investigations has been to prove that the muztagh range, as it trends south-eastwards and finally forms a continuous mountain barrier together with the karakoram, is the true water-divide west of the tibetan plateau. shutting off the sources of the indus affluents from those of the central asian system of hydrography, this great water-parting is distinguished by a group of peaks of which the altitude is hardly less than that of the eastern himalaya. mount godwin-austen (28,250 ft. high), only 750 ft. lower than everest, affords an excellent example in asiatic geography of a dominating, peak-crowned water-parting or divide. from kailas on the far west to the extreme north-eastern sources of the brahmaputra, the great northern water-parting of the indo-tibetan highlands has only been occasionally touched. littledale, du rhins and bonvalot may have stood on it as they looked southwards towards lhasa, but for some 500 or 600 m. east of kailas it appears to be lost in the mazes of the minor ranges and ridges of the tibetan plateau. nor can it be said to be as yet well defined to the east of lhasa. eastern tibet. the tibetan plateau, or chang, breaks up about the meridian of 92 deg.",
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