Q135
Geography (incl. West Bengal)Physiography: Mountains, Plateaus, Plains & Islands
Dehradun is the capital city of Uttarakhand. What does 'dun' (also spelled 'doon') signify here?
- a.A valley between Lesser Himalaya and Shivalik
- b.An apple orchard
- c.Fertile land
- d.Silted-up lake in Shivalik
Answer: (A) A valley between Lesser Himalaya and Shivalik
A 'dun' (doon) is a flat-floored longitudinal valley lying between the Lesser Himalaya and the Shiwalik range. Duns formed when the rising Shiwaliks blocked rivers and created temporary lakes, which later filled with gravel and alluvium and drained; so option D describes how a dun originated, but the word itself means the valley, option A. Examples: Dehra Dun (the largest), Patli Dun and Kotli Dun; the corresponding features in the eastern Himalaya are called 'duars' (Dooars of North Bengal and Assam). Dehradun is the winter capital of Uttarakhand, Gairsain (Bhararisain) being the summer capital.