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What are the Bhabar and Tarai regions of Uttarakhand?

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Uttarakhand Bathing ghats on the Bhagirathi River at Gangotri, Uttarakhand, India.

In the southern part of Uttarakhand, the landscape transitions from the Siwalik Range into two distinct physiographic zones: the Bhabar and the Tarai.1

The Bhabar

The Bhabar is a narrow, southern-lying belt composed of coarse gravel, shingle, and alluvium. Its soils are characterized as coarse-textured, sandy to gravelly, and highly porous, which renders them largely infertile. This region supports forests of sal (Shorea robusta).213

The Tarai

Located to the southeast of the Bhabar, the Tarai is a region of undulating, historically marshy terrain. The name itself means "moist land," a character derived from numerous springs and streams that emerge from the northern edge of the region. While the area was once extremely malarial, extensive drainage and cultivation have significantly reduced the marshlands. The soils here are typically rich, clayey loams mixed with fine sand and humus, making them well-suited for the cultivation of crops such as rice and sugarcane.213