Arakan Yoma is the extension of the Himalayas located in

1. Himalayan Orogeny and Major Divisions (basic)

To understand the birth of the Himalayas, we must look back millions of years to a time when a vast ocean called the Tethys Sea separated two massive landmasses: the Gondwana Land (which included the Indian plate) to the south and the Tibetan Massif (Eurasian plate) to the north Geography of India, The Drainage System of India, p.7. The Himalayan Orogeny (mountain-building process) began as the Indian plate drifted northward and collided with the Eurasian plate. This wasn't a soft landing; it was a continent-continent convergence. As the Indian shield underthrust beneath the Tibetan Massif, the sediments of the Tethys Sea were squeezed and buckled upward, forming the highest peaks on Earth. During this violent upheaval, the ancient seafloor was actually pushed up onto the mountain tops. Geologists find ophiolites—remnants of the ancient oceanic crust—as exotic blocks in the Ladakh and Zaskar ranges, proving that what is now a mountain was once an ocean floor Geography of India, Physiography, p.7. The exact boundary where these two plates met and the Tethys Sea finally vanished is known as the Indus Suture Zone. The Himalayas are not a straight line but a massive mountain arc. While we often focus on the Indian portion, the system extends far beyond. To the east, the range takes a sharp southward turn into Myanmar, where it is known as the Arakan Yoma (or Rakinyoma Mountains) Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Tectonics, p.104. This chain continues underwater and re-emerges as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, eventually connecting with the tectonic boundaries of the Indonesian Archipelago.

Sources: Geography of India, The Drainage System of India, p.7; Geography of India, Physiography, p.7; Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Tectonics, p.104

2. The Purvanchal Hills (Eastern Himalayas) (basic)

The Purvanchal Hills, also known as the Eastern Himalayas, represent the sharp southward bend of the Himalayan mountain system beyond the Dihang gorge. Unlike the towering snow-capped peaks of the Great Himalayas, these hills are characterized by medium height and are almost entirely covered in dense evergreen forests NCERT Class IX, Physical Features of India, p.10. These ranges run mostly as parallel ridges and valleys along the eastern border of India, acting as a natural frontier between India and Myanmar. Moving from north to south, the Purvanchal is composed of several distinct hill tracts: the Patkai-Bum in Arunachal Pradesh, the Naga Hills in Nagaland (where the highest peak, Saramati, is located), the Manipur Hills, and the Mizo Hills (formerly known as Lushai Hills) Majid Husain, Physiography, p.17. These hills are primarily composed of strong sandstones and sedimentary rocks. An important structural link is the Barail Range, which connects the Purvanchal with the Meghalaya Plateau to the west. A fascinating aspect of these mountains is their international extension. The Purvanchal hills are not a standalone system but are part of a larger mountain arc that continues into Myanmar as the Arakan Yoma (also called the Rakhine Mountains). This mountain chain descends further south, dipping into the Bay of Bengal and eventually re-emerging as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Majid Husain, Physiography, p.17. Historically, passes such as Pangsau and Diphu in Arunachal Pradesh have served as vital corridors connecting the Indian subcontinent with the Irrawaddy valley of Myanmar.

Sources: NCERT Class IX Contemporary India-I, Physical Features of India, p.10; Geography of India (Majid Husain), Physiography, p.17

3. The Syntaxial Bends of the Himalayas (intermediate)

When we look at a map of India, the Himalayas appear as a majestic arc stretching nearly 2,500 km from west to east. However, at its two extreme ends, this mountain system doesn't just fade away; it performs a dramatic, sharp geographical "U-turn" known as a Syntaxial Bend. These are also described as deep knee-bend flexures or hairpin bends, where the mountain ranges suddenly pivot from an east-west orientation to a north-south direction Majid Husain, Geography of India, Physiography, p.17.

There are two primary syntaxial bends that define the boundaries of the Himalayan chain:

• Western Syntaxial Bend: Located in the vicinity of Nanga Parbat. Here, the Indus River has carved a massive gorge, and the geological structures take a sharp turn southward into Pakistan.
• Eastern Syntaxial Bend: Located in Arunachal Pradesh near Namcha Barwa. After crossing the Brahmaputra River, the mountains take a sudden southward turn. This bend is responsible for the formation of the Purvanchal hills (like the Patkai, Naga, and Mizo hills) and continues further south into Myanmar Majid Husain, Geography of India, Physiography, p.17.

Geologically, these bends occur because the Himalayan ranges are being squeezed around "pivotal points" or rigid anchors of the Indian tectonic plate. This results in the tectonic strike (the direction of the rock layers) shifting abruptly, which has a massive impact on the regional drainage patterns—forcing mighty rivers like the Indus and the Brahmaputra to cut deep, spectacular narrow valleys as they navigate these bends.

Feature	Western Bend	Eastern Bend
Anchor Peak	Nanga Parbat	Namcha Barwa
Associated River	Indus	Brahmaputra (Dihang)
Resultant Ranges	Sulaiman and Kirthar ranges	Purvanchal and Arakan Yoma

Sources: Geography of India (Majid Husain), Chapter 2: Physiography, p.1, 17; India Physical Environment (NCERT Class XI), Structure and Physiography, p.11

4. Indo-Burma Ranges and the Andaman Extension (intermediate)

When we look at the map of South Asia, the Himalayas seem to end abruptly in the east. However, geologically, they perform a dramatic "hairpin turn" known as the syntaxial bend, sweeping southward to form the Indo-Burma Ranges. The most prominent part of this system is the Arakan Yoma (also called the Rakhine Mountains), a massive mountain arc in western Myanmar that acts as a natural barrier between the Rakhine coast and the Irrawaddy River valley PMF IAS, Tectonics, p.104. This range isn't just a pile of rocks; it is a convergent boundary where the Indian Plate is subducting beneath the Eurasian Plate. During this violent collision, fragments of the ancient ocean floor—known as ophiolites—were scraped off and thrust upward, which is why we find deep-sea rocks high up in these mountain ranges Majid Husain, Physiography, p.7.

The story doesn't end at the coastline of Myanmar. The mountain range continues southward, but it dips below the surface of the Bay of Bengal. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are essentially the visible, elevated peaks of this submerged mountain chain. While the islands appear isolated, they are geologically tethered to the Arakan Yoma, forming a continuous arc that stretches toward the Java Trench in Indonesia PMF IAS, Tectonics, p.104. This connection explains why the flora of these islands is a unique mix of Indian, Myanmarese, and Malaysian strains Majid Husain, Regional Development and Planning, p.90.

Feature	Arakan Yoma (Myanmar)	Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Status	Terrestrial (above sea level)	Insular (peaks of submerged range)
Key Peak	Mount Victoria (Nat Ma Taung)	Saddle Peak (North Andaman)
Geological Origin	Folding and Thrusting	Folding + Volcanic activity (e.g., Barren Island)

While the majority of the Andaman group consists of folded sedimentary rocks similar to the Arakan Yoma, some islands have a distinct volcanic origin. For instance, Barren Island stands as the only active volcano in India, proving that the tectonic forces shaping this arc are still very much alive NCERT Class XI, Structure and Physiography, p.15.

Sources: Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Tectonics, p.104; Geography of India (Majid Husain), Physiography, p.7; Geography of India (Majid Husain), Regional Development and Planning, p.90; NCERT Class XI Physical Environment, Structure and Physiography, p.15

5. Major Physiographic Regions of Myanmar (intermediate)

To understand Myanmar’s landscape, think of it as a north-south oriented horseshoe of mountains surrounding a central river valley. This structure is a direct result of the same tectonic forces that created the Himalayas. Myanmar can be divided into four distinct physiographic regions: the Western Ranges, the Central Lowlands, the Shan Plateau, and the Coastal Strips.
The Western Ranges (also known as the Arakan Yoma or Rakhine Mountains) are perhaps the most significant for a UPSC aspirant because they form the natural boundary between India and Myanmar. These are a southward continuation of the Purvanchal Hills (the eastern arm of the Himalayas). This rugged, thickly forested terrain acts as a watershed between the Brahmaputra in India and the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) in Myanmar Geography of India, India–Political Aspects, p.48. Moving east, we find the Central Lowlands, the fertile heartland of the country. This region is dominated by the Ayeyarwady River and its main tributary, the Chindwin, which flows from the northern part of Manipur to join the main channel Geography of India, The Drainage System of India, p.17.
On the eastern side lies the Shan Plateau, an upland region with an average elevation of about 1,000 meters. It is characterized by deep gorges cut by the Salween River. Historically and politically, this region has been distinct due to its geography and the ethnic groups residing there, such as the Shans Geography of India, India–Political Aspects, p.50. Finally, the Coastal Strips consist of narrow alluvial plains along the Bay of Bengal (Rakhine coast) and the Andaman Sea (Tanintharyi coast).

Physiographic Region	Key Characteristics	Associated Water Body/River
Western Ranges (Arakan Yoma)	Fold mountains; continuation of Himalayas; dense forests.	Watershed of Ayeyarwady
Central Lowlands	Alluvial plains; agricultural core of Myanmar.	Ayeyarwady & Chindwin Rivers
Shan Plateau	Highland block; limestone topography.	Salween River

Sources: Geography of India, The Drainage System of India, p.17; Geography of India, India–Political Aspects, p.48; Geography of India, India–Political Aspects, p.50

6. Arakan Yoma: The Western Myanmar Arc (exam-level)

The Arakan Yoma, also known as the Rakhine Mountains, is a formidable mountain arc in western Myanmar that serves as a vital structural link in the geography of South and Southeast Asia. To understand these mountains, we must look at them through the lens of plate tectonics. The range is essentially the result of the Indo-Australian Plate subducting under the Eurasian Plate. While the northern boundary of this interaction creates the massive continent-continent convergence of the Himalayas, the eastern limb turns southward, forming the Arakan Yoma and extending further into the Java Trench Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Tectonics, p.104.

Physiographically, the Arakan Yoma acts as a massive wall dividing the Rakhine (Arakan) coastal strip from the central Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady) River valley. It is not an isolated range but a continuation of the Purvanchal Hills found in Northeast India. Specifically, it aligns with the Naga Hills and the Manipur Hills, effectively forming the watershed between the Brahmaputra and the Irrawaddy river systems Geography of India, Majid Husain, India–Political Aspects, p.48. These mountains are heavily forested and provide a natural, rugged border between Nagaland, Mizoram, and Myanmar Geography of India, Majid Husain, Physiography, p.17.

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the Arakan Yoma is its submarine extension. The mountain chain does not simply end at the coastline of Myanmar; it dips into the Bay of Bengal and resurfaces to form the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, eventually reaching the archipelago of Indonesia Geography of India, Majid Husain, Physiography, p.17. This makes the Arakan Yoma a critical "pivot" in Asian geography, connecting the high Himalayan peaks to the volcanic island arcs of the south.

Sources: Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Tectonics, p.104; Geography of India, Majid Husain, Physiography, p.17; Geography of India, Majid Husain, India–Political Aspects, p.48

7. Solving the Original PYQ (exam-level)

Now that you have mastered the physiography of the Himalayas and the concept of syntaxial bends, this question brings those building blocks together. You learned that the Himalayas do not simply terminate in the east; instead, they undergo a sharp southward turn at Namcha Barwa. This southward continuation forms the Purvanchal hills in India and extends further into neighboring territory to form a distinct mountain arc. Understanding that the Arakan Yoma is the physical bridge between the Indian tectonic plate and the Irrawaddy valley is crucial for visualizing the total extent of the Himalayan system as described in Geography of India by Majid Husain.

To arrive at the correct answer, follow the tectonic logic: if the Himalayas "bend" downward toward the Bay of Bengal (eventually surfacing as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands), where must that specific landmass be located? The Arakan Yoma (also known as the Rakhine Mountains) acts as a massive natural barrier dividing the coastal region from the interior river valleys, placing the heart of the range squarely within Myanmar. Therefore, Option (B) is the only logical choice. This reasoning is supported by Britannica, which explicitly identifies these mountains as the range dividing the Rakhine coast from the central Irrawaddy valley.

UPSC often uses geographical direction traps to test your spatial clarity. Baluchistan (Option A) is located in the far west (Pakistan), while Kashmir (Option D) and Nepal (Option C) represent the Northern and Central sectors of the primary Himalayan arc. These options are intended to confuse students who haven't distinguished between the longitudinal main range and the latitudinal extension. By eliminating the western and central regions, you can confidently identify the eastern neighbor, Myanmar, as the true home of the Arakan Yoma extension.